By Beatriz Fernandez
Published: September 09, 2009

By Beatriz Fernandez

Daily Titan Staff Writer

With comparisons to Abbott and Costello, Yamil Piedra and Johnny Trabanco, also known as A Pair of Nuts, have high standards to meet. They manage to impress with their comedy act which is similar to watching Saturday Night Live.

The duo performed at the Brea Improv on Sept. 1 to a fairly small crowd, but managed to fill the room with laughter.

Piedra claims he would dream of being on Saturday Night Live as a child. He still remembers the first episode he saw: it was hosted by Geena Davis.

Their live performance includes a ping-pong match, “Where’s Waldo” skit, and a Chip ‘N’ Dales-esque performance by Piedra that will leave you with mixed feelings. You don’t know whether to look away or keep staring.

It was clear that they made a good impression at their downtown Brea show.

“I hadn’t heard of them, but I thought it was funny,” Josh Buckhalter, an audience member, said.

Piedra says he gets his humor from his parents. His father was the prankster and his mother was the sarcastic one. Though it is hard for Piedra to pick a favorite comedian, Trabanco says Adam Sandler and Andy Kaufman were major influences.

The Miami natives met while they were studying at Florida International University. They were both in a fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, when Piedra asked Trabanco to join a group called Impromedy. After “seven years of fun,” Piedra graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theater. Trabanco dropped out after eight years; he said he did not graduate because he couldn’t pick just one major. He feels the goal of college was to make him a “renaissance man.”

The act switched from live performances to short clips. The show produced constant laughter, giving the audience what they paid for.

“The audience can always see us on stage,” Trabanco said, which is what the pair wants. They believe that their multimedia act is what sets them apart from other performers.

“I was very impressed,” David Jones, another audience member, said. “It was really good, and I enjoyed myself.”

The duo has been waiting for their big break, and it seems that it is on the verge of happening. While in Los Angeles, they will be appearing on their first late-night talk show, Last Call With Carson Daly, and performing on the Comedy Central Stage in LA.

The Comedy Central Stage is an opportunity for the duo to impress big names and for the chance to have their own show on the channel or to be a part of a comedy film. Yet they don’t seem intimidated by the pressure.

“It’s gonna be good for our career … I feel like it’s a big break,” Piedra said.

They probably mean another big break. Their “Duel” feature, along with many other clips, is on Funny or Die, a Web site co-founded by Will Ferrell that compiles comedic videos.

Their main goal is to have a universal appeal. Though it is not too difficult for the pair to make people laugh, they were nervous when they had to perform in Odessa, Texas.

“There was a gun check at the show!” Piedra said.

They claim it was one of their best shows because the audience was really receptive.

The duo can be seen on their new show El Vacilon, which premieres this month. The show will be a variety show with guest appearances from people such as hip-hop artist Down AKA Kilo, along with their performances. The show will be aired on a Spanish network, but it will be much different than the typical “half-naked girls” and pointless humor that is presently shown.

They hope the show will appeal to 18-34 year olds, which is the audience that Spanish networks lack, according to the pair. They want to make Spanish television entertaining.

They do not know when the show will air, or even what channel it will air on. You can log on to www.nutscomedy.com for more information and for clips of the pair’s performances.