Editor’s Note: The following article features crude humor. We encourage you to enjoy the offensiveness but to only do so at your own discretion.  

“I have a business idea for a male-version of Hooters; it’s called ‘Logs.’ It’s buff men with huge dicks stuffed in spandex shorts waiting tables at, like, waist-high. And when it gets really successful, it’ll expand to Asia … and then I’ll call it ‘Twigs.’”

Sherwyn Santos spends three-to-five nights a week with opening jokes like this one.

The 21-year-old has been performing comedy sets since last spring when he became the legal age to enter most comedy lounges.

“My dad thinks it’s cool; my mom is more like ‘All right, I guess it’s okay,’” Santos said.

Even though he said his parents are supportive, they have yet to see him perform.

“I’m way too crass,” Santos said, referring to his Hooters joke. Some of his standup influences include Louis C.K. and Dave Chappelle, while his favorite comedic writers include Tina Fey and John Mulaney.

Max Rosenblum, founder of Last Resort Comedy, met the young comic last spring when Santos began signing up for open mics. Though Rosenblum disregarded him at first, Santos impressed him with his persistence.

“Not many comics will keep showing up after not getting on the list for a few shows,” Rosenblum, 25, said. “But he continued to show up. At some point I was like I have to put this guy on stage; he really wants to perform comedy.”

On the other hand, founder of Underground Comedy, Sean Joyce remembered Santos as being new, but not annoying, which was important to him.

“There are a lot of people competing for stage time and being annoying is a big problem for young comics,” Joyce said. “One night I was kind of half paying attention when he was on stage and he started getting these big laughs. At that point I realized he was someone I could work with.”

After Santos began helping Joyce run shows, Joyce asked him to be an intern for Underground Comedy. Santos is also affiliated with Last Resort Comedy, DC Improv, Standup Comedy To Go and UMD’s stand-up comedy group Off the Wall.

Santos used to major in music, but after realizing he “sucked,” he switched gears to English and philosophy because he said he always enjoyed writing and was enamored by ancient Greek culture.

Not only does he keep himself busy with schoolwork and comedy, but Santos makes time for his own video production company, Sure Win Productions, and hosts a weekly talk show at WMUC Radio.

“The gist of the radio show is me having a conversation with people who I think are interesting,” he said, “but who aren’t famous.”

Thus, the show is called “Interesting Conversations with Non Famous People.”

Rosenblum said Santos’ future holds several opportunities.

“I don’t know if I know what’s in store for him,” he said. “But he’s passionate and driven so I think there are great possibilities.”

Even though Santos does have a lot to keep him busy, comedy is still the main focus.

“That’s the main thing I look forward to every single night,” he said.

Santos’ next show is 8 p.m. Feb. 27 at DC Improv as part of The Comedy School Showcase.

Maria Kim is a senior Bloc reporter and can be reached at kimaria27@gmail.com.