After winning the Seattle International Comedy Competition in 2012, Michael Malone embarked on his Even Fish Have Fathers cross-country comedy tour with one goal in mind: a new, very personal hour of material. The tour combined all elements of Malone's success: his energy, character-driven comedy, and hard-hitting punchlines. He used the tour to explore the animated characters that raised him following the death of his father when he was 12 years old. He captured the kooky antics of being raised by a single mom, his "Grampire", and his 200-year-old stepfather, Wayne. The following January, however, Michael's stepfather unexpectedly passed away and brought the tour to a halt. Less than a week after the funeral, Malone was onstage again, but this time the energy was different. He became more honest and raw as he explored his grief with humor and worked to honor Wayne's memory on a nightly basis. Suddenly he was tapping in to what he'd been chasing for 11 years on the road: honesty and true connection with the audience.

This larger-than-life performer already had a top-10 best-selling album on iTunes, was featured on the Bob and Tom Show (radio/TV), XM Radio, WGN, and the CW. Opening up onstage in this new way earned him additional accolades, such as Campus Activities Magazine's Top Comedy Performer of 2013 and Hot Comic to Watch in 2013. He also landed showcases and pitch meetings with MTV and Comedy Central and a recording contract with Uproar Records.

"My idols include Richard Pryor and Bill Hicks. They both embody the authenticity," said Malone. "I really admire Hicks and the way he was able to talk so honestly about his family and his misery without missing the joke in all of it. It's really exciting to bring this to the stage. I feel like this is my most honest hour yet, and the material is full of my struggles with life's challenges that everyone can relate to."