Andrew Schulz likes laughs. Real, hard laughs.

With his straight-up stand-up, New York’s funny-boy is taking the comedy scene by storm, cracking up audiences across the world. Since his debut performance in California, Andrew has garnered media attention and a following of fans, being named one of the top five up-and-coming artists on Twitter.

His comedy is like a stiff drink: it hits you fast and hard, and leaves you slightly disoriented. “I like fucking with people’s sensibilities” Andrew says. “I articulate things that people aren’t putting together, things that people are aware of, but only subconsciously.”

A comedian, writer, and actor, Andrew has collaborated on several TV pilots, including The Rewind, The Blog Report, and American Depravity. He wrote and performed in the web-series Rise of the Radio Show, and acted in Strangers in the Snow, a short film awarded best romantic comedy at the 2011 Mountain Film Festival. Most recently, Andrew helped usher in the new year as a panelist on MTV’s New Year’s Eve Bash, and he’s a regular panelist on Music Choice’s hit TV show Certified.

For Andrew, comedy isn’t just a means of making people laugh, it’s also a way of questioning the world, of prying people’s values and desires. For him, humor is a point of connection, a universal language that allows him to talk to people. “I have something to say to the world, and laughter is my reward for those who listen.”

Growing up in New York City, Andrew was influenced by comedians like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, and Bernie Mac. “I didn’t know these guys wrote jokes, I just thought they were naturally funny all the time” he says. “They were the standard I set for myself. I aimed to be that funny all the time, even in everyday conversations with people.”

On stage, Andrew discusses gender issues and identity politics, dubbing what he calls “logical masculinism,” a brand of comedy that takes up the male experience from an informed and rational perspective: “We live in a confusing time, a time where masculinity and femininity are confused. I think there’s still room for difference. I don’t think being male should be offensive.”

And even if it were offensive, Andrew wouldn’t care. His comedy never aims to be politically correct. Instead, he takes up unlikely and taboo subjects, pushing back against so-called progressive, enlightened logic: “I’m a contrarian. I love taking the opposite side, just to argue. I will find truth in the unlikeliest argument, just to thwart the general consensus. I’ll question what someone believes just to see how strongly they believe it. It’s like pushing the tough guy. It’s my way of policing the world.”

In another life, Andrew co-owns a bar with a friend. This is the life he’d planned for and saved for while studying psychology at the University of California. It’s the life he’d be leading if it weren’t for a woman by the name of Louise Palanker. Andrew was working in a restaurant that hosted a comedy night in Santa Barbara. Palanker organized the comedy night, and she approached Andrew and asked him to perform. Andrew said yes— a decision that would change his life forever.

After his initial performance, it was clear to Andrew that he didn’t want to own a bar “I knew that comedy was everything I wanted to do: I like attention, I like to argue, and I like saying ridiculous shit and backing it up. I just knew that I wanted to make people laugh.”

Andrew prides himself on the types of laughs he gets: “I don’t want you to laugh just because you think I’m clever, I want your laughter to surprise you. I like fucking with people. If I can get you to laugh, you may not agree with me, but at least I know you’re listening. At least I know the point is resonating.”

With his unique brand of humor, Andrew has established himself as a fixture in New York’s comedy circuit. He regularly performs at Eastville Comedy Club, CB’s Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club and Comix, and he’s also appeared at Caroline’s, Laugh Lounge, Comic Strip and The Comedy Cellar.

Andrew’s goals for the future—plain and simple: “I want to be the best stand-up comedian. Ever.”