Adam Burke
Who Adam Burke is
Adam Burke is a Chicago stand-up comedian, originally from Ireland by way of Australia and England, who has performed in Chicago and across the United States for close to two decades and is a regular panelist on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, with more than fifty appearances. Readers of the Chicago Reader voted Burke the city's best stand-up in 2014, and Burke won Second City's Up Next Comedy Competition and has played the High Plains Comedy Festival, Bridgetown and Just for Laughs.
The albums Universal Squirrel Theory (2012) and Weaponized Empathy (2023) came out on A Special Thing Records, and the first special, Unamerican, directed by Jeremy Essig, followed through Comedy Dynamics in November 2025. Burke has also written for WGN's Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo, The Onion, The Paper Machete and Second City.
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Adam Burke online
At a glance
- Based in
- Chicago, IL
- Stand-up specials
- Unamerican
- Albums
- Universal Squirrel Theory and Weaponized Empathy
- Podcasts
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and The 5 O'Clock Somewhere News
- On screen
- Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo
Is Adam Burke on tour?
No upcoming dates on record No upcoming dates are on record right now. That doesn't mean Adam Burke has stopped touring; follow Adam Burke to hear when the next ones are booked.
Last checked 11 October 2026.
Is Adam Burke coming to my town?
No dates are on record right now (checked 11 October 2026), so no town is confirmed yet. Follow Adam Burke and your town to hear when one is booked.
Want Adam Burke in your town?
Name your town and how many of you would come: the towns fans ask for show here, with how many asked.
Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →
Specials, shows and podcasts
Stand-up specials
- Unamerican Comedy Dynamics, 2025
Albums
- Universal Squirrel Theory A Special Thing Records, 2012
- Weaponized Empathy A Special Thing Records, 2023
On screen
- Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo writer, WGN
Podcasts
- Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! panelist, NPR
- The 5 O'Clock Somewhere News creator and host, IGTV
Comedians like Adam Burke
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Alonzo Bodden also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Gianmarco Soresi also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Jessi Klein also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Josh Gondelman also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Joyelle Nicole Johnson also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Mohanad Elshieky also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Career timeline
- 2012Universal Squirrel Theory (A Special Thing Records, 2012) Album
- 2023Weaponized Empathy (A Special Thing Records, 2023) Album
- 2025Unamerican (Comedy Dynamics, 2025) Special
Questions and answers
Where is Adam Burke performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now.
What stand-up specials have they released?
Unamerican.
What podcasts have they been on?
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and The 5 O'Clock Somewhere News.
Where can I watch their stand-up specials?
As each special's credit gives it: Comedy Dynamics (Unamerican, 2025).
What TV shows and films are they in?
Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo (writer, WGN).
Where is Adam Burke from?
Adam Burke is based in Chicago, IL, as their record gives it.
Who are some comedians like them?
Alonzo Bodden (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!), Gianmarco Soresi (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!), Jessi Klein (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!), Josh Gondelman (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!) and Joyelle Nicole Johnson (also on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!).
Are you Adam Burke?
This page can be your website, free. Send your bio in your own words, your links, your clips, who books you, a line said about you and your weekly show, and they go on this page beside the dates D.O.C. already keeps. Fans follow you here and get your news in the D.O.C. letter.
Your short address, for your bio: disciplesofcomedy.com/adam-burke
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.
Sources
- Comedy Dynamics — Unamerican ↗ Released 25 November 2025; 41 minutes; written by and starring Adam Burke; directed by Jeremy Essig (as of 11 October 2026)
- A Special Thing Records ↗ Originally from Ireland by way of Australia and England; comedy in Chicago and across the U.S. for 17 years; a regular panelist on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, more than 50 appearances; writer for WGN's Man of the People with Pat Tomasulo; The 5 O'Clock Somewhere News on IGTV; Best Standup, Chicago Reader readers'…
- The Wormhole Presents (28 March 2026) ↗ A regular panelist on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me; comedy in Chicago and throughout the U.S. for almost two decades; Universal Squirrel Theory (2012) and Weaponized Empathy (2023) on A Special Thing Records; his first special, UnAmerican, through SNG/Comedy Dynamics in 2025 (as of 11 October 2026)
Updated 11 October 2026 · the record checked 11 October 2026