Comedians Chris O’Neill and Paul Valenti — The Chris and Paul Show — freely admit they are a couple of “big kids.”

Watching their videos and television performances bears out that claim. Using primarily facial expressions and body language, they deliver silly, laugh out loud physical comedy.

Referring to themselves as “modern day vaudevillians,” the two might bring to mind Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton or the television show The Kids in the Hall, depending on one’s generation.

“We draw from a lot of the old-time greats. We’re basically like a live cartoon on stage,” O’Neill says.

Finalists on NBC’s “Bring the Funny,” they clearly entertain judges Chrissy Teigen, Kenan Thompson and Jeff Foxworthy, even roping Teigen into their act in one episode.

“You got all these laughs without saying a word and that’s a special skill set. I couldn’t stop laughing, I was beating the table, and that’s what (‘Bring the Funny’) is all about,” Foxworthy says in a release.

The duo will perform at Steel City Improv in Pittsburgh for two shows — 8 p.m. Feb. 7-8.

They also will hold a 2 p.m. Feb. 8 workshop at the Improv’s alternate location, 6401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh.

Can’t wait to experience @primantibros when we get to Pittsburgh next week!

WHAT SHOULD WE ORDER? #primantibros @SteelCityImprov pic.twitter.com/pMrtgD54O2

— The CHRIS and PAUL Show (@ChrisPaulShow) January 28, 2020

20 years of skits

The two began performing together after meeting in 1999 in Connecticut. They eventually teamed up and traveled from their homes into New York City to perform — after Valenti called a club, pretending to be a manager and booking their act.

“We were so excited to do shows in New York. On the train we realized we had no show prepared. We wrote our act on the train,” O’Neill says. They later moved to New York and began their careers in comedy through “trial and error,” they say.

It’s called The Chris and Paul Show because it’s the two of them being themselves, Valenti says.

“We are also very immersive. We use the audience, but we don’t shame or embarrass them,” he adds.

Inviting someone on stage turns that person, O’Neill says, “into the champions in the show.”

“They get an ovation. It’s all in good fun,” he says.

Bringing their own funny

“The great thing about working with Paul is it’s a good balancing act. Paul is completely fearless,” O’Neill says.

Classical music fans, the two listen to Bach, O’Neill says, and think, “What would be funny to go along with this beautiful music?”

Each audience brings a new dynamic to their show, O’Neill says. “You learn quickly how funny you are when you do shows for New York audiences.”

After finding “their voice,” he says, they began approaching international festival organizers.

They are winners of awards including Best Newcomer Nominee, Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Best Actor in a Comedy (they tied), New York Television Festival; Best Sketch Comedy Duo, the INNY Awards; and Best Newcomer, the Montreal Comedy Festival.

Language is no barrier to audiences finding their comedy relatable.

“It’s human behavior. We had a group of kids (at one performance) who didn’t speak English. I was watching them and they were just in awe of what we were doing. They started smiling and laughing. We feel like our act is universal,” Valenti says.

Their Saturday workshop is open to anyone, performers or not, they say.

“We like to strip (comedy) down to the bone and get to the root of what’s funny,” O’Neill says.

Though the two use some words and music, they deliver most of their material sans dialogue. “One of the scariest things for a performer or someone giving a speech is silence.”

Embracing that silence opens up a whole new world of opportunities, they believe.

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