Corey O'Brien is the kind of man who refuses to be put in a box. And if you try, he'll dance his way right out of it, probably with a well-timed joke and a defiant twirl.
The comedian, dancer, and unabashedly loud-and-proud gay entertainer is embarking on The Red Tour, taking his very liberal, very queer brand humor straight into the heart of America's red states. "I wanted to go into these red states because I feel like if there are people that are willing to buy a ticket and come and see me, then they're willing to listen to something," he tells me, his voice laced with equal parts of determination and joy.
The tour is equally about creating a safe space, especially for queer people in these conservative communities who might feel trapped, isolated, or unseen. "There are queer people that live in these states as well that can't leave, don't want to leave," he muses. "And I'm doing it for them."
A Journey of Unapologetic Expression
Before he took the stage with a mic, Corey's first love was dance. Growing up in a small conservative town in Pennsylvania, he navigated embracing his authentic self amid the heckling from classmates. "The bullying was relentless because I was nothing like my peers," he shares. But dance was his salvation. "It was a way of expressing myself without words because I didn't know how to express how I was feeling."
But the pressure of being different in an unforgiving environment led him down a different path. Corey turned to drugs and alcohol to mask his pain. "It convinced me I loved myself for a little bit…until all that hate came back."
At 21, he got sober. With 12 years of sobriety behind him, he channels his experiences into his comedy, both the highs and the rock-bottom moments. "Everything that has once brought me a lot of pain and sadness is something that I'm able to flip around and laugh at on stage," he says. Corey's comedy is therapeutic as it is entertaining, a way of healing for himself and those who see themselves in his story.
Corey's dance background still plays a role in his comedy in expected and unexpected ways. "I know the way I command a stage—I owe a lot of it to dance," he explains. He instinctively understands how to captivate an audience, whether it's physical comedy, using movement to tell a story or an actual dance break in his set.
Transforming Hurt into Humor
But his real talent lies in taking the weapons used against queer people, from stereotypes to slurs and ignorance, and flipping them into comedy gold. "I love calling out ignorant and hateful people and just letting them know my comedy is also spreading a message. It's a way of resistance."
And resist he does. His humor isn't just about making people laugh but reclaiming power. "I find a lot of peace and a lot of healing in laughter," he reflects. "If I can take the things that are being thrown at me or my community and flip it around to make fun of it, then I feel like I did my job."
Corey has built a digital sanctuary for queer people looking for representation, humor, and a reminder they're not alone. "Social media has been a great game changer in letting us know that there are so many people out there just like us," he smiles.
His approach? Be unapologetically himself, whether online or in person. "If I had Marjorie Taylor Greene walking past me, I'll still say some shit to her," he declares. But for all the viral moments and fiery clapbacks, the most meaningful interactions don't end up with thousands of likes. Instead, they're the quiet messages from parents. "When I've had parents reach out to me and say their children are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and that something I said helped them understand their kid better…that means the world to me."
Building Community and Connection
Corey's Red Tour is just starting, but he's already thinking ahead. "I would love to add more dates and just keep going into these red states and just be gay as hell," he laughs. But a Blue Tour may also be on the horizon. "I feel like it's just going to be us talking about how amazing we are for the whole entire run, which I'm totally fine with."
For now, Corey is focused on what he does best: making people laugh, making people think, and making sure no one ever feels as alone as he once did. "I just want to continue to spread a message of love, acceptance, and also that we aren't going anywhere."
You can find Corey on tour at coreyobrienonline.com or follow him on social at @corey_obrien. And if you're in a red state feeling a little too blue, Corey's got just the show for you.