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Meet BRANDON RAMAN Co-Lead Snapchat Original Series Kappa Cyrpto
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Brandon first fell in love with comedy while watching Jim Carrey movies and screaming lines from them at relatives during Thanksgiving.
In high school, Brandon discovered short form improv and soon became the captain of his school’s improv team. Then in 2009, He co-wrote a handful of sketches that landed him on the front page of Funny Or Die, and on the “User Picks” segment of the first season of Tosh.0. To chase his comedy goals, he moved down to Southern California to attend the California State University of Long Beach where he would get his BA in Film/Screenwriting. After graduating I moved up to LA and began studying at the UCB.
Since then Brandon has been performing live comedy all around LA at places like the UCB, Second City, IO West, the Clubhouse, the LA Improv Comedy Festival, and the Improv Space to name a few.
Let’s have a chat with this incredible artist and find out more.
Tell us a little about yourself
Brandon- Well, I grew up in the Bay Area (California) with my mom, dad, two sisters, and my absolute obsession with Jim Carrey. I would impersonate him all the time. One of my mom’s favorite stories being when I was five years old at a crowded Thanksgiving dinner, surrounded by distant family members, I jumped up on the table and yelled Jim Carrey’s classic line from The Mask, “OOOO, SOMEBODY STOP MEEE!” and then, like in Ace Ventura Pet Detective, I pulled my pants down and started talking with my butt. And I thank the universe every day that camera phones had not been invented. But that’s where my love of comedy definitely started!
What was a high school like?
Brandon – High school was actually when I realized that I was allowed to do theater! I grew up thinking that the only kid that was allowed to act was Macaulay Culkin. I joined the school’s improv comedy team, performed in a few musicals, and absolutely fell in love with performing. And this was great because I was 5 feet tall and 120lbs, so the only thing I really had going for me was being funny!
When you did first realize your talent as a comedian?
Brandon – I still don’t believe I have any talent as a comedian, but I’ve very good at tricking people into thinking I’m funny. Hopefully, no one finds out.
What is the funniest thing that happened to you recently?
Brandon – My friend and I were getting out of a super late night movie and we called a Lyft to take us home. And when it showed up, the driver was this giant, scary looking guy in a small car. And after we got in, he wanted to show us a “short cut” through these buildings. And while we were silently driving through it, he kept mentioning how secluded it was and how “no one knows about this”. We were terrified. But then, after what felt like forever, we got back onto the main road and for the rest of the drive, he just kept telling us about his Beatles cover band. It’s pretty funny now, but only because we survived.
Talk about your new series on Snapchat?
Brandon – Kappa Crypto is about a sorority girl and cryptography major-by-day, hacker-by-night who gets recruited by the FBI when her campus’ financial aid goes missing. To find the money she’s forced to team up with me, her academic rival, Rohan Choudry. Although we really know how to push each other’s buttons, we realize our feelings for each other are a little more…complicated than we guessed. I love being Rohan because not only do I get to play the vulnerability of a man who falls in love, but I also get to play a goofy guy who falls in trash cans. The show is such a perfect mix of comedy, diversity, and representation. And with each episode only being about five minutes long, it’s so easy to binge watch.
Who is your targeted audience?
Brandon – I think people from their early 20’s and younger will have a lot of fun with this series. The fashion, the music, the energy, the colors, it’s all super current and so much fun. Not to mention it’s full of a lot of people’s favorite YouTube and Instagram stars!
What is the ultimate success for you?
Brandon – Anytime I am able to meet someone, talk to someone, or impact them in some way and they leave feeling just a little bit happier than they were before, I consider that a success. I want my existence to lift everyone around me, and I try to keep that in my mind at all times.
What is the ultimate goal and where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Brandon – In the next five years I see myself continuing to create comedy and art on an international scale. I’d like to keep pushing my personal limits and create works of art that fulfill me on such a profoundly deep level. And my ultimate goal is to be able to eat my bodyweight in pizza.
Share an embarrassing moment with us that no one knows…
Brandon – I was working this really exhausting event production day job while also doing sketch comedy during the night, so I was only sleeping about 3-4 hours a night for about a week. And the only way I could stop myself from going crazy was to go off on my own during our lunch break, find a quiet room, and meditate for a few minutes. I didn’t want anyone to know I was doing it, so I wouldn’t turn the lights on, I would just come in, find a spot, close my eyes and start meditating. But once while I was in the middle of it, some lady came wandering in while she was on the phone, saw me sitting silently all alone in this dark room, and she immediately stopped talking and quickly backed out of the doorway. It happened so fast I didn’t have time to explain myself! We saw each other a few more times during the job, but we never talked and I was too embarrassed to stop her and say, “Hey, remember when you saw me all alone in that dark room? We’ll there’s a reason, and I’m not an insane person.”
There is so much more we would like to ask you. But what would you want to say to your audience?
Brandon – I just want everyone to know that positivity is a lifesaver. When things get tough, that’s when you need to cling to positivity the hardest. Having a positive outlook means you are opening the door for all the good things in the universe to find you. Being optimistic is NOT being ignorant, it is choosing to be strong and to live in joy, instead of fear. It can be hard to do sometimes, but it is so important to achieving your hope and dreams, as well as living a happy life.
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