Chris Fleming

Chris Fleming (born January 29, 1987) is an American comedian and actor first known for their YouTube series Gayle, in which they star as the eponymous character Gayle Waters-Waters. In June 2019, Variety named Fleming one of its "10 Comics to Watch for 2019." In 2026, Fleming was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for the special Chris Fleming: Live at the Palace.

Fleming is known for their unique, specific character comedy and "powerful, ridiculous songs." Much of their comedy is aimed at deconstructing social norms, including masculinity. They have been said to have an online cult following.

Early life and education Fleming grew up in Stow, Massachusetts, and attended Nashoba Regional High School. During their junior year, they began studying stand-up comedy under Rick Jenkins at The Comedy Studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 2007, Fleming performed stand-up during HBO's 13th annual Comedy Festival in Aspen, Colorado.

Fleming received a degree in theater from Skidmore College in 2009 and graduated one credit short of receiving a minor in dance.

Gayle Gayle is a 40-episode absurdist comedy series on YouTube. Fleming developed the idea for Gayle through their stand-up comedy. Fleming's mother co-stars as Bonnie, Gayle's best friend and biggest rival (i.e., frenemy). The series is filmed in Fleming's hometown of Stow, Massachusetts.

Forbes reported that, in the off-seasons of filming Gayle, Fleming worked as an SAT tutor.

In 2014, the Gayle team went on a US tour with the show Gayle Live.

Although much of their hometown supports the series, with some neighbors even participating as actors, is the series' best-known project and "what I get stopped at airports for." Fleming dislikes when Gayle is seen purely as a "crazy mom," claiming the character transcends the stereotype: They also post videos on their Twitter and Instagram pages.

Fleming's 2015 video "COMPANY IS COMING," starring their Gayle character, went viral, accruing over 15.6 million views as of June 2026. In 2018, Fleming lampooned this viral video as a Faustian deal with a demon named Davis, who says, "We made a deal; one viral video in 2015 for a lifetime of servitude! You promised me your soul for your video COMPANY IS COMING going viral, and now sorority girls from the South like you for all the wrong reasons!"

Fleming is known for their specific, unique character comedy.

Stand-up comedy In 2010, Fleming moved to Los Angeles after signing with the talent agency that managed Dane Cook. Fleming has said, "I was signed to a manager who seduced me to moving out to L.A., and as soon as I got there, she promptly became a chef."

In 2011, describing Fleming's brand of comedy, Comedy Studio owner Rick Jenkins said, "Chris isn't a funny comedian; he's an interesting person who sees the world in a funny way. Chris's world is this rubbery, cartoonish, absurd place filled with over-the-top, self-important characters. It's a really cool world he shows us." Upon arriving, Fleming realized they were at comedian Dane Cook's house, and it was a watch party of the NFL playoff between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. While receiving a tour of the house, Fleming complimented its appearance, comparing it to a Crate & Barrel; Cook was not amused by the joke. Fleming displayed this photo at the end of the stand-up routine as evidence of the party. When asked about the title, Fleming said, "I fancy myself a showpig—grease me up and send me to market!" in which Bowie says, "Never play for the gallery...Never work for other people at what you do."

Fleming's stand-up tour Boba Everyday began in late 2019 and was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, Fleming announced Forest Musings, a virtual show. In August 2021, Fleming announced their stand-up tour, Tricky Tricky. In May 2022, they announced a summer stand-up tour with venues in British Columbia, Texas, New York, Ontario, and Vermont.

When Vulture asked for the best comedy advice they had received, Fleming responded, "Rick Jenkins, owner of the Comedy Studio [in Harvard Square], taught me that, through clarity with your audience, even the most absurd idea can be accessible—also, that no idea is too absurd." For the writing on the special, Fleming was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.

In their 2018 stand up comedy special "Showpig", Fleming said "I'm not a man. I'm not a woman. I'm a showpig." When asked for their preferred pronouns in a 2019 The Peak interview, Fleming said, "Anything works for me." and 2022 monologue "Men and Me." When asked whether they felt secure in their masculinity, they responded:

Oh, I'm not secure with my masculinity, I just don't have any masculinity. There's just such a lack of it, I have no respect for it.

Filmography

Pilot Beginning in about 2019, Fleming created the WarnerMedia/Adult Swim pilot I'm the Mayor of Bimmi Gardens. The pilot was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, in the summer of 2021. It featured Fleming as the protagonist, a "mayor of a town off the coast of Florida (but technically a territory of Maine)."

Film

Television

Comedy specials