One of his first performances was when he was eighteen, "I told a Pantene [a glamour hair product] joke to a bunch of Amish folks at a picnic. That's when I first learned, "Know Your Audience.""[1] He had been doing improv comedy for several years and stand-up seemed the next progression.[7] 2003 saw his first stand-up performance at "Comedy Social" at the Sin Sin club, "I fell in love with the show and they asked us to perform stand up. It was a very warm room and the perfect first time."[9] He has appeared on two episodes of here! TV's Hot Gay Comics as a featured comedian and here! TV's celebrity news webshow Busted as the host.[2][10][11]
On December 1, 2007, he appeared at "Saturday Night Underground" a talk/variety evening for World AIDS Day with Michael Arden and Todd Buonopane at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.[12][13] In March 2008 he was a featured comic at Bill Augustin's "Big Gay Variety Show", a benefit for the N.Y. Civil Liberties Union.[14]
In 2008 he performed nearly every night and was co-producing five shows including "The Back Room", a gay-themed comedy show at Ochi's Lounge in Comix, "The Kevin Murphy Show", a "Straight Bostonian/Japanese/Gay variety show" and "Meat and Potatoes", a show where folks who grew up poor share their experiences with Carolyn Castiglia.[9]
In June 2009 he was a co-host on Logo (TV channel) NewNowNext.com's Gayest Week Ever.[2][11][15] He did an episode of here! TV's Hot Gay Comics.[1] He has also appeared on The Frank DeCaro Show and Derek and Romaine on Sirius/XM OutQ Radio,[2] The Joey Reynold's Show and Daniel Nardicio's DList Radio.[16] He regularly performs at other New York venues including Comix comedy club, The People's Improv Theater, Therapy, Stonewall Inn, New York Comedy Club, and Stand-Up NY.[1][17] He also travels in the Under the Gaydar Comedy Tour with Jackie Monahan, Claudia Cogan and Dave Rubin.[18]
Hollenbach has created and co-produced the first annual Miss Fag Hag Pageant on May 17, 2009, featuring Caroline Rhea, Michael Musto, Hedda Lettuce, Shayna Steele and Frank DeCaro as a benefit for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of The Harvey Milk School.[19][20][21][22][23] The second annual event took place May 2, 2010, again at the Comix Comedy Club.[24][25]
In June 2009, he did a reading of Matthew Sheridan's Unfinished with Tricia Alexandro and Jim Weitzer.[26] He also performed at "Funny Gays Are Here Again – A Night of Comedy", a benefit for Bob Zuckerman's campaign for city council, if elected Zuckerman would become the first openly LGBT legislator ever elected from Brooklyn.[27] In August 2009 he was part of Robert Keller's inaugural comedy tour "The Manhattan Comedy Project" with Wendy Ho and Paul Case touring Canada and northern US.[11]
In September 2009 he created "Closet Cases," a monthly show at New York City's The Tank where LGBT performers tell their coming out stories on stage.[28][29][30] The series became a Time Out NY critic's pick and a "Homo Must" for HX Magazine.[2]
As an actor, he starred with Kathleen Chalfant in the film Second Guessing Grandma,[2][31] directed by Bob Giraldi based on Eddie Sarfaty's short story.
In January 2010, Hollenbach and the other MintyFresh producers put together "Beverly's Bake Off!", a show of "song, comedy, burlesque and bakegoods", as a benefit for the National LGBT Cancer Network.[32][33]
In July 2010 he appeared on "[Gay] Comedy Show".[1] In August 2010 he was a featured comedian in "Laugh Out Proud VI" as part of Ottawa's Pride 2010.[34][35]
In 2011, Shawn started as a contributing writer for gay news and advice blog, 365gay writing the Wednesday Water Cooler and then 365gay's Ask the Wedding Expert.[36] Shawn later joined Rihanna's 777 Tour with other 150 journalists going to 7 countries to play 7 concerts in 7 days for Logo and NewNowNext starting on November 14, 2012[37] carrying a cardboard cut out of drag queen celebrity, RuPaul to all 7 countries.
