# Francis Ellis (comedian)
**Francis Ellis** is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and podcast personality associated with [Barstool Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/barstool-sports), where he won the first season of the talent competition Barstool Idol in 2016 and now hosts several podcasts, including *Son of a Boy Dad*.[1](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about) • [2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29) His comedy incorporates satirical keyboard songs, including a series of [Game of Thrones](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-of-thrones) songs that went viral during the show's final season, and he is known for a dry, dark sense of humor.[3](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis) • [4](https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2020/01/15/francis-ellis-is-funny-on-paper-on-stage-and-on-instagram/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, writer, and podcast host at Barstool Sports[1](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about) |
| Break | Won season 1 of Barstool Idol in 2016, earning a job at the company[2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29) |
| Firing and return | Fired in 2019 over a blog he wrote; returned to the company in 2022[2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29) |
| Podcasts | *Son of a Boy Dad*, *Barstool Radio*, *Oops The Podcast*, and *The Bracket & Lights, Camera, Barstool* archives[1](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about) |
| Radio | Hosted the Sirius XM morning show *Barstool Breakfast* with Willie Colon[3](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis) |
| Stand-up special | *Bad Guy*, filmed in May 2019 and available on Barstool Gold[5](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/francis-ellis/umc.cpc.5hn8zn5puxdmp7ozemxs7gw3h) |
| Education | Harvard University[1](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about) |
## Early career
Ellis came to comedy indirectly. While working as a finance intern for the [Royal Bank of Scotland](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-bank-of-scotland), he began writing jokes on a notepad about his experience, and by the end of the summer had enough material to test on an audience. He organized his own comedy show at a bar in Boston, where he performed his first brief stand-up bit while finishing his degree at Harvard, then moved to New York City to pursue comedy as a career.[4](https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2020/01/15/francis-ellis-is-funny-on-paper-on-stage-and-on-instagram/)
His act blends stand-up stories with music. He plays piano in his sets and transitions between stories and songs; the Game of Thrones songs he recorded and posted during the show's final season spread widely online.[4](https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2020/01/15/francis-ellis-is-funny-on-paper-on-stage-and-on-instagram/) • [5](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/francis-ellis/umc.cpc.5hn8zn5puxdmp7ozemxs7gw3h) On most evenings he can be seen doing shows in New York City, and his comedy has taken him to China, Australia, Sweden, British Columbia, and venues throughout the United States.[3](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis)
## Barstool Sports
In 2016 Ellis entered Barstool Idol, a competition at Barstool Sports in which the prize was a job at the company, and won the first season. He then worked at Barstool for about three years, hosting the [Sirius XM](https://www.edgepedia.org/sirius-xm) morning radio show *Barstool Breakfast* alongside Willie Colon and writing for the website.[2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29) • [3](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis)
**The 2019 firing.** In 2019 he was fired for a blog he wrote. He continued doing comedy, hosting a podcast, and taking whatever work he could find, and in 2022 Dave Portnoy brought him back to the company.[2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29) In a 2023 interview on the *Token CEO* podcast with Barstool's Erika Nardini, he discussed the firing, getting caught on a hot mic, and learning from mistakes.[2](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29)
## Podcasts
Ellis's main podcast vehicle is *Oops The Podcast*, which he co-hosted with comedian Giulio Gallarotti; the show examines everyday life, mistakes, bad decisions, and paths to redemption. The Apple Podcasts listing records 629 episodes with activity from 2019 to 2025, closing with a July 2025 farewell episode.[6](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-the-podcast/id1474010458)
At Barstool he currently hosts *Son of a Boy Dad*, whose premise follows co-host Lil Sasquatch, a college dropout leaning on producer Rone to fill the gaps in his education; *Barstool Radio*, hosted with Kelly Keegs and friends; and *The Bracket & Lights, Camera, Barstool* archives, in which Barstool bloggers debate random topics in a bracket format. His Barstool page lists 457 articles, 484 videos, and about 1,000 podcast episodes.[1](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about)
## Style
Ellis describes his sense of humor as self-effacing, somewhat dark, and, in his own words, "very neurotic," and he uses songs as a way to express where he is or what he is talking about. His written work, including pieces for BroBible, focuses on personal stories that use hyperbole for comedic effect.[4](https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2020/01/15/francis-ellis-is-funny-on-paper-on-stage-and-on-instagram/) The Laugh Factory biography notes his dry, dark humor and his habit of incorporating satirical keyboard songs into his act.[3](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis)
## References
1. [Francis Ellis, Barstool Sports bio](https://www.barstoolsports.com/bio/55089177/francis/about)
2. [How A Fired Barstool Employee Made His Comeback (ft. Francis Ellis), Token CEO, Barstool Sports](https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/3453925/how-a-fired-barstool-employee-made-his-comeback-%28ft.-francis-ellis%29)
3. [Francis Ellis, Laugh Factory comedian bio](https://www.laughfactory.com/comedians/bio/FrancisEllis)
4. [Francis Ellis is funny on paper, on stage, and on Instagram, Charleston City Paper (January 15, 2020)](https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2020/01/15/francis-ellis-is-funny-on-paper-on-stage-and-on-instagram/)
5. [Francis Ellis, Apple TV person page](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/francis-ellis/umc.cpc.5hn8zn5puxdmp7ozemxs7gw3h)
6. [Oops The Podcast, Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-the-podcast/id1474010458)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Online creators and internet personalities › Podcasters and podcasts*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license