Austin Laine WalkeR

Creator & Showrunner

During a sweltering summer on the SAG strike lines in 2023, actor and comedian Austin Laine Walker received a piece of advice from Hollywood veteran Jack Black: “Make your own sh*t.” Two months later, Varietyville debuted on an equally hot night at Be Kind Video in Burbank, CA.

Fueled by his love of classic variety shows and vaudevillian humor, Austin created Varietyville as both a creative playground for sharpening his skills as a character actor, writer, and musician, and a community dedicated to one simple goal: making people feel good. Inspired by legends like Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, and The Muppets, Varietyville carries forward the rich tradition of variety show entertainment with heart, humor, and plenty of improvisational blunders.

A lifelong lover of performing, filmmaking, and dreaming big dreams, Austin moved to Los Angeles at 22 with nothing but a car, a cat, and a confidence that he was meant for this path. Since then, he’s worked in film, TV, live theater, comedy, podcasts, and more. A student of The Groundlings, Austin specializes in character comedy and takes inspiration from the unique folks he meets in his work and travels.

Featuring LEGENDARY Character Actor

“Doctor” M.C. Gainey

M.C. Gainey is a veteran actor with a career spanning over four decades, known for memorable roles in Con Air, Sideways, Django Unchained, and TV shows like Lost and Justified. A longtime member of the Varietyville cast, M.C. brings a lifetime of experience and wisdom to our multi-generational community. He loves Varietyville because it reminds him of his “good ol’ Hollywood days” when folks would put on a show just for the hell of it! Whether he’s our Mardi Gras king, the Devil, the town sheriff, or is simply playing himself, M.C. is a Varietyville legend.