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Andy Gross talks about Amazon Prime special
Comedian and magician Andy Gross joined FOX 5 Atlanta Digital to talk about his Amazon Prime special "Andy Gross: Are You Kidding Me" Gross has performed multiple times in Georgia and performs all over the United States.
ATLANTA - Comedian, magician, and ventriloquist Andy Gross is celebrating the streaming debut of his hit prank special Andy Gross: Are You Kidding Me? on Amazon Prime—and he’s not holding back when it comes to the jaw-dropping tricks, behind-the-scenes stories, and laugh-out-loud chaos that brought it all to life.
"I came up with a few pranks and I put them on, I guess it was YouTube back then, and they did extremely well, like went viral, crazy viral," Gross said in a recent interview. "We’ve kind of taken all of those old viral videos, put them together into one compilation with a lot of new stuff."
The 40-minute special is a mix of magic, mischief, and mayhem, from headless illusions on public buses to mind-reading stunts and interactive street pranks that push the limits of public performance. One particularly memorable moment happened in Compton, California, when Gross shocked passengers with a vanishing head trick—and nearly ended up in trouble.
"I pulled her head off and ran out of the bus," Gross recalled. "The reactions that we got were so over the top. It was just incredible. And the bus driver really came at me with this big metal bat."
Luckily, once the driver realized it was a prank video, the mood shifted dramatically.
"He goes, ‘You know what? I’m an actor. I actually think we could do it better. Let’s do it again,’" Gross said. "That’s just how Hollywood is. Even the bus driver in Compton is an actor."
Gross’s journey to streaming success spans decades—he’s been performing for nearly 30 years and says the internet helped him reach a global audience. "The Ellen Show contacted me and I went on... and then like that, a production company contacted me," he said. "I always tell people now... you can go out and you can film this stuff with your phone, put it up on the internet and become an overnight sensation."
The special has already racked up views and laughs, but Gross emphasizes that creating those perfect viral reactions is often more work than viewers realize.
"People say, ‘Oh my gosh, those reactions are incredible,’ but they don’t realize that maybe I’ve done it 50 different times," he said. "We’ll take 20 of the best reactions and put them into the video."
Not all reactions are dramatic—some people just stare blankly or walk away. "That is a funny reaction in itself," Gross added. "They’re just kind of speechless."
Gross also reflected on the cultural differences he’s encountered while performing across the U.S. "The New Yorkers, they didn’t react like Los Angeles," he said, recalling a prank shoot in Manhattan. "Everybody in New York was just like, ‘OK, keep your blinders on. Don’t look at that freak over there.’"
Beyond the pranks, Gross incorporates mind-reading, ventriloquism, and a personal collection of more than 200 antique dummies into his act. Some of them, he says, even have a spooky side.
"I set up a camera one time when I left town and... one of the dummies’ heads kind of moved by itself," Gross said. "I don’t believe in this kind of stuff, but that was so strange."
Off-stage, Gross is a father of four and admits that balancing family and a touring life isn’t easy—but he makes it work. "When I was in town, I was present," he said. "I was taking them to school, I was picking them up. I didn’t have a nine to five."
He also shared that while many comedians have a darker side, his own start in magic came from watching the 1978 thriller Magic, starring Anthony Hopkins. "Maybe I do have a dark side because once I saw that movie, I said, ‘This is great. I’ve got to learn this,’" he joked. "I wanted to become a ventriloquist because I can have this dummy do all my murdering for me."
Despite the twisted humor, Gross says he’s grounded, a self-described "big kid" who’s always dreaming up the next gag. "My wife looks at me sometimes, I’m in my own little world," he said. "She says, ‘I know you’re thinking about the next video.’ I go, ‘Pretty much.’"
For now, fans can stream Andy Gross: Are You Kidding Me? on Amazon Prime and follow him on social media under @AndyGrossLive for more pranks, tricks, and performances. He also continues to tour across the country—and yes, Georgia’s on the list.
"These particular shows were great down there," Gross said of his recent visit to the Peach State. "They’re filling up the theaters, which is fantastic. And I’m having fun."