[citation needed] In 2019, the duo gained wide exposure in 2019 as contestants on the NBC comedy competition television series Bring the Funny,[4] in which they placed as finalists.
The Chris and Paul Show's sketches involve an emphasis on physical comedy and minimal or no dialogue,[2][4][5] a style influenced by comedians like Laurel and Hardy, which the Stamford Advocate described as "modern day vaudeville with an edgy, unexpected twist."
"[4] The Washington Post's Jessica Goldstein, commenting on the duo's practice of setting up an idea, only for it to be subverted in the payoff, stated, "'The Chris and Paul Show' is their sensibility distilled to its simplest form: a joke heads in one direction but veers to the left at the last minute, and the sketch snaps shut before the shock fully registers.
"[1] Steve Bennett, reviewing the same entry at that festival for Chortle called O'Neill and Valenti "slick, talented and with undoubted funny", comparing them to The Pajama Men.
Bennett noted the manner in which their skits gradually establish their premise in judiciously quiet moments, before implementing more manic payoffs that subvert expectations.
While Bennett did not believe that the setups were always paced properly, he noted the ones that were, saying, "To call them sketches would seem to demean their unquestionable artistry – builds up the tension so beautifully, then punctures it so hilariously with just two short words, it's one of the best single moments of the Fringe.
Although Stapley also criticized the duo for the length of their "long, awkward pauses," and with their ability to end a scene, "the physical talent and originality on display...more than made up for it.