I had no idea I was such a trendsetter. Apparently, every jagoff and his cousin Balki wants in on my birthday month. My boy Pedro just turned the old Larry Christ (33) this week. I swear - it's like they'll let anyone have an August birthday these days. The standards have really gotten low. I blame the Jews. But happy happy, Pedro.
Speaking of Jews, did anyone happen to catch Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke doing commentary during the Sox game last night? When they found out that Kevin Youkilis was Jewish, they'd yell "What do you think of that, Mel Gibson?" every time he made a great play. It was very funny stuff. Remy and Orsillo were absolutely dying.
Don't get me wrong - I'm by no means a Denis Leary fan. As regular readers may know, I'm a bit of a stand-up comedy nerd - I've probably been to more comedy shows than rock shows in my illustrious life. In the comedy world, Leary is the worst criminal of all: an unabashed ripoff artist. If you liked "No Cure for Cancer," check out any Bill Hicks album - if your jaw doesn't hit the floor from Leary's absolute shameless thievery, I don't want to know you. He didn't just lift material, but pretty much hijacked Hicks' entire on-stage persona. Leary is a total scumbag.
In the comedy world, there are a few other well-known joke thieves who have (of course) gone on to success. People that have worked with Carlos Mencia say he's been known to steal jokes he likes from his opener's first set and use them in his second set. Dane Cook has a few bits that sound eerily like the far superior Louis CK's early material.
Word around the comedy water cooler is that there's a new thief in town: Josh Blue. Blue is the cerebral-palsy-inflicted winner of the show Last Comic Standing. As a standup fan, I wasn't really into that show for the same reason that as a music fan, I don't watch American Idol. Why waste an evening watching a bunch of amateurs doing hacky, pandering material when there are plenty of good artists plying their craft in my own back yard?
From what I saw, Blue was my least favorite of the comics, mostly because I marked him as the winner from the first show - American TV audiences have never met a disability or affliction they didn't immediately fall in love with. But what I was interested to learn was that Blue is not only a panderer, but may have some sticky fingers: check out this post from a few months ago from my friend/the funniest man in Boston Tim McIntire's site. Go ahead - I'll wait.
With all the ideas of integrity in art and commerce, the most compelling possiblity of this whole little feud is that it could end in a fist fight between two guys with cerebral palsy. And that, my friends, is good comedy.
Speaking of good comedy, said Tim McIntire will be hosting late night comedy shows this weekend at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway in Davis Square, Somerville. Get off the couch and get down there, kids. There are laughs to be had right next door.
Speaking of Jews, did anyone happen to catch Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke doing commentary during the Sox game last night? When they found out that Kevin Youkilis was Jewish, they'd yell "What do you think of that, Mel Gibson?" every time he made a great play. It was very funny stuff. Remy and Orsillo were absolutely dying.
Don't get me wrong - I'm by no means a Denis Leary fan. As regular readers may know, I'm a bit of a stand-up comedy nerd - I've probably been to more comedy shows than rock shows in my illustrious life. In the comedy world, Leary is the worst criminal of all: an unabashed ripoff artist. If you liked "No Cure for Cancer," check out any Bill Hicks album - if your jaw doesn't hit the floor from Leary's absolute shameless thievery, I don't want to know you. He didn't just lift material, but pretty much hijacked Hicks' entire on-stage persona. Leary is a total scumbag.
In the comedy world, there are a few other well-known joke thieves who have (of course) gone on to success. People that have worked with Carlos Mencia say he's been known to steal jokes he likes from his opener's first set and use them in his second set. Dane Cook has a few bits that sound eerily like the far superior Louis CK's early material.
Word around the comedy water cooler is that there's a new thief in town: Josh Blue. Blue is the cerebral-palsy-inflicted winner of the show Last Comic Standing. As a standup fan, I wasn't really into that show for the same reason that as a music fan, I don't watch American Idol. Why waste an evening watching a bunch of amateurs doing hacky, pandering material when there are plenty of good artists plying their craft in my own back yard?
From what I saw, Blue was my least favorite of the comics, mostly because I marked him as the winner from the first show - American TV audiences have never met a disability or affliction they didn't immediately fall in love with. But what I was interested to learn was that Blue is not only a panderer, but may have some sticky fingers: check out this post from a few months ago from my friend/the funniest man in Boston Tim McIntire's site. Go ahead - I'll wait.
With all the ideas of integrity in art and commerce, the most compelling possiblity of this whole little feud is that it could end in a fist fight between two guys with cerebral palsy. And that, my friends, is good comedy.
Speaking of good comedy, said Tim McIntire will be hosting late night comedy shows this weekend at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway in Davis Square, Somerville. Get off the couch and get down there, kids. There are laughs to be had right next door.
14 Comments:
Kim Jong Il uses his blog to over-promote his birthday month, too. You've clearly 'bit his shit' on this one, and frankly, I'm ashamed of you. To co-opt an Asian man's talents like this is just disgusting.
http://english.people.com.cn/200202/19/eng20020219_90553.shtml
Um, by the way, will Jimmy Tingle himself be performing in any of these weekend comedy shows?
Not as far as I know. So we're safe.
Carlos Mencia is terrible! His show basically confirms that Comedy Central will give just about anyone their own show. Aside from him ripping off other comedians, his act just isn't funny. Don't get me wrong, I love a good racially charged joke as much as the next person, but when you base your whole career/act on it, you lack imagination. Especially when the jokes are crap like a stereotype olympics... the Chinese guy doing laundry competition, the black guys being chased by guard dogs marathon, and the Mexican guy bean eating competition... har har har, lame! And on his next show he'll do the same exact jokes.
I was talking about this with our blogging buddy Brendo just the other day and I'm pretty sure I could do the same act Mencia does and I'm really not that funny. It's pretty easy to tell dumb stereotype jokes. However, knowing when to tell that joke and how to tell that joke is completely different. Subtlety and surprise are great tools when telling a racially charged joke. Hit someone with it when their not expecting it, then finish them off with a dead baby joke.
So I guess deep down what I'm really trying to say is SAN ANDEMOUS HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!
Nice insane rant, Madden.
I don't remember suggesting you do a comedy act based on racial humor, but I DO drink a lot.
And I believe it's "San Dimas high school football rules!" Not to nitpick.
San Dimas ... San Andemous, it's all the same to the ramblings of a mad man.
Any idea why I no longer find Carlin funny? I mean not even his old stuff. When I was sixteen, I thought he was God, now I don't even chuckle. Anyone else had this experience with a favorite standup?
Bill Hicks and me, together at last.
A dream come true.
Thank you Mister Boogie.
Any idea why I no longer find Carlin funny? I mean not even his old stuff.
He hasn't been funny in years. I think his old stuff is just dated - it was pretty outrageous at the time, but times have changed so much that the shock value is gone. What's left is sort of cutesy.
Yeah, he basically reminds me of my angry uncle who I wish would just shut up and die of lung cancer already, but wouldn't that make those cunt nuns at St. Joachim's happy, the bitter old infertile hags...
I worked with a guy that used to flip a nut every time someone came up with a Dennis Leary CD. He would ramble on to the customer about how he stole from Bill Hicks and THAT is who they should be buying things from.
Reading this brought me back to those moments. I always wanted to kill him, because he'd hold up the line and I'd have to ring up twenty people while he went apeshit on someone who just ignorantly bought something that made them laugh.
I dare anyone to sit through an entire half hour of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. You may find emotions within you never knew existed and ask yourself such existential questions as...How can he be a health inspector AND a cable guy?
How can he be a health inspector AND a cable guy?
Ha - I made that same joke when that movie came out.
I do like Ron White, though.
Let's not even get into Dennis Miller. Did anyone see his last HBO special? He's making Clinton jokes. In 2006. BILL Clinton jokes. Way to sock it to power, man!
That last sentence was a mess, but my new favorite dismissive aside is 'Way to sock it, Powerman!' I look forward to my next round of golf.
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