It was with some hesitation that I agreed to go with my friend to Carrot Top's recent performance at the King Center in Melbourne, Florida. I mean, sure, she had gotten a hold of two free tickets from work. And I didn't have any other plans. And it's not a long drive. But still. This was the guy from those horrid 1-800-CALL-ATT ads. And, worse yet, from the almost-evil Chairman of the Board. I mean, I nearly had a seizure watching that one. My eyes bled for a week.

In the end, I decided to go. And I am truly glad I did. Believe it or not, the guy's act is absolutely hilarious, at least when seen in person.

Carrot Top (aka Scott Thompson) grew up in Cocoa Beach, Florida, not far from Melbourne, so this was to be a bit of a homecoming for him. His favorite high school teacher even showed up in the audience. Much of his act had a local flavor, for instance his jokes about disgustingly phony attorney John Morgan, the lunatic car salesmen at Family Auto Mart, and his tongue-in-cheek slams against Brevard Community College, where the King Center is located. The irony...

His "inventions" were a major part of the show, as always. Targets of his humor included the Dixie Chicks, NASCAR fans, Ozzy Osbourne, and Saturn drivers. Oh, and BCC graduates. (I tried not to take it too personally...)

The show's finale including the firing of confetti into the audience and Carrot Top dressing up as Tom Petty. Perhaps a bit of a weak ending, but overall the show was two hours well spent. If he comes to your where you are, I recommend seeing his show.

Especially if you get free tickets.