Comics I have known and loved: Cheech & Chong, George Carlin, Steve Martin.

Sure, there were others...but these were the ones whose records we wore out. Yes, everybody had a copy of Cheech & Chong's Big Bamboo, Carlin's Class Clown or Occupation Foole, and of course Steve Martin's Let's Get Small and A Wild and Crazy Guy.

As I sketched out the above list I got to thinking about just how huge these guys were. In their prime their impact on popular culture was enormous. Heck, Steve Martin was practically a rock star. Everybody walked around doing their favorite "get small" bits as well as stuff from Martin's SNL characters, my favorites being the Festrunk Brothers ("Wild and Crazy Guys") and Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber.

It's got to be tough for today's comic. Sure, the club scene is still alive but as far as making it big goes, the sheer size and breadth of today's entertainment choices (regular TV, pay TV, movies, gaming, internet) can easily drown out all but the most talented (and maybe lucky) performer. It makes me wonder if comedy is relevant anymore, ya know? Does it matter?

Well, the answer to that question is "What kind of a stupid question is that?!" Of course it matters! Just because our pop culture has been diluted does not mean that there isn't somethin' funny going on. Heck, in some cases, that dilution is the funny thing ("Reality" TV, for instance).

So in these amazing and edgy times, what better way to spend a subzero evening than with the Don Rickles of the K-9 world: Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Sure, Come Poop With Me is full of doggie sex and poop jokes. There are also randy cabaret tunes ("Underage Bichon"), happy & naughty sing-alongs ("Cats Are *****"), ridiculous phone calls ("Call To Kennel") and plain old snarling put-downs. Some of the material is duplicated on the bonus live DVD. In particular, check out the appearance of Jack Black on "Bob Barker". The audio is merely funny, the live video will make you poop. The show ends with a kind of Triumph-ized version of "We Are The World" called "Together In Pooping".

So there, an hour or so spent laughing & tryin' to not spill hot tea on my crotch. Pure escapism? Yep. It beats "Survivor".

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)