A barrel full of comic talent was left on the shelf tonight.
I’m a sucker for competition-based reality shows. I’m still with The Apprentice after all these years, after all. Maybe I just can’t get enough of Donald “Did I Say You’re Fired, Pepi?” Trump.
In any event, matching stand-up comedy with an elimination-based format should be gold, Jerry, gold, but Last Comic Standing, now in its fourth season, has made a sad and habitual habit of tripping over the line to grab goofy, diverse, and TV-friendly characters instead of concentrating on the fine and horrifically difficult art of getting up on a stage and making strangers laugh.
Tonight’s show was the first of a two-part semi-final of sorts, cutting the forty comics who had been culled from try-outs around the country to a final batch of ten who will live in a Real World-style house and get taped in between stand up sets and various reality show-based tasks. Therefore, we were treated to twenty super-short stand up sets, taped at the Alex Theater in Los Angeles, with the upshot that five winners will move on to the house. Next week will see the other twenty go through the same ritual to yield a second set of five comedians.
I was initially encouraged as the celebrity judges were announced. Garry Marshall, Kathy Griffin, and Tim Meadows (whom I enjoyed immensely in a guest role on The Office this season) are no comedy slouches, so I was hopeful that they would select the best and brightest of the lot. However, I should have been mindful of an incident that went down a few seasons back, in which celebrity judge Drew Carey was caught on camera, steaming mad, as the show’s producers (apparently) went against his and other judges’ wishes.
In any event, onto the show. Several forgettable acts kicked off the proceedings, followed by a polished set performed by Jackie Kashian. The jokes centered upon her father, a toupee salesman who parted his own full head of hair in such a way that it looked like a rug. The comedy was national television-friendly but funny, Kashian world wise yet likeable.
Kashian was followed by Chris Porter, a young comedian who smacks of future superstardom (and sounds uncannily like actor Paul Giamatti). Porter proves that having an “act” is often far more in the delivery than in the jokes themselves. His smart-slacker persona peaked when he drawled phrases such as “Gulf War II: The Revenge.” Porter did run into a bit of trouble, however, when he tripped the three-minute time limit and was forced to endure having his microphone cut out mid-sentence.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Good article. I agree that there should be more focus on the "fine and horrifically difficult art of getting up on a stage and making strangers laugh."
I remember seeing a pre-fame Jerry Seinfeld at a Newport Beach comedy club when he was being mercilessly heckled by a particulary obnoxious audience member. Perhaps not that uncommon, but Seinfeld had absolutely no comebacks--nothing at all--and had that deer-in-the-headlights expression while being essentially bullied to cut his routine short. It was left to the headliner, Bruce "Babyman" Baum to verbally destroy the heckler when he came out.
It might be interesting, then, to see how new comics prepare for this heckling eventuality--now there would be a show about "something."
Or maybe it would be more interesting to find out what ever happened to Bruce "Babyman" Baum.
2 - Joan Hunt
Congrats! This article has been placed on Advance.net
3 - Joan Hunt
I'd hate to be the one to whittle down 40 comics to only 10. Much of what we see on TV is already edited so tightly, we're lucky if we get one full joke out of it.
Some of the folks chosen to make the 40 weren't even worthy, in my opinion. But, like what we saw last night, we only get a portion of their act here at home.
Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in the audience and make some choices for NBC.
I will, however, say that I did like Josh Blue more than you did. As for Roz, we'll see what happens with her.
Let's just hope NBC doesn't pull out prematurely like they did last time. I hate feeling like I haven't had the chance to get my full jollies before it's all over.
P.S. Did I ever tell you Dat Pham was once my host at a Trophy's down here? He gave me tickets to see one of his shows. Actually, he saved my ass big time one night. I'll always love him for that.
4 - Jackie
Josh Blue did crack me up. He was refreshing and different, but I wonder how he'll do with material not regarding himself. I thought the young blonde woman was better than either of the women chosen.
I'm sort of up and down with this show. I watched it avidly the first season as someone I actually know and occasionally talk to was on it -- Rich Vos. Since he nor his buddy on the show Dave won, I've been lackluster in watching.
I have a question, though. Why does this latest batch of comedians feel they must scream? Both the Brooklyn dude and Roz shouted through their entire short sets. Yikes. My ears hurt.
5 - Eric Berlin
Have you seen Comedian, Gordon? It's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. There's a scene where Seinfeld -- at the peak of his stardom -- completely blanks on stage and just has to endure it and work through it. The stand up game is flat-out rough. I've got a lot of respect for those who give it their all (even Buck Star!).
6 - Eric Berlin
I don't dislike Josh, Jackie and Joan -- I'm actually glad to see him make it to the house. He's got a likeable personality that the audience obviously responded to. But I'm curious to see if he can expand his act (we've heard the "you're all going to hell" line twice aleady). I will say that he'll have an advantage in the head-to-head battles that lie ahead.
7 - Eric Berlin
How do you know Rich Vos, Jackie? I liked him more for the fact that he was so blatantly East Coast (I grew up on Long Island) than for his stand up (not bad but not great).
8 - BronxBoy
Josh has my vote to go all the way. Although I do agree that it will be interesting to see if Josh is able to expand on his material a bit, I think that will be crucial in ensuring he has a long run on the show. i still think he is awesome though. If anybody is interested, there is a great fansite dedicated to him at www.joshblue.typepad.com that has a ton of cool pics, bio info, and video clips of his routines on Last Comic Standing. Hope you guys enjoy
9 - Eric Berlin
Josh is turning out to be one of the funniest comedians in the house. He possesses a sharp wit and matches it with a winning personality -- I think he's going to be a real force right until the end.
By the way -- it was just terrible that Joey Gaye got sent home and the older woman (name slips my mind, but her act revolves around how old she is) survived elimination for the second week in a row.
Overall, Porter is still the comic to beat. He brought out his A material this week to stave off elimination, but it paid off big time.