The Best Comics In America?
February 14, 2007 · Print This Article
Pop quiz? What’s half American Idol, half Real World, and all a bunch of bullshit? That’s right! It’s Last Comic Standing! Brian talks about the contest, including pros and cons, his own audition experience, and why the winners seem to disappear so fast.
The listeners chime in as well with their feelings on last week’s comedy interview, impressionists, and why all speech, even hateful speech must be protected.
The rant of the week consists of a creepy conversation between father and son and another listener requested comic who has mastered the art of storytelling.
Email: brianmcomedy@gmail.com
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I was watching old re-runs of the frist seaon of last comic standing on the Fox realtiy network.(there was notting else on tv and it was a new network so it all they had). and the did these EXTRA interviews and how thing changed for them and they intervied Dat Phan and it sounded like he quit. he decieded to stop for some reason that why he not touring around anymore.
Ah yes, “Last Comic We Can Still Stand to Listen To.” I recall seeing one of last seasons contestants on that crappy TV Guide channel, either hosting or co-hosting, some lame interview “show”. The only other one I’ve heard about was the guy who was I think the second runner up and looks a little like Larry Fine, Chris something I think. He was coming to the Pittsburgh area I believe. I can’t remember either of their names so you can tell how much of an impression they made on me. I too will likely watch it again but I hold out hope that the little competitions are a little less contrived. Not likely I know, but I have a dream. What I’d like to see is comics who have “made it” act as judges and rate each performer ala American Idol as they have no vested interest in eliminating anyone. I suspect, however, that no one would debase themselves by agreeing to do so even though I think it would lend more credibility to the competition. That and they’d have to pay them.
If you remember, they tried to to that in season 2 with Drew Carey and Brett Butler and it caused quite a stir when the comic they voted for didn’t get put through. The producers had to come and and make an announcement that the finalists were based on prior performances and producer discretion. Then why have fucking celebrity judges! Everything that show does damages it’s credibility more and more.
Not to switch the topic but…..
TVone had a show hosted by Bill Bellamy called “who’s got jokes” which was a contest between 4 comics that had two rounds per show in three minute sets. I thought it was very good. Ultimately it was down to a 19year veteran and and new comer. The vet won but america decided. I think if Last comic standing took on this format it would work. but you said on previous shows that when comics are not on stage they are not the same. But the common perception is that comics are a ball of jokes all the time and we want to watch them while they take dumps…….it has to be funny. But so not true!
Not to switch the subject again, but I just came back from the worst job interview of my life. I feel like I have just been kicked in the balls. I guess I’ll go back to being Jim Belushi’s body double.
I watched whos got jokes one night it was ok i did watch it all becuse it was late and i had class the next day but i will agree with you Bonna B it is better than last comic standing.
Darcy sorry to hear about the interview call and rant about it youll feel better trust me
Just found this online: Pilfered punchlines. Good read.
http://www.radaronline.com/from-the-magazine/2007/02/take_the_funny_and_run_1.php
On a related note: I just listened to “The Leary or the Hicks” and I realize I’m late with this but if you listen to Leary’s No Cure for Cancer and Hicks Relentless or Dangerous you will notice distinct similarities in material to the point where both mention Jim Fix. Granted the delivery is not the same and the material isn’t all exactly the same there’s enough there to force you to question Leary’s integrity considering No Cure (1993) was done three years after Hicks’ Relentless and Dangerous were released in 1990.
More:
Joe Rogan V “Ned” Mencia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRmMBFbroS8
Thanks for the link LX. I’ve been trying to watch it but Carlos has it pulled from youtube almost as fast as it’s posted. While I agree that Rogan is a little obsessed with Carlos and his originality, I can’t deny it feels good from a comics perspective to have a thief put in his place.
Do a search for it on YouTube I had the same problem when I found the link and I just searched “Rogan Mencia” and found the one I watched. He even gets Ari Shaffir on stage to back his call.
And now he’s banned from the Comedy Store
http://www.joerogan.net/main.php?archives=1&article=53955
I think Leary is a decent comic. He put out Lock and Load about 10 years after Hicks died. I also think The Job was one of the funniest shows I have ever seen, never really found an audience though. Rescue Me is ok, alot of the same people as The Job, but not as funny. Also, the chicks they are banging are a tad unrealistic, as is Leary’s $140 haircut on a fireman.
Thanks for the shout out Brian…..British politics can be fun can’t it?!
I don’t think Last Comic Standing is on TV anywhere in the Uk but it does sound a pretty rubbish idea. I mean…..from the sound of it, it totally removes the opportunity of a lot of types of comics in the fact that you only have three minutes a week, i.e. it’s obviously totally reliant on setup-punchline comedy. Although there’s nothing wrong with this, surely there are so many styles that are neglected. For example, how could a David Cross-esque comedian succeed with a long, wonderfully told meandering story. (I’m thinking mainly of his story where he gets fucked up with Harlow and has to go on the radio with some asshole djs.)……..not that David Cross or anyone like him would enjoy the idea of living in a house with a bunch of crappy stand ups. (’Hey, what if we are the world was sung by the cast of Friends………’)
Anyway, I’ve got a good idea to improve LCS. Why not start merging together reality shows? Merge Last Comic Standing with the Ultimate Fighter and basically every week the crappiest, hackiest comic gets the shit kicked out of them by a Ultimate Fighter selected by the viewers at home.
Some Dane Cook wannabe dick head in a rear naked choke…….awesome!
About this Hicks vs. Leary thing, whichever way you look at it Leary was pretty stupid.
First of all, I think they were pretty friendly before the material theft accusations so surely Leary must have heard all of Hicks’ material either on tape or live.
So, if he stole the material he’s obviously a prick……..BUT even if he didn’t steal it surely he should have realised that bits of his work were pretty similar to Hicks and he either shouldn’t have performed them (and committed them to tape!) or went off in a different direction with the subjects.
1. Unless it scars you more for life, how about finishing your dad’s BJ joke.
2. We already have legislation that makes thought/speech illegal if the speaker/thinker commits a crime “that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, or disability and are committed against persons, property, or society.at speech or thought is used” (from FBI website on hate crimes). The “hate” motivation increases the sentence if the prosecutor proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the criminal was motivated by one of these factors. I am sure that prosecutors use the criminal’s words, whether written or oral, to prove that the criminal hated blacks, gays, women, catholics, etc etc. While “hatred” of a group evidenced by one’s biased words is not yet a crime by itself, it is only one step away.
Nice point Buckeye. I have to admit that I don’t agree with that philosophy either. If someone commits murder why does it matter if he did it out of racial, hatred, personal hatred, or other. Isn’t the crime the same?
Speaking on crimes, I will attempt to finish my dad’s dirty joke on the next show.
Hey BMO, just caught a really old episode of UPC. How old was it? Let’s out it this way, Brandi Williams has an A cup.
LOL, not sure Darcy. This is only season 3 so it can’t be that old. My guess is 3 years. She probably didn’t have the money for a new rack until a full year was in the book.
Attention MSR fans. Be sure to check out the interview with Lance “Big Swa” Williams on Wednesday’s edition of Behind the Bricks. Lance chimes in on racism in comedy, Mencia vs Rogan, and finding mainstream success as an African American entertainer. Plus, find out what athlete he compares to “your crack-head uncle Melvin”.
Darcy,
Sorry to hear about the job interview. It really sucks when it doesn’t go your way. One time I was interviewing at a few printshops around town (I am a graphic artist), to try and find a company to pay me more money for the position. While in this vice presidents office, we talked about how golf was his “mistress” and cigars and he even wanted to talk about his many investments. Now during this “me”fest he was having, he also was trying to pitch me a customer service position with, get this, half as much pay. His office had a nice view of the downtown area, and you could see the interstate from his office. I literally interrupted him three different times to point out various Semi-Trucks, then stared out the window day-dreaming.
The interview ended with me telling him, “Thanks for your time, but to keep from wasting your time and mine, I am gonna scoot. Counting semi’s is getting boring, and quite frankly, I could give a a shit about how much money you have. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will show my self to the door. Thanks again for your time.”
He just looked at me with disdain and disgust. Fortunately, I wasn’t jobless and had the option to actually say what was on my mind.
Good luck finding a job, but being a body double, is that really all that bad?
I figure this kinda fits with the “best comics in America” questioning/bashing. http://www.theonion.com/content/news/dane_cook_parlays_new_burger_king
I haven’t seen much of Dane Cook’s material (I can’t stand the guy) but this seems to sum him up just about right to me.
Thanks for the link asterion. That’s actually eerily accurate. I haven’t read much of the Onion since I left NY. I forgot how much I missed it.
http://www.insomniacink.com/nedspecial.htm
No big suprise. Carlos has pulled the youtube clip LX posted for us. The good news is that everytime he has one pulled down, someone posts a new one. So if you haven’t seen it yet, Keep trying!