Jerk
Lou and I took advantage of my parent's Thanksgiving visit by making plans to go to dinner and a comedy club to celebrate our tenth anniversary; can't pass up the free babysitting. Apparently, we are not the only ones who do this; at the comedy club, we were seated next to a couple who have been married for 17 years, and their 4 children were at home with his parents, who were also in town to celebrate the holiday (instead of chanting, "The relatives are coming," prior to a big day, married couples all across the country are chanting, "The babysitters are coming!").
Anyway, we were going to see a comedian who had appeared for a couple of seasons on The Last Comic Standing and whose name rhymes with "Ass," a fact I no longer view as coincidental. Our seats were great, because, let's face it, we were crammed into the place like sardines and there really wasn't a bad spot in the house. Also, I was prepared to be targeted because I've seen comedians do this in the past (reverse heckling?) and I figure that if you go to a comedy club, you've got to be prepared for this kind of stuff and should be a good sport about it, within reason(examples of reverse heckling that I've seen prior: a guy wearing a red and white striped sweater was seated in the audience at a club in NYC--the comedian scanned the audience and said, "Where's Waldo?" then zoomed in on the guy and said, "Ohhh, YAY, I think I found him!").
So, we were sitting there enjoying our two item minimum and watching the first two comedians, who were actually pretty good. Still, we're getting all excited for the headliner, because we think that his act is really going to tear up the place.
Finally, The Ass comes out, and immediately, I'm turned off; he reminded me of a mix between Simon Cowell (who I actually love), Rodney Dangerfield (who I loved when I was twelve), and The Three Stooges (who I HATE).
Now, maybe I should've mentioned this earlier, but I love good comedians. Eddie Murphy is one of my favorites, and even when everyone else was bitching about the misogynistic undertones of Raw, I was like: he's sort of making some valid points here, and what the hell, it's funny . . . I also love Robin Williams, whose act is usually fairly sexual but not mean-spirited or insulting (love his political commentary, too).
Anyway, during the whole show, a couple of tables down from us, there was a couple who was out celebrating the guy's birthday--they were all dressed up and there was a bottle of champagne on the table. The girl had obviously had a few drinks, but she wasn't loud or obnoxious; she just seemed comfortable. Maybe too comfortable, but drunk-comfortable, and what the hell, who am I to judge . . I've certainly been there myself.
The Ass begins his act by bitching about people who talk during movies. This was kind of funny, but not the side-splitting humor that the man seems to believe that he produces. Drunk Girl calls out, at the end of this first joke, a remark about it being her boyfriend's birthday, and The Ass goes ballistic. He stares her down like she's an idiot, then turns to the audience and says something along the lines of, "Y'would've thought she would've got it with the 'talking during the movies' bit, but apparently not . . YOU DUMB BITCH." Then, he looks at her boyfriend and says, "Stick a dick in her mouth, wouldya?"
Now again, let me just reiterate. I enjoy comedy. I like to laugh. I even like laughing at myself and issues that are important to me. I think that comedy can be a powerful tool and make you realize things about yourself, like how you're a judgemental tightass or a closet racist. I don't mind stereotypical humor (y'know, the 'women shopping-guys with remotes-crazy in-laws' bits) because I think that it's the way we can all relate on some level that makes that stuff funny.
HOWEVER, how, attacking a girl who was just being silly and calling out a remark about her boyfriend's birthday, is funny, I'll never know. Personally, I think that her call-out made The Ass mess up his next joke and he was pissy about that and felt like he was floundering so he just needed to humiliate someone.
For comparision's sake, let me just tell you how the middle comedian handled audience call-outs. When a girl screamed out a response to one of his jokes, he said, "I didn't realize this was a town hall. What are we gonna be doin' next? Raffling a swing set?" That was funny. It wasn't cutting or cruel or over the top. He addressed the reverse heckling, but didn't do it in a way that was insulting.
Update on Drunk Girl: she got all teary-eyed, put her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, then threw up all over herself halfway through the show. The boyfriend immediately ushered her out, which is what he should've done after The Ass attacked her in the beginning. Oh, and for the people who think that the girl should've managed to get herself to the restroom to vomit? That would've been tough because everytime anyone stood up to go anywhere, The Ass put a fucking mark on their head (i.e. a guy went to the bathroom and several comments about genital herpes immediately ensued).
I've seen comedians perform in many venues. To me, the funny ones are the ones who can laugh at themselves and who work with the audience. The Ass must have felt that even he took it too far, because later in the show, he said, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that. That was mean."
A little late.
Oh, and as a closing, The Ass led us all in a rendition of "Sweet Caroline."
Like I said to Lou on the train home, if I'd wanted singing, I'd have gone to karoke.
Anyway, we were going to see a comedian who had appeared for a couple of seasons on The Last Comic Standing and whose name rhymes with "Ass," a fact I no longer view as coincidental. Our seats were great, because, let's face it, we were crammed into the place like sardines and there really wasn't a bad spot in the house. Also, I was prepared to be targeted because I've seen comedians do this in the past (reverse heckling?) and I figure that if you go to a comedy club, you've got to be prepared for this kind of stuff and should be a good sport about it, within reason(examples of reverse heckling that I've seen prior: a guy wearing a red and white striped sweater was seated in the audience at a club in NYC--the comedian scanned the audience and said, "Where's Waldo?" then zoomed in on the guy and said, "Ohhh, YAY, I think I found him!").
So, we were sitting there enjoying our two item minimum and watching the first two comedians, who were actually pretty good. Still, we're getting all excited for the headliner, because we think that his act is really going to tear up the place.
Finally, The Ass comes out, and immediately, I'm turned off; he reminded me of a mix between Simon Cowell (who I actually love), Rodney Dangerfield (who I loved when I was twelve), and The Three Stooges (who I HATE).
Now, maybe I should've mentioned this earlier, but I love good comedians. Eddie Murphy is one of my favorites, and even when everyone else was bitching about the misogynistic undertones of Raw, I was like: he's sort of making some valid points here, and what the hell, it's funny . . . I also love Robin Williams, whose act is usually fairly sexual but not mean-spirited or insulting (love his political commentary, too).
Anyway, during the whole show, a couple of tables down from us, there was a couple who was out celebrating the guy's birthday--they were all dressed up and there was a bottle of champagne on the table. The girl had obviously had a few drinks, but she wasn't loud or obnoxious; she just seemed comfortable. Maybe too comfortable, but drunk-comfortable, and what the hell, who am I to judge . . I've certainly been there myself.
The Ass begins his act by bitching about people who talk during movies. This was kind of funny, but not the side-splitting humor that the man seems to believe that he produces. Drunk Girl calls out, at the end of this first joke, a remark about it being her boyfriend's birthday, and The Ass goes ballistic. He stares her down like she's an idiot, then turns to the audience and says something along the lines of, "Y'would've thought she would've got it with the 'talking during the movies' bit, but apparently not . . YOU DUMB BITCH." Then, he looks at her boyfriend and says, "Stick a dick in her mouth, wouldya?"
Now again, let me just reiterate. I enjoy comedy. I like to laugh. I even like laughing at myself and issues that are important to me. I think that comedy can be a powerful tool and make you realize things about yourself, like how you're a judgemental tightass or a closet racist. I don't mind stereotypical humor (y'know, the 'women shopping-guys with remotes-crazy in-laws' bits) because I think that it's the way we can all relate on some level that makes that stuff funny.
HOWEVER, how, attacking a girl who was just being silly and calling out a remark about her boyfriend's birthday, is funny, I'll never know. Personally, I think that her call-out made The Ass mess up his next joke and he was pissy about that and felt like he was floundering so he just needed to humiliate someone.
For comparision's sake, let me just tell you how the middle comedian handled audience call-outs. When a girl screamed out a response to one of his jokes, he said, "I didn't realize this was a town hall. What are we gonna be doin' next? Raffling a swing set?" That was funny. It wasn't cutting or cruel or over the top. He addressed the reverse heckling, but didn't do it in a way that was insulting.
Update on Drunk Girl: she got all teary-eyed, put her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, then threw up all over herself halfway through the show. The boyfriend immediately ushered her out, which is what he should've done after The Ass attacked her in the beginning. Oh, and for the people who think that the girl should've managed to get herself to the restroom to vomit? That would've been tough because everytime anyone stood up to go anywhere, The Ass put a fucking mark on their head (i.e. a guy went to the bathroom and several comments about genital herpes immediately ensued).
I've seen comedians perform in many venues. To me, the funny ones are the ones who can laugh at themselves and who work with the audience. The Ass must have felt that even he took it too far, because later in the show, he said, "Maybe I shouldn't have said that. That was mean."
A little late.
Oh, and as a closing, The Ass led us all in a rendition of "Sweet Caroline."
Like I said to Lou on the train home, if I'd wanted singing, I'd have gone to karoke.
posted by Cate at 9:48 AM
5 Comments:
Holy cow. You had me gasping outloud. He sounds like an ass and a half and quite possibly like he needs some medication of some sort to help him chill the F out.
Michelle,
I kept asking myself if I was overreacting, but it was such a humiliating attack . . I figured I wasn't. Thanks for your comment. I agree completely. At his next show, they need to pump him some valium to settle his ass down!
Well described... I was so there:))
He probably already had too much medication, the girl will learn not to get sloshed around stand-ups in places you can't escape and you got a great story. He's the loser, lost fans.... I bet you'll never pay to see him again and if he does that often enough, he will kill his career.
I think there are different types of comedians.
Class Clown -- These are the comedians who can make light of any subject and make everybody laugh and not offend anyone.
The Bully -- Has so many insecurities about so many things that when he sees someone with a glint of this he attacks them and belittles them until they either feel like shit or cry.
The Story-Teller -- This is my personal favorite. They can make you laugh through stories. The stories are told and you can relate to them because you either have the relative that has this trait or you yourself have this trait that they are talking about.
I usually find myself at the butt of everyones jokes because of my looks. Because of this, I never go to a live comedian. I wait until I can rent them from the video store.
Thanks as always for sharing, Cate.
Ldahl,
Thanks for your comment. I hadn't considered how The Ass was sabotaging his own career--I'm sure we weren't the only offended ones in the crowd. Good point!
I also liked what you said about the girl--it was definitely a lesson that she needed to learn.
Human Z,
I enjoyed the breakdown of comedic types. I'm with you--I prefer a storyteller.
And you're right about watching comedians on video. I think that that is just as good, if not better, than seeing a live performance. A joke's a joke, right?!?
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