By Samir Mathur
Contributing writer
Staff page
This year's Last Comic Standing finalists will be performing at the Hard Rock Live on Wednesday (Dec. 29) at 8pm.
My 'This Week In Gigs' column has been missing the past couple of weeks due to the holidays, and in lieu of much happening this week, here's just the one preview. This summer was the first time I'd seen 'Last Comic Standing', because I heard that they'd got rid of some of the gimmicks that had made me not want to see it in the past. So this year they weren't all living in the same house, or having to compete in insane challenges the way many other competition shows require, but all the emphasis was on the actual comedy. Of the hundreds that tried out this year, only five made it to the final episode, and those five guys are coming to town on Wednesday.
The guy that ended up winning, Felipe Esparza, didn't really do a whole lot for me. Nor did Mike DeStefano. But I really enjoyed the other three comedians who'll be performing. Roy Wood, Jr. has been on Letterman and comments on race and relationships in a fresh, accessible way. Tommy Johnagin is really funny too, and has also been on Letterman, wears glasses and is deadpan but great. My favourite of the bunch is Myq Kaplan, also a bespectacled nerd, whose excellent comedy album 'Vegan Mind Meld' (buy) came out this year. Here's a clip that shows that Myq at his best: going off on tangents, telling well-observed jokes and looking just a little uncomfortable with people in front of him. This'll be a fun night.
Contributing writer
Staff page
This year's Last Comic Standing finalists will be performing at the Hard Rock Live on Wednesday (Dec. 29) at 8pm.
My 'This Week In Gigs' column has been missing the past couple of weeks due to the holidays, and in lieu of much happening this week, here's just the one preview. This summer was the first time I'd seen 'Last Comic Standing', because I heard that they'd got rid of some of the gimmicks that had made me not want to see it in the past. So this year they weren't all living in the same house, or having to compete in insane challenges the way many other competition shows require, but all the emphasis was on the actual comedy. Of the hundreds that tried out this year, only five made it to the final episode, and those five guys are coming to town on Wednesday.
The guy that ended up winning, Felipe Esparza, didn't really do a whole lot for me. Nor did Mike DeStefano. But I really enjoyed the other three comedians who'll be performing. Roy Wood, Jr. has been on Letterman and comments on race and relationships in a fresh, accessible way. Tommy Johnagin is really funny too, and has also been on Letterman, wears glasses and is deadpan but great. My favourite of the bunch is Myq Kaplan, also a bespectacled nerd, whose excellent comedy album 'Vegan Mind Meld' (buy) came out this year. Here's a clip that shows that Myq at his best: going off on tangents, telling well-observed jokes and looking just a little uncomfortable with people in front of him. This'll be a fun night.