So, I want to talk about the show at the Laugh Factory for just a second. Here’s the order:
Host: Allan Stephan, comedy “legend” and producer extraordinaire. Â Material: Played “what’s your job” bingo with the audience until he found something he could work with, which I guess technically crowd work. Â Told two jokes that I remember, and I remember them because I’ve heard them before on TV and I’ve never seen him in my life. Â ”can’t look tough drinking out of a straw” and “When I was in school all I had was a pencil and the kid next to me and I think if he would have applied himself, I could have been somebody”. Â Gave the impression that hosting was not what he would prefer to be doing at that particular moment.
1st feature: Erik Griffin. Â Pretty funny actually. Â If I make fun of the differences between the way white people and black people have sex, it’s racial material. Â If I make Barrack and Michelle Obama the Black couple in question, then it’s political. Â I’m so topical.
2nd feature: Buddy Lewis. Â I did not laugh one single time during his set but I am admittedly a tough crowd. Â Material: Â My wife’s trying to make me fat, I’m old now, and the doctor stuck her finger up my butt this year.
Headliner: Ian Bagg.  I stomped, wheezed, spit my drink, and guffawed  during his set.  More than half was crowd work and it was clear that he had a deep well of material he could jump on if the laughs started to peter out at any point.
Half way through the show I was thinking to myself, “seriously? Â These guys are all working on TV? Â What the fuck am I waiting for?” Â When Ian took the stage I remembered. Â I’m waiting until I can to *that* to a crowd.
