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It has been a hot minute since I have written one of these posts and I apologize if you have been holding your breath for the next one. You are certainly dead if that has been the case. There is SO MUCH GOOD COMEDY right now that it is ridiculous. It is really a great time to be a comedy fan, especially of stand up comedy. There are many comics out there doing things that are not traditional stand up or that are not trying to be stand up comedians and that is a world that is parallel to the one in which I exist. I love that world(s). There is not enough time in the day to appreciate or enjoy all the great funny out there right now. And there is definitely not enough time to try and draw harsh distinctions between what is or isn’t this or that and if it is okay to call those something.
Comedy is world of love and darkness. The darkness need not bleed into our appreciation of it. Right? You’re god damn right I’m right.
I really try to focus on those who I believe are in this comedy world for the long haul. Those who will continue to inspire, create, challenge, and work for the rest of their lives making me and you laugh. Consideration of these factors is not something I take lightly even though the total number of people reading this section of my website could be zero. Consideration is lost in so many facets of our world…wait…do not make this a soapbox moment. Okay. Here we go!
Brent Weinbach is a fucking snowflake.
In a world of 7 billion people there are no snowflakes left. But, he is one of them that has somehow remained. Do you want to experience comedy? I do. When I listen to a George Carlin album or watch one, after 15 minutes I have forgotten where I am, what I’m doing, who I am. It has become an experience of the senses and of the mind. Brent will do that to you in a totally different way. He is not going to try and make you understand the hypocrisy of our government or the open your eyes to the truth behind our growing police state. He is going to make you laugh.
You might not even know why you are laughing. Perfect. That is what he does. He finds that primal belly laugh that is always waiting to be let out like a dog who needs to pee after you’ve been at work all day. That laugh is sitting there, staring at the door of your belly and when Brent gets home from work – it is released. It will lick your face and then it is out the door, free in the world.
He has won the Andy Kaufman Award, been on Comedy Central, CONAN, and is respected by just about every single comedian with a brain cell in his or her head. Why is he not famous or rich? Because he is uncompromising maybe. I am not sure. But, where Brent really gets appreciated is live and in action. You must see him perform live to get the whole experience. But, since you cannot at this very moment as you read this you can dive deep into the brilliant videos he makes. I dare you to try and think of how he comes up with this stuff. Triple-dog-dare you. Good luck. Here’s a music video of a piece of his latest album:
Brent has a new album “Mostly Live” out with ASpecialThing Records and here is the link to that:
http://astrecords.bigcartel.com/product/mostly-live-cd
If you are tired of seeing the same old stuff, hearing the same old shit, then check out this beautiful snowflake.
Jim Hamilton makes me want to quit writing jokes.
Comedians talk about this in regard to those who write jokes so well, so perfectly, so succinctly getting across the idea that it makes it seem pointless to continue to try to do it yourself. Jim does that more than anyone I have met in the last few years. He is one of those brilliant bastards who didn’t even have a website until his album came out. He does not have a facebook page, existing online solely on twitter until recently. His twitter feed is enough to make you join alone and you probably need not follow anyone else.
I hope to have a video to show you at some point in the future that Jim and me filmed together. It is a very funny sketch that he pretty much masterminded and I was just along for the ride. I’ll keep you posted on that. That’s the thing about brains like Jim’s, they’re just too god damned funny to every truly understand how they work. It could drive you crazy if you tried. It is best to do what I do, just sit back and let yourself enjoy the magic. Instead of quitting comedy all together, use their comedy as inspiration and as a challenge to get better at being you. That is what Jim does for me.
You may already know Jim and his work and if you do it is because you LOVE stand up comedy and know your shit. For those of you that do not know him, you will. He is going to be on Jimmy Fallon in just under a week from now (Monday Sept. 17th) and it is my prediction that his set gets him a job pretty much doing anything he wants. I am wrong about stuff all the time, but probably not wrong about this.
Videos online? Forget about it. Jim exists in the world of spoken and written word. He’s been on TV before, doing a Premium Blend set on Comedy Central a few years back, but this fucking bastard has for whatever reasons decided not to whore himself and his comedy out online (like me) and as of now is definitely a seek him out kind of comedian. You have to be looking for him to find him. But, once you do you will be forever grateful that you did. That is why I’m writing this entry so YOU WILL FIND HIM!
He has a new album out on ASpecialThing Records, too. You should buy it. Just like Brent’s album, I was at the recording and you will hear my laughter on its tracks. It is called “Poems About the Ocean” and it is brilliant. September 20th you can see him tell jokes on Fallon, but in the meantime, enjoy the beauty that is the spoken word of stand up comedy. It heals us all and Jim and Brent’s albums are the best medicine.
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