Marcus: Second to None DVD

[Comedy] Remember local comic Marcus? The guy who came in second on NBC's Last Comic Standing? Of course you do--we refuse to let you forget.

Marcus has been on tour with the LCS crew for months now, and he's just released the trailer for his filmed-in-Ogden comedy concert DVD, titled (ahem) Second to None. It's due out Nov. 21; here's a taste:

Second To None trailer

(Bill Frost)

Web Exclusive: Pleaseeasaur Interview

[Comedy] Some comedy is only known as campy, you know you have to listen to the jokes the artist is not telling; JP Hasson proudly wears a black belt in this genre. Performing tonight at Club Vegas (445 S. 400 West, private club for members), JP will be dishing out steaming spoonfuls of his camp. From quality limousines and TV news crews to abominable snowmen and pizza aficionados his songs truly know no bounds.

The first listen I had of his album and the first glimpse I had of his cartoon Pleaseeasaur (pronounced Please-ee-uh-saur), I thought, "It's just not funny." After a few days trying to grasp what I'd just witnessed and wondering why every song I've heard from JP was stuck in my head I realized, the man is a genius. Like the worm of Khan from Star Trek II, JP's lyrics crawl into your brain and take over, the weakest of minds like mine will be assimilated. What was completely unfunny to me has grown into an albatross on my shoulder I may never shake.

One can only witness it for themselves to decide if this is a masterpiece or just a piece, I had a few minutes to talk to JP during his busy tour schedule here's what I learned:

Are you comfortable with answering very personal questions from someone named Circus?
Yes indeed...considering at the very first Pleaseeasaur show in San Francisco (1997) only one person showed up for the show. He drove 50 miles. His name was Salad.

How many years have you been performing?
I have been performing as Pleaseeasaur for 11 years. Though I was in several bands before...starting in 1989 at the age of 12.

Is Pleaseeasaur a Super Hero or an Angel?
Actually several entities/characters comprise that which is Pleaseeasaur. There are 15 costumed characters in the current version of the Pleaseeasaur live show. One of them is indeed a super-hero. (When I first read the question I mis-read the word Angel...and thought it was Angle. I think thought that would be an awesome character to make...an angle. Very high concept.)

What part in Pleaseeasaur does Joe Jack Talcum [Dead Milkmen] play?
Joe plays no role in Pleaseeasaur. He engineered one of the old cassette-only albums back in the mid-90's...for which he also contributed vocals and some of his famous guitar stylings. He will be doing some guitar work on the next CD/DVD though.

I understand you have opened for many hip bands like Melvins, Pinback, Boredoms, and Black Heart Procession to name a few. Did you witness Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum sacrificing animals or Unicorns backstage?
No Unicorns. But once I did see them construct a makeshift tether-ball setup made of dirty hemp anklets, braided armpit hair and gluten-free vegan noodles. That was impressive...but also kind of disgusting.

How do the fans at these rock shows react to your show?
For the uninitiated...a major transformation takes place. Typically from confusion to glee.While most alternative rock and roll concerts are vehicles to "see" or "hear" a music band...those cool and hip events are also places to be "seen" among hipsters and posers. So when the Pleaseeasaur show starts and being that it is unlike anything most of these "hip" and "with it" kids have ever seen...they usually act as if they don't like it. Until they see other attendees around them smiling and laughing and having a great time...then they let their proverbial hair down and begin to gush and gawk and have a splendid evening. Except of course for those that hate it.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Eagles soaring past the apex of a great mountain with a dreamcatcher in one talon and a slice of pizza in the other.Who wouldn't that inspire?

Are there any people or substances that influence your work?
I am only influenced by people of substance. Such as: Ron Popeil, The Dead Milkmen, The Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra, Mike Post, Albert Brooks, Frank DeVol, Lalo Schifrin, Ennio Morricone, Don West, Don Knotts, 99 cent stores ...

Is Comedy Central currently shopping Pleaseeasaur to networks?
Yes...but the only offer they've received was from QVC for me to host an 11 minute baseball card segment.

You've signed a multi-year multi-album deal with Comedy Central Records; how many years and how many albums are we going to get from Pleaseeasaur?
The deal with Comedy Central is a 7 year term. So if all goes according to plan, that span will produce 4 CD/DVD entertainment products for folks to hopefully enjoy.

What will we see next from Pleaseeasaur?
First and foremost, for this next tour the entire live show is automated. The new incarnation features a visual presentation that is completely animated. Whether it be video or graphics or cartoons...the entire corresponding visual aid portion is constantly moving and changing. Nary a dull moment.I have been working on the 2nd CD/DVD installment for Comedy Central. As of right now it will be a CD/DVD with 99 tracks chronicling 99 basic cable channels. Either that or it will be all Gin Blossoms and Goo Goo Dolls covers. I haven't decided yet.

It seems like Comedy Central puts some pretty mediocre cartoons on their network, what's holding Pleaseeasaur back?
Oh geez...are you asking me talk shit about the multi-billion-dollar Viacom Corporation and it's subsidiaries that I am under contract with?If so...OK. Considering the context in which Pleaseeasaur fits into Comedy Central's roster...which is primarily stand-up comedians...Pleaseeasaur is by far the wildest and craziest thing under their umbrella. Pleaseeasaur has a lot of folks at Comedy Central championing it...but here still remains those that just simply don't know what to do with it. The original idea was for Pleaseeasaur to be cornerstone of a new Saturday Morning Revival. But rather than do something that would please millions of folks...they have decided to run Porky's II on Saturday mornings instead.

I've got "No Prob Limo" stuck in my head, there's nothing I can do to get it out, can you help me?
Sorry man. The only thing I can suggest is to get one of the other great Pleaseeasaur songs stuck in your head instead. Or perhaps if you drop an anvil on your foot or something you'll temporarily forget about the song.

(Circus Brown)

Fabulous Internet Celebrities

[Web] Local actress Deena Marie Manzanares got her 15 minutes (and 18,000 hits) of Internet fame on Saturday when YouTube.com featured her comic video "The Joke" on its front page. But is it funny? Relative to 80 percent of YouTube "comedy," oh yeah. Check it out:



(Bill Frost)

"Mature Content"

[Comedy] Comedian Katt Williams is coming to town Feb. 23. SmithsTix felt the need to provide a "mature content" disclaimer, which might as well read "this dude is black, watch out whiteys." I've seen plenty of other outrageous comedians roll through SLC without ticket outlets noting their potentially offensive humor.

The following clip contains "mature content."



(Jamie Gadette)

Sundance: What's So Funny?

[Film Fest] It's strange that it has taken so long to realize, but I think I laugh more at Sundance than I do at movies the rest of the year. And a lot of it is even intentional.

I may not be the idea audience for some types of Sundance fare – needlessly provocative psychodramas, minimalist bummers – but the comedies tend to fall right into my wheelhouse. They're smarter than most, and less likely to be made for the sense of humor of a 12-year-old. Comedy for an actual adult doesn't come around nearly often enough.

One of my favorite recent Sundance comedies, The Puffy Chair, came from the sibling team of Mark and Jay Duplass a couple of years ago. Their new effort, Baghead, continues their participation in the lower-than-low-key aesthetic dubbed “mumblecore” with the story of four under-employed L.A. actors who decide to head for a mountain cabin and write a script to showcase their abilities. After a pair of hilarious early sequences – perfect Sundance fare in their parodies both of festival films and the subsequent parties – the film settles into a combination of amusing relationship observation and awkward detour into scary territory. The brothers Duplass may be into genre movies, but trying to insert half of one into their comedy doesn’t quite work.

French writer-director Samuel Benchetrit also clearly adores genre movies, but of a different type. His winning black-and-white comedy I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster presents four stories of people enthralled by the romantic allure of crime, but butting up against the realities of their actions. Benchetrit gets a lot of mileage out of bungled attempts at hold-ups and kidnappings, but he also finds unexpected heart in recognizing the connection between criminality and a search for something missing in people’s lives. It’s an uncommon mix of terrific slapstick and effective character humor.

Choke tries to achieve the same balance, but not to the same effect. Actor Clark Gregg adapts the Chuck Palahniuk novel about a messed-up sex addict (Sam Rockwell) who finds benefactors by pretending to choke in upscale restaurants. Gregg does a fine job with some of the edgier material, and Rockwell is becoming one of the most versatile actors that no one quite seems to appreciate. But as drop-dead hilarious as the film is at times, it also aims for a sentimental streak that doesn’t quite feel true to the author’s style. I only made it through the first half of the book Choke a few years ago, but if he ends his book the way Gregg ends his movie, the dude has softened up plenty since Fight Club. I laughed, I didn’t cry … and I wouldn’t have minded doing even more laughing. (Scott Renshaw)

Open Mike Night

[Review] Whether you like geeky comedians, rock & roll impersonators or laid back, quiet jokers, you got what you wanted at Wiseguys last weekend. The lineup included local host Aaron Burrell, who was a perfect opener for a Utah crowd. His bits about simple silliness like graduating as valedictorian of Kearns High School with a 2.0 GPA got people’s attention and started them laughing, even though it was a very small audience.

It was the perfect setup for featured comic Marcus, the City Weekly Artys favorite known only by his first name. Even though his act was suspiciously Dane Cook-esque, his high energy and ability to engage the audience energized the crowd. His closing impersonation of Adam Sandler as Jesus killed, and he left the audience wanting more—a respectable set for any comedian.

Then came headliner Mike Siscoe (pictured above). In the 10 years he’s been performing, Siscoe has had the opportunity to open for notable comedians, and won "Best New Face" in the 2004 New York Underground Comedy Festival. But it took a few minutes for the audience to get into Siscoe. He was almost too soft-spoken, and received only mild interest at first. Once he got into his groove though, his bits poked fun at Muslims, deaf people and Southerners, and his apparently wicked pot habit. His jokes were varied enough to get a laugh from everyone in the audience, even though it wasn’t all of them at once. His last bit involved members of the audience shouting out names of countries, whereupon Siscoe would do an impression of a man from that country having an orgasm. He finally got the cheers from the audience he'd been working for, and he closed on that high point.

At the end of the show, patrons ventured out into the freezing night air with smiles on their faces, eagerly accepting the coupons for upcoming shows that were being handed out at the door. (Jennifer Heaney)

Da Baum

[Comedy: Review] Wiseguys is the venue where accomplished veterans showcase their talent and young comedians try their hand. Before headliner Bruce Baum took the stage on Nov. 16, Wiseguys' line-up proved promising.

The moment MC Aaron Burrell appeared, he began charming the audience. His personal, although exaggerated, stories lead to some great self-deprecating humor. His jokes often seemed familiar, but the punch line always landed somewhere unexpected and hilarious.

Then came John Hilder, who alienated the audience almost immediately. His act was intolerable: jokes about blacks lacking financial responsibility; digs at Hispanics; slams of little people. The laughter died fast.

The third comedian, Blake Bard salvaged the evening with his Vince Vaughn looks and wealth of experience for the stage. Bard is well-traveled and it shows. He’s comfortable in his skin and in front of a crowd, blending perfect timing with a slightly dark edginess.

With audience confidence restored, Bruce Baum proved to be the seasoned veteran he is. From the moment he took the stage, he owned it. His enthusiasm and ease were immediately disarming. Suddenly, this was his house and he was there to show this audience a great time.

With his signature prop comedy, Baum entertained with the eagerness of a boy, minus some of the crude humor. His act felt spontaneous: jokes, poems and impressions flowed from him one right after the other.

But the best moments were his songs. The audience was favored first with a tune called "Cow-ifornication "in which Baum, dressed in a cow costume, sang his own version of "Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers—or as he called them, "the Red Hot Chili Heifers." But it wasn’t the cow suit that got all the laughs. It was his clever rewrite of the song—although, the image of a grown man in a cow costume was amusing.

Baum then suggested that 20 years ago he recorded a song which was recently ripped off by the Pussycat Dolls. Sure, they changed a few words, he claimed, but Baum’s version is the real deal. As a music video of Baum played on the monitors, he sang out "Don't Cha Wish Your Boyfriend Was Bald Like Me?" It was a beyond-hilarious show-stopper.

Throughout his set, Baum kept his momentum. His writing was quick and witty, and you had to be fast to keep up. He performs like the guy determined to keep you laughing, the guy you’d like to have as a friend.

Take any chance to catch Burrell, Bard or Baum in the future. But plan a bathroom break around Hilder. (Tawnya Cazier)

Yeah, Maybe Leave That to The Onion ...

[Media] Today, HuffingtonPost.com launched its comedy sister site, 236.com: "23/6: Some of the News, Most of the Time." It's headed up by a guy who spent six years as a writer for The Daily Show, so it oughta be hilarious stuff, right? Well, here's one bit ...

"Pack of cigarettes has added you as a friend on Facebook: The system will allow Facebook members to share their favorite products (Natural Ice, condoms, etc.) with their friends, and even allow companies to create Facebook profiles for the products themselves, that users can then 'befriend.' And who wouldn't love to share a few laughs with a bag of Doritos?" Wacky graphic here.

And that's one of the funnier entries. Maybe because I swear I've read it before, but it was about MySpace. Maybe 23/6 will get better. Maybe you should stick with The Onion or The Daily Show. Maybe I should get back to work ... (Bill Frost)

Mark Your Calendars!

[FILM] Tower Theatre will be screening Wet Hot American Summer as part of its ongoing Midnight Movie series July 6-7. Employees will be grilling up hot dogs of the meat and non-meat varieties, so bring an empty stomach, tube socks, short shorts and a sense of humor. Here's a taste for those who are unfamiliar with the concept of wet, hot hilarity. (Jamie Gadette)