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)

Dill or No Dill

[Locals on Reality TV] One week from tonight, Last Comic Standing runner-up Marcus will film a big-deal comedy concert special in Ogden; he struck the deal after his LCS exposure due to the fact that he was actually funnier and more talented than the "winner" America "voted for." My local media blackout conspiracy still stands, because ...

Last night, Sandy housewife Jessica Robinson won on NBC's Deal or No Deal, a show that requires no talent beyond pointing at a suitcase and putting up with Howie Mandel. Sure, she's the series' first million-dollar winner--but she'll also being using the money to move the hell out of Utah ASAP. For this, she gets the front page of the Salt Lake Tribune and instantaneous KSL 5 coverage.

Meanwhile, Marcus, who never got either, still claims Zion as home and insisted on filming his concert special here. Just sayin.'

Jessica's Dill or No Dill moment:



(Bill Frost)

Yet More Marcus

[Media] No, not another City Weekly feature on the Second to Last Comic Standing--KUTV 2 has finally covered Marcus!

OK, not really: Gavin Sheehan, who toils below the surface for our unfriendly media neighbors across Main Street, has posted a post-LCS interview with Marcus on his Gavin's Underground blog. The hilarious pictures alone are worth the click; note the second, wherein Marcus is shamelessly mugging for a vote in our Artys 2008 ballot--dare to dream, buddy! (Bill Frost)

Comics & Kittens

[Locals on Reality TV] Update: SLC's Marcus came in second on Last Comic Standing, Slippery Kittens Burlesque advanced to the next round on America's Got Talent, and I still couldn't care less about So You Think You Can Dance?, a show I watched 10 seconds of last night and felt at least 10 percent dumber for it. We all know I can't afford that.

The Slippery Kittens perform next in Salt Lake at the Bar Deluxe on Saturday, Aug. 16; Marcus hits Wiseguys in Ogden (Saturday) and WVC (Sunday) this weekend. Don't expect to see him ever again on Fox 13, who last night had the post-show balls to run a "We knew him when" package of clips from his previous morning fill-ins after ignoring their "bud" for months. Guess corporate Fox synergy is more important than supporting one of your own on "another" network.

The bittersweet clip from last night's Comic:



(Bill Frost)

Marcus! Was! Robbed!

[Locals on Reality TV] He made it to the Final 2, but SLC's Marcus lost to Iliza Schlesinger on Last Comic Standing--who knew America was ready to vote in a woman?

Marcus is still our man, however--he'll be at Wiseguys in Ogden and West Valley City this weekend before going on the LCS tour. Go show him the love, and please don't mention David Archuleta.

Now, we'll see if the Slippery Kittens can stay on America's Got Talent ... (Bill Frost)

Project Dullway

[Locals on Reality TV] Blame it on the earlier timeslot, blame it on Project Runway overdose (like, six seasons will air this year) or blame it on the dullest outing yet for the Bravo once-hit--ratings are down, no matter how bitchy the contestants get.

SLC's Keith Bryce has kept a low profile on Project Runway thus far; so much so that, if he gets eliminated soon, viewers might ask, "Who's that guy? I haven't seen him in a sewing-room catfight." He survived this week to maybe make a future splash--behold the recap (don't blink or you'll miss him):



As for the local So You Think You Can Dance? contestants ... couldn't care less. However, tonight's the night for Marcus on NBC's Last Comic Standing--and you'll only read about it here! Ha! Marcus on last week's episode:



(Bill Frost)

Marcus Is the Man

[Locals on Reality TV] Salt Lake City comedian Marcus is not only still in the Last Comic Standing game, he's nailed down a Final 5 spot for the finale in Las Vegas--meaning, he can't be voted off before Aug. 7. But, even better, he got to go to the Playboy Mansion.

In last night's episode, the comics' challenge was to impress Hugh Hefner's girlfriends with a bedtime story (rough gig). Marcus pulled out the big guns: His celebrity voices. The girls decided that "Tattoos" (they couldn't recall his name) told the best tale and awarded him LCS immunity.

Here's the recap; the Last Comic finale airs Aug. 7 on NBC, and you still won't read a damn thing about this in the Deseret News:



(Bill Frost)

Newsflash: KSL Notices Area Man

[Local TV News] In a stunning turn of events last night, KSL 5 actually gave up a whole 90 seconds to West Jordan comedian Marcus, a finalist on a little NBC series called Last Comic Standing. Apparently, no joke, KSL was heretofore unaware that a local was on a reality-competition on their own network. Seriously.

In last night's episode, Marcus was once again the first pick to move on to the next round; rumor/common sense has it that he'll be one of the Final 5 when the Last Comic Standing winner is announced on Aug. 7.

Check out your Local News Leader's piece on Marcus here; the two-minute replay (Marcus up first) below:



(Bill Frost)

Your Local Media Is a Joke

[News-ish] After weeks and weeks of relentless, ass-pounding David Archuleta/American Idol coverage ("Archie's first zit! Tonight at 10!"), you'd think the local media would be ready to hitch onto the next Utahn-does-reality-TV wagon, right?

Today, not a Single. Damn. Word. about Salt Lake City comedian Marcus (just Marcus, he dropped the "Man of 1,000 Voices" suffix) making the first cut and moving onto the next round of NBC's Last Comic Standing last night. Nothing. Guess working on the road for years and actually writing your own material is no dues-paid match for being a cute Mormon high-schooler with a squeaky voice.

Not that last night's LCS footage reflected Marcus' comedy material; NBC went with his impressive menagerie of voices. Not everyone can do a conversation between the entire Family Guy cast in a single breath, but those of us who've seen Marcus' entire act know there's more to him than that. Let's hope he survives on the series long enough show it.

Here's NBC's 2-minute recap of last night; that's Marcus toward the end in Phoenix, with the tats and Captain America T-shirt:



(Bill Frost)