Last Comic Standing - Air Date June 13
After last night's episode, I had to go pull out a dictionary to make sure I wasn't mistaken. Sure enough, it turns out NBC has bought the word "comic" and excised "funny" from the definition.
Last week two of the five going on were fine, the other three left me aghast. Surely they couldn't do worse this week. Surely you underestimate network executives and television producers. That's a mistake you never want to make, thus I didn't bother jotting down any notes on the comedians this time around. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, then I must be someone who finds Stella hilarious.
Hey, we all know one of the things in casting shows like this is the desire of producers to have a varied, mismatched group of zany misfits in the house so that madcap antics will ensue. The laughter in Last Comic Standing isn't supposed to come from something as silly as the acts, it's supposed to come from the odd mixture of humanity thrown together in close quarters! Haaaaa haahaaaa!
Come here, NBC. I want to talk to you, just you and me, blogger to network. I like you, National Broadcasting Company, I really do. You brought us Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, The Office, and so much more. It's not like you're unfamiliar with the concept of laughter. Heck, I even enjoyed Joey, that's how much I like you, NBC. So between us, as a friend, let me tell you that you can do so much better. You don't need to stoop this low. Promise you can keep a secret, Peacock Network? This isn't widely known, but comedians are messed up. Oh so seriously messed up. If it weren't for comedy, they'd be out there slitting their wrists and rubbing the gashes in our faces, or they'd be lawyers. Do you see what you've done, NBC? You've made me resort to making cracks at lawyers! The point is, you don't need a diverse, wacky group of comedians in the house to make good television. You'd get that with any group of comedians! But here's the rub... For it to be good, funny television, you need good, funny comics!
Okay, NBC, scoot along now and make sure 30 Rock is as funny as its cast can be, and entertain the hell out of me with Treasure Hunters.
Sorry about that interruption, it's the show we're here to talk about. Some might argue that each comic gets three minutes to do their schtick and even that's edited down for broadcast. Yes it is. So in the limited time allowed for each to present themselves to the public, it's in everyone's best interest to show the highlights of each set. Bil Dwyer strikes me as a decent enough comedian who could do well with a fairly decent billing in the clubs, or he did until last night. If what we saw were the highlights, then I am very grateful we didn't see the dreck.
This is all very painful to remember, so let's just get to the finalists, shall we?
I've already brought up Bil Dwyer, might as well start with him. If what we saw yesterday was any indication, he will have a very important role to play in the series. Don't have enough time during the commercials to go to the bathroom and get a snack? No need to worry, Bil Dwyer is up next! Please prove me wrong, Bil. I'm begging you.
Michele Balan, I dig you, I really do. I have a feeling I could catch your show and enjoy it. It's only a feeling though because I didn't see much last night to bolster that feeling. You weren't one of the funniest performers, but you're older and somewhat curmudgeonly and a woman to help bring some balance to the genders, so you were likely a shoo-in even if you just got up on stage and ate prune pie for three minutes. As with Bil, please prove me wrong. I see the smart in you! I see the funny lurking under the limited performance time!
Gabriel Iglesias had a pleasant energy and pleasant delivery telling a pleasant joke about police liking doughnuts. A chubby, non-threatening pleasant comedian, I wouldn't be surprised if he pleasantly wins the whole thing in a pleasant manner. He was the audience's pleasant favourite last night. Pleasantly enough, he doesn't suck but he's not great either. Or at least in what we got to see, I'll give these comedians that. He's, well, pleasant.
Ty Barnett was okay. I would have gone with Malik S. myself, but Ty made me laugh. For that alone, I can go on to the next finalist.
Ssssssstella. Stelllllllla. Stellaaaaaaaaaaa. ST-ST-STELLA! Nope. No matter how I say it, I can't believe she got through. They needed another woman. So why the hell didn't they choose one of the funniest comedians of the friggin' night?!? Nikki Payne has killed with each appearance she's made! How can anyone not on an illegal substance have picked Stella over Nikki Payne?
Here's how I picture the meeting going...
Producer 1: We need another woman to round out the cast. Who do you think?
Producer 2: Nikki Payne slayed me. I'm thinking her.
Producer 1: Which one is she again?
Producer 2: Remember the one with the speech thing?
Producer 1: The lisp?
Producer 2: Yeah, the lisp. We could go with her.
Producer 1: No, we can't. We've already got Josh Blue in the house. We can't have two funny talkers.
Producer 2: But Josh Blue has...
Producer 1: I said no! (He then slaps Producer 2.) Give me someone DIFFERENT!
Producer 2 in tears: How about the pregnant broad?
Producer 1: YES! Pregnant comedian! That's GOLD! She might even pop the kid in the house!
Producer 2: But she wasn't fun...
Producer 1: Get me Stella!
...Or something like that. I kinda picture most production meetings going like that. What really matters here is that even Stella seemed shocked to be going on.
And so we have our final 10! The cream of the comedic crop!
Not so fast, bucko! Anthony Clark, the host to beat all hosts, announces just before going to commercial that there's going to be a twist! Ooooooooooooooooh!
After two minutes or so of finding out that our lives are worthless without more products, we get to find out what this incredible twist is - Two more comics are going to go on! We get a final TWELVE! Yay, Nikki! You've been saved!
All the sad clowns in the back perk up upon hearing this news. They've been given another chance. Or two of them anyway, the rest will have their dreams dashed a second time in a matter of minutes. Going on will be...
Kristin Key! Holy crap! She's funny! What the hell were the producers thinking? Oh, there is hope after all! Bunnies are frolicking in the meadows while a rainbow streaks across the sky! A new day is here! This is going to be good! Come on, Clark, tell me who the last contestant is going to be...
Rebecca Corry. Huh. Not Nikki Payne. Not J. Chris Newberg. Not even Flip Schultz.
There has been much controversy over these picks and some over the ridiculous reason given for the twist. It was too hard to pick just five, because the strength of the comic talent was just too much? Give me a friggin' break.
At the official LCS website on NBC.com, there is a producers blog. They don't appear to have archives, so I don't know how long that link will be any good. To be safe, here are a few judicious quotes.
"Much of the reaction to tonight's episode from fans of the show will revolve around the twist: Two extra comics moved on to the house, joining the initial 10."
No, much of the reaction to the episode happens to have revolved around the puzzling selections.
"Who decides who makes it to the house? No doubt the boards will be lighting up right now with speculation about it.
If you read the small print at the end of the show, or if you saw season 2 of LCS you will know how it works. For those of you who can't read 60 word disclaimers in 2 seconds, and if you missed Peter Engel's explanation in season 2 following Drew Carey and Brett Butler's meltdown, this is how it goes down:
Bob Read and Ross Mark tirelessly scour the country looking for comedic talent, accompanied by a team of producers and representatives of the network. Together we decide who makes it through to the round of 40."
A team of producers and representatives of the network. Go figure. About Drew Carey and Brett Butler's meltdown. Notice this season we have "celebrity talent scouts" instead of "celebrity judges".
The celebrity talent scouts take notes during the performances. The producers and executives consult the notes, but those notes have no real standing.
"Ultimately we are there to pick a group of people who have the potential to become stars of comedy, and who will be entertaining to watch as they compete for the title."
Really? REALLY?
"But comedy is about as subjective as you can get, and while everyone, talent scouts, producers, and network representatives agreed on maybe 4 of the 8, fierce debate ensued about the rest. Eventually, someone suggested that we bring 12. Although there were disagreements about the 12 also, these proved to be resolvable."
And there it is. This wasn't about explaining why there are twelve. Sure, they stuck that in there, but "comedy is... subjective." This is about putting out fires.
"Whether you agree with our choices or not, look at it this way: You get to choose the winner, and from here on out the audience always decides who stays and who goes. And you will not be disappointed by what happened when we put these 12 in a house together."
Yup, that's exactly what that blog was all about, putting out fires.
I'm with the show to stay. I'm not a Nielsen household, so not watching it to make a point won't matter. And there are a few comedians left who I have enjoyed so I'm hoping they kick but. From here on, the audience always decides who stays or goes! The Master P flashbacks from Dancing With the Stars are keeping that from making me feel any better.
So for better or worse, we've got our final twelve. Let the polite chuckling begin!
Last week two of the five going on were fine, the other three left me aghast. Surely they couldn't do worse this week. Surely you underestimate network executives and television producers. That's a mistake you never want to make, thus I didn't bother jotting down any notes on the comedians this time around. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, then I must be someone who finds Stella hilarious.
Hey, we all know one of the things in casting shows like this is the desire of producers to have a varied, mismatched group of zany misfits in the house so that madcap antics will ensue. The laughter in Last Comic Standing isn't supposed to come from something as silly as the acts, it's supposed to come from the odd mixture of humanity thrown together in close quarters! Haaaaa haahaaaa!
Come here, NBC. I want to talk to you, just you and me, blogger to network. I like you, National Broadcasting Company, I really do. You brought us Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, The Office, and so much more. It's not like you're unfamiliar with the concept of laughter. Heck, I even enjoyed Joey, that's how much I like you, NBC. So between us, as a friend, let me tell you that you can do so much better. You don't need to stoop this low. Promise you can keep a secret, Peacock Network? This isn't widely known, but comedians are messed up. Oh so seriously messed up. If it weren't for comedy, they'd be out there slitting their wrists and rubbing the gashes in our faces, or they'd be lawyers. Do you see what you've done, NBC? You've made me resort to making cracks at lawyers! The point is, you don't need a diverse, wacky group of comedians in the house to make good television. You'd get that with any group of comedians! But here's the rub... For it to be good, funny television, you need good, funny comics!
Okay, NBC, scoot along now and make sure 30 Rock is as funny as its cast can be, and entertain the hell out of me with Treasure Hunters.
Sorry about that interruption, it's the show we're here to talk about. Some might argue that each comic gets three minutes to do their schtick and even that's edited down for broadcast. Yes it is. So in the limited time allowed for each to present themselves to the public, it's in everyone's best interest to show the highlights of each set. Bil Dwyer strikes me as a decent enough comedian who could do well with a fairly decent billing in the clubs, or he did until last night. If what we saw were the highlights, then I am very grateful we didn't see the dreck.
This is all very painful to remember, so let's just get to the finalists, shall we?
I've already brought up Bil Dwyer, might as well start with him. If what we saw yesterday was any indication, he will have a very important role to play in the series. Don't have enough time during the commercials to go to the bathroom and get a snack? No need to worry, Bil Dwyer is up next! Please prove me wrong, Bil. I'm begging you.
Michele Balan, I dig you, I really do. I have a feeling I could catch your show and enjoy it. It's only a feeling though because I didn't see much last night to bolster that feeling. You weren't one of the funniest performers, but you're older and somewhat curmudgeonly and a woman to help bring some balance to the genders, so you were likely a shoo-in even if you just got up on stage and ate prune pie for three minutes. As with Bil, please prove me wrong. I see the smart in you! I see the funny lurking under the limited performance time!
Gabriel Iglesias had a pleasant energy and pleasant delivery telling a pleasant joke about police liking doughnuts. A chubby, non-threatening pleasant comedian, I wouldn't be surprised if he pleasantly wins the whole thing in a pleasant manner. He was the audience's pleasant favourite last night. Pleasantly enough, he doesn't suck but he's not great either. Or at least in what we got to see, I'll give these comedians that. He's, well, pleasant.
Ty Barnett was okay. I would have gone with Malik S. myself, but Ty made me laugh. For that alone, I can go on to the next finalist.
Ssssssstella. Stelllllllla. Stellaaaaaaaaaaa. ST-ST-STELLA! Nope. No matter how I say it, I can't believe she got through. They needed another woman. So why the hell didn't they choose one of the funniest comedians of the friggin' night?!? Nikki Payne has killed with each appearance she's made! How can anyone not on an illegal substance have picked Stella over Nikki Payne?
Here's how I picture the meeting going...
Producer 1: We need another woman to round out the cast. Who do you think?
Producer 2: Nikki Payne slayed me. I'm thinking her.
Producer 1: Which one is she again?
Producer 2: Remember the one with the speech thing?
Producer 1: The lisp?
Producer 2: Yeah, the lisp. We could go with her.
Producer 1: No, we can't. We've already got Josh Blue in the house. We can't have two funny talkers.
Producer 2: But Josh Blue has...
Producer 1: I said no! (He then slaps Producer 2.) Give me someone DIFFERENT!
Producer 2 in tears: How about the pregnant broad?
Producer 1: YES! Pregnant comedian! That's GOLD! She might even pop the kid in the house!
Producer 2: But she wasn't fun...
Producer 1: Get me Stella!
...Or something like that. I kinda picture most production meetings going like that. What really matters here is that even Stella seemed shocked to be going on.
And so we have our final 10! The cream of the comedic crop!
Not so fast, bucko! Anthony Clark, the host to beat all hosts, announces just before going to commercial that there's going to be a twist! Ooooooooooooooooh!
After two minutes or so of finding out that our lives are worthless without more products, we get to find out what this incredible twist is - Two more comics are going to go on! We get a final TWELVE! Yay, Nikki! You've been saved!
All the sad clowns in the back perk up upon hearing this news. They've been given another chance. Or two of them anyway, the rest will have their dreams dashed a second time in a matter of minutes. Going on will be...
Kristin Key! Holy crap! She's funny! What the hell were the producers thinking? Oh, there is hope after all! Bunnies are frolicking in the meadows while a rainbow streaks across the sky! A new day is here! This is going to be good! Come on, Clark, tell me who the last contestant is going to be...
Rebecca Corry. Huh. Not Nikki Payne. Not J. Chris Newberg. Not even Flip Schultz.
There has been much controversy over these picks and some over the ridiculous reason given for the twist. It was too hard to pick just five, because the strength of the comic talent was just too much? Give me a friggin' break.
At the official LCS website on NBC.com, there is a producers blog. They don't appear to have archives, so I don't know how long that link will be any good. To be safe, here are a few judicious quotes.
"Much of the reaction to tonight's episode from fans of the show will revolve around the twist: Two extra comics moved on to the house, joining the initial 10."
No, much of the reaction to the episode happens to have revolved around the puzzling selections.
"Who decides who makes it to the house? No doubt the boards will be lighting up right now with speculation about it.
If you read the small print at the end of the show, or if you saw season 2 of LCS you will know how it works. For those of you who can't read 60 word disclaimers in 2 seconds, and if you missed Peter Engel's explanation in season 2 following Drew Carey and Brett Butler's meltdown, this is how it goes down:
Bob Read and Ross Mark tirelessly scour the country looking for comedic talent, accompanied by a team of producers and representatives of the network. Together we decide who makes it through to the round of 40."
A team of producers and representatives of the network. Go figure. About Drew Carey and Brett Butler's meltdown. Notice this season we have "celebrity talent scouts" instead of "celebrity judges".
The celebrity talent scouts take notes during the performances. The producers and executives consult the notes, but those notes have no real standing.
"Ultimately we are there to pick a group of people who have the potential to become stars of comedy, and who will be entertaining to watch as they compete for the title."
Really? REALLY?
"But comedy is about as subjective as you can get, and while everyone, talent scouts, producers, and network representatives agreed on maybe 4 of the 8, fierce debate ensued about the rest. Eventually, someone suggested that we bring 12. Although there were disagreements about the 12 also, these proved to be resolvable."
And there it is. This wasn't about explaining why there are twelve. Sure, they stuck that in there, but "comedy is... subjective." This is about putting out fires.
"Whether you agree with our choices or not, look at it this way: You get to choose the winner, and from here on out the audience always decides who stays and who goes. And you will not be disappointed by what happened when we put these 12 in a house together."
Yup, that's exactly what that blog was all about, putting out fires.
I'm with the show to stay. I'm not a Nielsen household, so not watching it to make a point won't matter. And there are a few comedians left who I have enjoyed so I'm hoping they kick but. From here on, the audience always decides who stays or goes! The Master P flashbacks from Dancing With the Stars are keeping that from making me feel any better.
So for better or worse, we've got our final twelve. Let the polite chuckling begin!
posted by Tabby at 6:43 p.m.
1 Comments:
I'm still trying to figure out how Nikki didn't get in. that chick is so funny. I think she should have worn her catholic outfit with the combat boots, maybe that would have helped. K, maybe not, but....
--------SC
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