(S05E14) Here's an amazing story: I arrived home this evening to find that my TiVo only recorded the last 25 minutes of LCS. With a review to write, I scrambled, calling everyone I knew within driving distance, trying to find the episode.None of my friends had it (10 million viewers a week? None in South Jersey, apparently). I was bummed because I didn't want to have to write an incomplete review. It wasn't until after all this that I actually watched the final 25 minutes my TiVo grabbed.
Wouldn't you know that NBC had so padded the hour that the only two performances that really mattered didn't come till the last 15 minutes anyway? God bless the terrible, slow roast editing techniques of this show. God. Bless. Them. On to the (almost complete) review...
The biggest tragedy of the evening for me was that I missed Gilbert Gottfried. When it comes to comedy, Gilbert is like the old line about pizza (or sex, but who wants to think about sex and Gilbert at the same time?): even when he's bad, he's good.
The second biggest tragedy was that Gerry Dee was voted off the show tonight. I would normally write-off my prediction that Dee was our frontrunner due to my being a comic whose sensibility doesn't necessarily mesh with a general audience's, but the poll we ran last week indicated that the vast majority of you agreed with me. I was shocked that Dee was sent packing.
It makes me wonder who is doing the actual voting on this show. Part of me suspects that LaVell got a lot of votes this week from confused grandmothers who thought that he was Reuben Studdard.
Since I haven't seen the rest of the show, let's get right to the performance breakdowns:
Jon Reep -- decided to spend his four minutes on a long story about his father snoring. Storytelling is hard to do in the first place because, by its nature, it tends to produce less laughs per minute than flat out joke telling (for an example of this, watch some Bill Cosby, probably our most preeminent storyteller comic. He's outstanding at it, but his laughs per minute are decidedly lower than other more conventional -- albeit less talented -- comedians). In a competition where you only have four minutes to make your case to the audience, Jon's choice was a bold one.
Did he pull it off? Meh. His performance was great, but the laughs were of the mild chuckle variety. I also didn't think the payoff was big enough to justify spending four minutes telling the story. This is a piece that I could very easily see showing up midway through a headlining set -- perfectly pleasant, well executed -- but I wouldn't use it as a closer.
LaVell Crawford -- still seems to have trouble with saying things he shouldn't. Last week it was curses, this week brand names. He did all right in the beginning (dropping Kentucky Fried Chicken for "one of those chicken places"), but in the second half of his act, he used a brand name that had to be bleeped (my guess was AT&T, does anyone know for sure?) This isn't a big deal; it just seems to speak to the theory that LaVell has been nervous the last few episodes.
While I thought the second half of his act produced a few funny moments (for some reason, I thought his poor imitation of the computerized phone voice was hilarious), the first half covered some very familiar themes. There are a lot of weight-centered comics (that's my PC term for "fat comics") that have a variation on the joke of ordering a huge meal for all of his friends and family and having the person at the counter mistake that meal for only his.
It's hard to pick a winner because It appeared like both comics were out of gas tonight. Maybe I'm just tired from a long flight and a scramble to find 35 minutes of a show that probably had about 1.5 minutes of enjoyable content in it, but I thought we ended very much on a whimper. The big guns, it seemed, were not saved till the end.
If I was forced to make a choice, I'd say LaVell, simply on audience reaction.
I'm anxious to hear what you think about it. Am I being overly critical? Did both Jon and LaVell rock the house tonight but I was too tired to appreciate it? Let me know.
Check back here later in the week for an update with the rest of the review. In the meantime, you can check out another perspective at Shecky Magazine here.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-13-2007 @ 1:13AM
wendy said...
I agree with you. The whole show was meh. Even Gilbert. I've not thought that LaVell was funny throughout the season -- maybe I just don't get him like the audience does. And, Jon Reep did seem to run out of gas. Mostly, though, I was surprised and disappointed that Gerry Dee was voted off. Even though Reep was not at his best tonight, I think he's the funnier of the two left standing. So, my vote goes to him. And I hope they get rid of Bill Bellamy for the next season -- dude is like nails on chalkboard to me!
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9-13-2007 @ 1:51AM
Matt said...
Reep and Lavell are so bad. They're just terrible stereotypes of a typical hick, and a typical fat, black guy. What a horrible, horrible finale it will be. One of the worst finales in the history of reality TV.
Bring back Jay Mohr and comics who are actually funny, or just abort this waste of an hour.
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9-13-2007 @ 2:23AM
Catt said...
I just watched the show and stopped the tevo after Jerry Dee was voted off, he was by far the funniest of them all and I will not be watching the oh so boring finale to come with Lavell using old material and Reep making ah what more lame hickery jokes. So blah za blah and disappointing. Jerry Dee if you read this which you probably won't, you are the funniest comic and we have watched you in all the seasons and everytime you get screwed. Keep doing comedy becasue you make us laugh off our seat everytime. YOU RULE FUNNY MAN! Also this is the first time i have ever written on a board but I had to becasue I am so peed about this.
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9-13-2007 @ 7:02AM
Jim said...
I wish my TiVo "worked" like yours, Jay. Last night's show was the worst so far.
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9-13-2007 @ 7:26AM
O said...
why do people think lavell is funny? he has never made me or any of my friends laugh, and his material is so predictable and to be honest boring. this entire competition people were saying how hard it will be to beat lavell, this guy sucks, period.
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9-13-2007 @ 7:53AM
Bash said...
LaVell sucks so hard he could get a golfball through a garden hose. And he looks like he is wearing a speed-bike helmet sans the actual helmet...
The final should've been between Amy and Gerry. This here is just ridiculous.
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9-13-2007 @ 7:58AM
Chuck said...
In the first bit of the show thay had their "one-liner" competition, and I was so pissed off that the audience voted Lavell the winner. First off, he wasn't funny, and he didn't have any one liners. All he did was comment on what John and Jerry did. (seroiusly--"If a midget stole my girlfriend I'd be a little testy too?" How is that funny?)
Finally, when he did try to start one (the joke about not watching pool because it's a white ball hitting colored balls) it was a COMPLETE RIP-OFF!. How do I know? Because I saw another comedian do the exact same joke about 15 years ago on TV. I wish I could remember his name . . . anyone? Jay? Lavell wasn't able to finish it, but the punchline basically goes that he likes bowling, because the black ball gets to hit the white pins with red necks. And then the original comedian went on to talk about black olives being in a can and white olives being in a jar, and his Nation of Islam father and Christian grandmother. Does ANYONE know who I'm talking about?
And did anyone notice Jerry got mad at Lavell about his "one liners" too? I think that's why he told Lavell to make up a knock-knock joke, just to waste time and make him look stupid.
I started watching this rooting for John Reep, but Jerry was definitely the one who should have one. He was robbed.
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9-13-2007 @ 8:20AM
Nate said...
It looked to me like Lavell was saying "Sprint", but who knows. The funniest moment of the night was when the trophy ladies came out and tried to hand the trophy to Bill Bellamy and he says... no, the other black guy. You probably missed that part, they did a lame "one-liner" competition which Lavell "won" early in the show.
And the one liners were better than either of the final 2's routines. Yikes.
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9-13-2007 @ 8:30AM
Jim said...
Chuck: Nat X (an SNL character played by Chris Rock) did the bowling joke years ago, but I'm sure someone else did it before that.
How bad was Gilbert Gottfried? Jokes about Calista Flockhart and the Amish? This is the best you can come up with?
Good riddance to this season -- and hopefully the series.
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9-13-2007 @ 9:10AM
Sharon said...
Gerry Dee was by the far the best comic on this show- I thought he was very funny - he always made me laugh. I don't find LaVell funny at all - and I have to strain to understand what he's saying. How will he ever do a full set - oh yea...by repeating the same things over and over and over in his routine. And laughing at his own jokes - that kills a few seconds. I don't at all understand how he gets so many votes-doesn't say much for the voting masses. John's funny enough and I sure hope he beats LaVell; but I won't be watching.
Gerry Dee - without a doubt, you should have been "The Last Comic Standing"!!
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9-13-2007 @ 9:16AM
Mase said...
@Chuck: I agree that Gerry was pissed at Lavell's "one-liners" that just riffed on what he and Reep did. The knock-knock thing was brilliantly cruel (though not undeserved). One of the 'best' parts of the show.
And, as much as I think Lavell is a bit of a one-note comic, he is still immensely better than the appropriately named Ant -- one of the worst hack comics ever to darken the screen.
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9-13-2007 @ 9:20AM
bd said...
Lavell is funny when he's not on television. I've seen him live. Not funnier than Gerry Dee, but not as unfunny as he is restrained on TV.
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9-13-2007 @ 10:31AM
Cindy Gibson said...
I agree about the one-line act. Lavell could not come up with one on his own. He had to cheat and tell a story,
which Gerry called him on and rightfully so.
He should have been disqualified for not following the rules. As far as the rest of the show, Gregg Prupes
should stick to improv. He was horrible. and Gilbert must have just showed up and made it up as he went. I was dissapointed. I really like Jon and am glad he made it to the final but it should be Jon and Gerry. Lavell has never made me laugh and I can't understand how he gets the votes. Sorry Gerry, You were really screwed.
The final will be anything but funny. Oh well, another
reality show season in the books that was unfair and boring. Are we suprised?
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9-13-2007 @ 10:42AM
Sasha Faynor said...
Gerry Dee is a residual comic, his routines are so authentic and fluid, they give you laughs over and over again remembering them... HE SHOULD HAVE WON.
Jon Reep performs superbly, I find him funny, and fun to watch, but mundane.
LaVell is inconsistent and his range is narrow, but has made me laugh.
The woman, the scout, who performed last night, Ms. Madigan, she spoke her whole routine in one sentence sans punchlines... Do not try this on stage.
With Gerry I laughed from my heart, gut, and head. His observations were insightful and comforting. I'm taking his loss hard...
Sasha.lilmermaid@gmail.com
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9-13-2007 @ 10:58AM
Randy said...
Regarding Lavell's "bleeps," sheckymagazine.com stated that he was saying "Sprint." The site also mentions how Gilbert needs to update his act: The movie "Witness" came out in 1985--that's 22 years ago! And how there are other "skinny girl" celebrities out there without resorting to a Calista Flockhart reference. But his voice alone makes some people laugh.
They showed Rich Vos in the audience. I wish they had HIM onstage! He always rocks! Next week he will be on the "roast" show, though. That will make it worth watching.
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9-13-2007 @ 11:22AM
keepitreal said...
the reason why i think people like lavell (even though i was hoping he was getting voted off the past few weeks):
-a lot of the voters dont have much exposure to other stand up comedy so his bits seems fresh and funny to them.
-he is quick on his feet. whether its "cheating" in the one-liner game, winning the heckler challenger, or talking about having al sharpton on speedial, it is a strength of his.
-america is fat and therefore loves fat people?
the list is short, but i think we forget the majority of voters are random americans who may not even have comedy central (read:cable).
i do think it would have been hilarious if they DQ'd him in the mini challenge because he deserved to be. or if a fight had broken out on stage...but this show is so weak its no shock they would have a stupid mini challenge and the winner would have cheated and had the worst lines.
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9-13-2007 @ 1:57PM
Chester said...
Gerry Dee was ripped off. Plain and simple.
Interesting couple Gotfried chose since Harrison and Felicity are an item in real life.
Levalle was a disappointment and Reep should of been the one to be gone.
Oh well.
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9-13-2007 @ 2:12PM
gt said...
the funniest moments were the non-acts. like handing the trophy to the host, and asking lavell, if you lose will you make it a black-white thing?
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9-13-2007 @ 6:47PM
mandersnork said...
I agree with the most of you. Amy and Jerry got robbed,LaVell gets old very quick. I think time will sort out each of the carriers. I really do not care much for black jokes and sarcasym. I wish quick wit and talent ment something.......
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9-13-2007 @ 6:53PM
Sasha Faynor said...
Last night was far from the best either LaVell or John Reep have done. I think Reep made a mistake doing one long act-out bit with almost no climax. I would pick LaVell if I were just choosing on last night's performance, although I prefer Reep.
Sasha.lilmermaid@gmail.com
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