Last Comic Standings Worst Season Ever

i've posted about Last Comic Standing a fair bit over the last month or two, but i wanted to just say that this has been the worst season ever. now, let me also just say that it is still lone of my favorite reality shows since i love stand-up comedy. however, compared to previous seasons this one ranks the lowest.

first off they truncated the show and had fewer challenge rounds then usual. but, most important was the fact that the comedians weren't as good this season. especially the ones we ended up with in the last few.

i thought they left some really funny people out of the top 20 - i can't think of their names right now, but there were a few that should have been in the top 10 that didn't make it - but moving on from there, my faves in the top 10 were: doug benson (great timing and delivery), that short british guy and amy shumer (although by the end she seemed to be running a little short on material. but she has only been doing this for about 4 years) - ralph harris had one very funny night and then one not so funny night. gerry dee is good and has some quality material also, but then last night he got kicked off and now we are left with jon reep and lavell crawford.

these guys are ok, but not top-2 material. and it really showed last night when they were down to their last bits (since they have been using their best stuff in previous challenges and routines). reep had a few good lines with the snoring thing, but it wasn't great and lavell felt like he had just run out of steam. lavell has had some great lines and bits in the show, but sometimes his stuff feels like he is making it up on the spot and it isn't great. i have no problem with a big fat guy making big fat guy jokes, but at least bring something new to it or take a witty angle on it. and sometimes he does and i was cracking up, but lots of lavell's stuff is so well tread we have heard things like it before and we can finish the joke before he does.

maybe we have been spoiled in the past with some really good comics like: john heffron, anton boldon, gary gullman... now those guys are funny and do some smart, quality stand-up.

anyway, like i have said in previous posts, there have been some very funny episodes this season, but these last 4 with just the stand-up and eliminations have been pretty average.

Speed Laughing

i just watched last weeks episode of Last Comic Standing and, ya i know it aired like 5 days ago and unless you go online you won't be able to see it, but, damn that was some funny shit.

the challenge this week was speed laughing. each comedian had 1-minute in a booth with a person and they had to make them laugh. then at the end the booth people would pick who they liked best.

so here's the kicker though. the comedians thought they were getting hot Deal Or No Deal chicks, but three of the girls were secretly switched out for a drag queen, a nun and twinkie the clown. - let the comedy ensue, and ensue it did. not only were some of their 'routines' funny, but their reactions and interview jokes about the situation were hysterical as well.

i'm pretty sure the ratings for the show have been going down since season one, but for anyone who likes comedy and stand-up comedy this is still a very funny hour of tv and its too bad they have had to rush it like they have (only 3 or 4 competition weeks and two people going home each episode rather then one)

also: congrats to amy shumer for winning the challenge. she is so good at thinking on her feet and being funny. her and matt are both the newest to stand-up compared to the many years the others have been doing it, but they are both funny and doing more then just holding their own. they are standing out.

also: whats up with that head-to-head competition result? i thought it had to be either doug benson or matt kirshen that was going to win. ralph harris is a funny guy, and he so deserved to win his last head-to-head, but his set this week wasn't as good as the other two. matt and doug both had superior sets this week (doug has a great stage presence and delivery) that was a very surprising audience result.

Lots Of Standing Comics

i might have mentioned this in past posts, and i know i have talked about it on the podcast, but i have had enough of the singing and dancing competition/reality shows. once American Idol hit big we got a whole slew of them over the last years and they don't really interest me much.

personally i like the ones that showcase something more interesting and different and my two favorites have got to be American Inventor and Last Comic Standing which premiered last week with a two-hour show.

i love stand-up comedy and to do it well takes true talent. you can be funny, but it doesn't mean you can be a good stand-up comedian, and some of the people we saw audition were neither, but overall there was some very funny stuff and this season looks to be good. i also love the fact that they are going all over the world and that Canada had its share of good ones.

i didn't write down all the names, but i did feel that overall the judges did a good job. there were maybe 3 or 4 throughout the night that didn't make it to the next round that i felt really should have, but for the most part they did get it right. also, i'm sure they had the producers telling them a few people they wanted to make it based on them being a good story and able to get an audience to sympathise and such - - remember back a few seasons when drew carrey got really pissed because someone he thought should have made it didn't because the producers wanted someone else?

the judges/talent scouts are good, especially kathleen madigan and alonzo bolden (ant can be funny but i never really found his stand-up that good), and bill bellamy is a good host, although i also liked anthony clarke and jay mohr. look, the format is standard, they aren't breaking any new ground, but i love stand-up comedy and i get lots of laughs watching the show so it works for me.

i was excited that Last Comic Standing was coming back and so far so funny.

grade: B+