I won’t be watching the rest of the Last Comic Standing shows. Clearly being funny has nothing to do with the selection of who goes on in the competition. Last night’s show (it’s a little after midnight on the 17th) was the last straw. They promoted Todd Glass, who got no votes up front and no reaction from the audience to speak of, and kicked off Dan Naturman, who absolutely killed and got a standing O from a fair portion of the audience.
Drew Carey and Bret Butler walked off, and were only molified when they were told that their votes were added to the producers’ votes for a final determination. Carey seemed okay with that, but I think he was right the first time, when he said, “This is bulls*it!”
If you need any more proof that the show is run by politics and not funny, note that veteran political comic Will Durst, who got almost the only real laughs the night of his set in NYC (?) didn’t even make it to Las Vegas and last season that unfunny twerp Dat Phan beat out the likes of Dave Mordahl and Rich Voss.
NBC produces some of the best dramas on television, but it knows bupkis about funny.
Well, seeing as how being the funniest doesn’t necessarily get you anywhere on this show, it seems perfectly natural to NOT call it “Funniest Comic Standing,” doesn’t it?
It’s worse than you said. According to Drew, three of the four judges didn’t vote for any of the five finalists chosen.
I watched the credits, and notice one disclaimer saying something like the judging or the finalists had been determined before taping of the show. It went by too quickly to really study, so I may very well have misread it, but if I did see it correctly, this would mean that the performances tonight and the celebrity judging had nothing to do with the final choices, which were made entirely by the producers.
I can’t understand what the motivation would be for choosing based on anything other than how funny the contestants were.
My feeling is that it’s based on who the producers think would be the weirdest combination of people to force to live together in that house. But then they didn’t pick the woman whose husband is also a comedian, which I thought would have created some definite drama in the house. My other feeling is that the producers chose according to marketability. But then when they picked the scary Steven Wright wannabe, I just wasn’t certain what the criteria was any more. And I remain shocked that the apparently easily offended producers let the woman in who used a dirty word! Because we all know that there are no dirty words used in comedy.
All I know is that I thought Dat “One Joke” Phan was the least funny one of all last time around, what with his hundred variations on the same joke where he talks with the silly irritating accent and pretends to be his parents. And wow, what that sure did for his career! I’ve seen about half of the previous finalists in the past year all over television, but I haven’t once seen Dat Phan anywhere. Of course, not that I was trying.
Dat Phan recently did a 30-minute stand-up show on Comedy Central. I only saw the last few minutes, so I can’t really comment on its quality, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s probably 30 minutes of Dat talking about his mother.
The first time I watched the show, I wanted to see Dat win just because the rest of the house treated him so poorly. After watching the show again, however, I’ve got to admit that Dat’s really not that funny.
How well they know Jay Mohr. He’s the one pulling the strings.
How much of a headliner they are.
If the producers think their personality/quirks will stir up drama.
Kathleen Madigan has had her own HBO special for chrissakes. Todd Glass isn’t remotely funny and Dan Naturman was one of the funniest comics of both nights.
I still lust after Bonnie McFarlane like I’ve lusted for no other celebrity ever. Weird.
I missed the beginning of the show. How did Jim Wiggins (the “old hippie”) get back on the show?
And how on earth could the celebrity panelists be confused by the voting system!!?? The show is a huge hit on a major network. They never once had a meeting where the voting system was discussed!!?? WTF!?
They had to exclude Jim Norton because of some other commitements he had that would directly conflict with being in the house, assuming he made it into the house. They called Jim Wiggins a few hours before show time and he flew in from Kansas.
I expect Todd Glass is going to be the most annoying person in the house and that might make for some interesting tv so I have no problem with him being there.
I don’t see what’s wrong with that. I found it funny, thus I really don’t care whether the material is based on the same article or not. As long as I’m entertained, that’s all that matters.
I saw Jimmy Dore’s 30 minute stand up act on Comedy Central too. He made it pretty far as a contestant, but I don’t think he got picked for the house.
You have to remember that they’re picking people who need to be entertaining when they go out as a group and compete for inane things like begging people to come see the performance.
BINGO! That entire controversy screamed “FAKE!” Notice how quickly Drew Carey calmed down? Do you really think that would be the reaction of an A-list comic who just figured out he was window dressing?
This whole thing has just been an excuse to get the comics in the house.
I heard Frank Santerelli (sp? that guy from Sopranos) complain that it really has nothing to do with being funny. He said the producers asked his family, neighbors, etc if he had ever beaten up someone, crashed a car, or was often drunk or high. When they said he was a clean guy, they told him he couldn’t be on the show anymore.
I think he calmed down because he realized there was no way he was going to get a straight, true answer.
I’m not watching again - last night was total BS. I loved last season (except for Dat Phan - who freakin’ won), but I’m done this season. They’ve ruined the entire show. I was hoping we’d see some true cutting-edge comics get their big breaks - yeah. I’m just a frickin’ Pollyanna. I should know better.
God, this show irritates me. Just be forewarned, I have nothing good to say about the show.
A. The comics on the show are professional comics. They are not the ‘next generation’ or whatever the hell they are being billed as. They all have professional routines, and they tour the country. Pablo Francisco has had a Comedy Central special, as has Tony Woods. (Who I’ve had drinks with, and he’s much funnier in person than he is on stage.) And some of these guys make loads of cash touring. (Put it this way: Pablo makes six figures a year.) It’s ridiculous that they make it sound like they’re breaking out new comics.
B. Todd Glass is amusing. I can’t say he’s the best or the brightest, but he’s pretty funny. My fiancee opened for him about a year ago. He’s also really nice.
C. This entire show is a set-up. I mean, whoever is going to win has already been picked. They were picked before the first show was taped. There’s no voting going on. It’s a farce based on the fact that someone will get more promotion after the show ends.
D. The only reason Dat Phan had a 30 minute show on CC is because he only has 30 minutes of material. Ben (the fiancee) opened for him, and he said he’s got more material than Dat Phan.
