Last night’s show at The End featured Gregg Turkington’s anti-comedy character, “America’s Funnyman” Neil Hamburger along with *major entertainer* Mike H from *major group* DAIQUIRI, local musician/comic Chris Crofton and a surprise set from Tom Green.

The Nashville Creme blog began their review of the show by noting that they rarely cover funny things: “Reviewing stand-up comedy isn’t normally part of The Spin’s job description.” Yeah, we know. Rethink that.

In honor of the Scene taking the time to chime in on local comedy shows, we’ll let them do the heavy lifting for us:

“..we would’ve been idiots to miss this show.”

Chris Crofton

“Chris Crofton began a streamlined version of an act we’ve come to know and love. With only a half-hour or so to spare, Crofton wasted no time, delving headfirst into gag-inducing sexual descriptions of fecalphiliacs, jokes about rockabilly douches, diatribes against new media, tales of desecrating slave burial grounds while on LSD and even a joke making light of the tragedy in Haiti.”

Here’s some shaky video of Mr. Crofton doing some NSFW stand-up at the 2009 NY Film Festival:

*major entertainer* Mike H

“Clad in a bizarre hodgepodge consisting of a porn star’s sport coat, shorts, a makeshift kilt, an insurance salesman’s tie, fluffy Zorro mask and stuffed octopus hat, Daiquiri [ed note: actually this was a solo performance from *major entertainer* Mike H of the group Daiquiri] looked as if he’d just gone dumpster diving behind Southern Thrift. Using a myriad of effects processors, a Kaos pad, microphones, an overhead projector and some samples, this excitable artiste spent the first portion of his set singing and spastically dancing about the stage to minute-long compositions that we can best describe as sounding like a cross between Dan Deacon and Limp Bizkit.”

Here’s a clip of *major entertainer* Mike H performing on Tom Green’s House Tonight:

At some point, Mike H’s pal Tom Green jumped on stage and helped out with a cover of Wham!’s “Everything She Wants.” After the show Mike complained that some of his gadgets didn’t work at all & he considered his set to be terrible compared to other recent outings. I found his set to be hilarious and entertaining on many levels. His song “Opening Act” could be the greatest thing ever performed by an opening act.

“Donning his trademark cheap tux and exaggerated comb-over, Hamburger came onstage and showered us with side-splitting anti-joke after anti-joke, proving that he’s simply unequaled in the art of insult comedy. Over the course of an hour, everyone from Scientologists to rock stars, dead celebrities and clothing manufacturers became targets of Hamburger’s merciless raillery.”

Here’s one of Neil Hamburger’s appearances on Jimmy Kimmel:

Awesome awesome awesome. Hamburger is in Louisville tonight and Knoxville Wed.. I’d highly recommend it, if you have the means. The show ended with a BONUS set from our friend Tom Green doing some highlights from his new stand-up act. “Good times,” as Mr. Green would say. The Scene erroneously reported that Tom was drunk and although that was the case Saturday when he jumped up at The Stage to sing “Summer of ‘69″.. and Sunday at Tootsie’s when he spat rhymes from, “Rapper’s Delight”.. he had not been drinking Monday and was sober. We promise.

It was a very fun show. Now if we could just get the Scene out to review a few comedy shows even if they DON’T also involve local musicians..

Dougie Ray’s of Rivergate kicks off a new series of comedy nights twice a month with a fantastic show this Friday featuring the very funny Kris Shaw with Danny Browning.

Kris Shaw has a highly energetic, creative, and animated style that has made him a favorite in comedy clubs across the country and in Canada. Kris has a unique style and outlook on life.. growing up a Jehovah’s Witness and being father to six kids will do that to someone! Kris’s personality and versatility has allowed him to perform in nearly 40 states and around the world and be a highly requested fan favorite.

With his laid back demeanor and sharp wit, Danny Browning finds humor in situations that everyone can relate to, and blends it with the perfect balance of improv. However, don’t let his Mid-western charm fool you! Danny is always willing to talk about any subject, not matter how taboo.

Kris Shaw and Danny Browning will be at Dougie Ray’s Friday, March 13th. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 6pm, show starts at 9. For tickets, call 615-513-6736.

Dougie Ray’s
903 Rivergate Parkway
Goodlettsville, TN
(across from McDonald’s)
www.DougieRays.com

We meant to mention this earlier, but last week Comedy Central’s “Insider” blog named N’Sup one of “The 100 Best Comedy Twitters.” N’Sup is proud to be contributing something Comedy Central has called, “essential to anyone who wants to be kept abreast of his or her favorite comedian’s bowel movements.”

Do you Twitter? All the cool kids are doing it. Follow NashvilleStandUp at: http://www.Twitter.com/nsup

Not too long ago, we heard “BET Comic View” was changing formats again and would be renamed “BET Gospel Comic View – A Time to Laugh” hosted by Gospel singer Vickie Winans.

We’ve just learned that one of the first comics selected to appear on the new show, is Nashville’s own Renard Hirsch! Mr. Hirsch says, “God is good y’all!!! Every since I started doing comedy everybody has been asking me ‘When are you going to be on Comic View?’ It looks like that time has finally arrived.”

Renard will tape for BET’s ‘A Time to Laugh’ in Atlanta this Saturday the 7th @ Turner Studios. If you are interested in being a part of the live studio audience send an email to timetolaugh09@gmail.com or call 404.885.4206.

Hirsch told NashvilleStandUp that he is excited and humbled by the opportunity. “I was sitting around the house getting text messages from some of the other comedians about who had already made the show. I was thinking to myself that I had a really great set at the auditions, but maybe I should have done some different jokes or something, then they called me the next day and I went through the roof! So I’m getting ready to go to Atlanta to represent for Tennessee and show the world that there are some more funny people in Nashville.”

Congratulations to Renard! Watch for him on BET soon. Until then, keep up with him at MySpace at: www.myspace.com/comedymanrh

Courtney Kay Meyers’ new open mic stand-up comedy night at Lonnie’s on West End has been a great success so far. Many comics have been doing the open mic at Lucky’s on Stewart’s Ferry and then driving over to West End for Lonnies.. and to help accommodate that commute, Lonnie’s show now runs from 8pm – 10pm. Karaoke Craziness follows the show-up and go-up open mic, but the beer specials run all night long – $5 pitchers, $15 domestic buckets and $21 premium buckets.

Lonnie’s
2813 West End Ave
Nashville, TN 37203
No cover!
every Monday night at 8pm.