In my opinion, the top five working comics of our time are, in no particular order: Louis CK, Bill Burr, Dave Attell, Maria Bamford and Doug Stanhope. All geniuses. All incredible performers. All fantastic writers. All awesome. If I am ever within a 3-4 hour drive of any of these people, you can bet I will be at that show – laughing at and learning from the masters of the art. Luckily, comedy fans in Nashville don’t have to drive very far to see one of the best of the best next week.

Doug Stanhope kicks off his 2011 tour with a three night run from Chattanooga to Nashville and then Birmingham February 17-19. Some people may disagree with his opinions or lifestyle, but no student of the art of comedy can deny that Stanhope is one of the sharpest minds to ever dissect American culture with such brutal honesty, furious passion and surgical wit.

The language and content of the show will be adult in nature. The politics will be of a libertarian slant. Drugs and alcohol will be consumed. Sacred cows will be slaughtered. Selves will be sabotaged. Chaos just might reign supreme.. and it will be funny.

Doug Stanhope
Friday, Feb 18, 2011 at 8:00 PM
18+
$20.00
Tickets are on sale NOW at BrownPaperTickets.com

Exit/In
2208 Elliston Place
Nashville, TN 37203
615-321-3340
http://www.exitin.com

For more info: www.DougStanhope.com

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=109491819115980

February 18, 2011 – Doors at 8, show at 9

Exit/In
2208 Elliston Pl
Nashville, TN 37203
615-321-3340
http://www.exitin.com

Tickets: $20.00, on sale NOW.

Doug Stanhope brings his Heavenly gift of Comedy & Rock

18 and up. Its probably wrong to sneak in your own booze but I’m no bouncer.

(here’s the Facebook event)

More infos:
DougStanhope.com
Twitter.com/DougStanhope
Facebook.com/officialstanhope

Demetri Martin at TPAC (April 16, 2009)

The best comedians don’t feel like they have an “act.” They carefully and purposefully write and perform their material, to be sure, but it all grows authentically out of their own personality and wit, and that’s what impresses me. Original writing, a captivating stage presence, and the genius to handle an unpredictable crowd is a lot to expect of anyone, which is why a consumate entertainer is such amazing fun. I count Demetri among such multitasking talent (and that’s before counting his drawing and musical skills).

Demetri’s mind is tangential, detail-driven, crafty, and rapacious in all the best ways. His jokes are compact and rapid, they are joltingly and happily lacking in segues, and they are a delight to idiosyncractic, puzzle-loving minds. If his observations were to be described in two words, those words would be: subtly obvious. It is an unmatched joy to be startled by such unassuming genius.

Anyone familiar with his earlier shows knows the lightly askance view his humor employs. (To use an old quip of his: “A drunk driver is very dangerous. So is a drunk backseat driver if he’s persuasive. ‘Dude make a left.’ ‘Those are trees…’ ‘Trust me.’”) There’s also frequently an element of word nerd humor. (For example, another classic older joke: “Saying ‘I’m sorry’ is the same as saying ‘I apologize.’ … Except at a funeral.”) His deadpan delivery makes bits like these even more memorable. More importantly, however, popularizing this style of humor makes him walking, talking proof that intelligence is charming. Beyond the happiness that his bright observations bring, that cultural elevation may be what makes him most enjoyable and admirable. Smart = sexy, folks. Learn it, live it, and love it!

There’s something almost intimate in Demetri’s stage demeanor — a personality that is, at once, invitingly amiable and self-protectively private. For example, when pressed for personal information (as when a woman yelled out, “When was the last time you had sex?!” during his April 16th performance at TPAC), his facial reaction was downright bashful. He did, however, come back with: “That’s how I met your mother.” Once again, we see that the only sure-fire cure for momentary awkwardness is a solid “your mom” joke. Bravo, good man.

It wouldn’t be fair to call those yelling up at him hecklers since, in this case, he asked the audience to shout out questions. Most of the shouts were positive ones anyway, like: “Is your show coming back?” (it is) and “When will you host Saturday Night Live?” (no plans to yet, but he’d really like to). There was, however, one opportunistic woman who forgot whom the spotlight shone on, and who, therefore, dragged on an unwitty banter about local coffee shops. Now, I like cafes as much as the next nerd, but I’d rather have spent that time hearing more of Demetri’s new material (like “BFBs” … an acronym and a joke that I won’t spoil for you). And I suspect the crowd would have agreed with me.

I did have a question of my own to ask, but my infernally insistent “tact” kept me from asking it. (Momma taught me it’s rude to talk over others. … Confound that woman and her despicable lessons in politeness.) I wanted to know his favorite word. I wonder if he already has one, or if he would have had to come up with one on the spot. So much for lost opportunities.

Every segment of his show (the drawings, the keyboard playing, the traditional stand up, the Q&As, and the old-joke-request time) ended with stronger and stronger applause. After the show was “over,” he stayed to answer more questions. Nobody left the auditorium while he was on stage. It was fun hearing about him and his misadventures with a “Beat It” leather jacket.

The only snag in the show was that, once or twice, a joke was lost on the audience because Demetri ran through a word or two too fast. The “skunk farts” joke was one such case. So no, Demetri, if you’re reading this, that joke is not unfunny. You just need to enunciate a little more, ‘k?

Not everyone will get Demetri’s humor (no sense of humor is universal, after all), but plenty will delight in his view anew observations, and a few poor souls will drink in his words like the drunken fangirls we are. ;^D

Full disclosure: I’ve been a unabashed fangirl of Demetri’s for at least a year or two, so perhaps this “review” is biased. But how can you expect a nerd girl like myself to resist the allure of the dude who made If I? Honestly, HOW?! (If you haven’t seen If I, Demetri’s earliest one man show, and if you at all appreciate quirky, nerdy philosophy, do yourself a favor and hunt it down.)

The night concluded with my friend Nicole (who also attended the show) and I raving about our favorite lines, our favorite comics, and why stand up is so much fun … exactly how the night should have ended. I can’t wait for my next opportunity.

Visit Anna Matsen on Facebook.

Doug Stanhope in Louisville, KY (March 14, 2009)

Foul-mouthed, counter-culture, shake’n'wake ‘em comics (“em” being the snoozing masses … myself, lamentably, included) beflutter my tender heart when they get me not thinking so much as rethinking about life. I’m a know-it-all nerd, ya see, and it is a rare and ecstatic delight to be substantially surprised. Do that, and I couldn’t care less how “offensive” you are. In fact, the more offensive, the better! What truly offends my moral sensibilities is mediocrity masquerading as genius. If I were someone to walk out of a show in a self-righteous huff (which I’m not, because that’s childish), it would be because the material was idiotic or boring, not because the artist was being politically uncorrect.

Wait, this post was supposed to be about Doug Stanhope, not me. Focus, woman. Focus!

All of the above applies to Stanhope, who played at Nashville’s Exit/In on April 10th. As arguably the most offensive living comic, he’ll make you wheeze with laughter while screaming, “Holy hell, he’s right. … I’m an idiot and a jerk for not recognizing this before!” His riffing on pretty much every topic was brilliant, but my favorite moment was actually the confessional-like ending. He seemed a zen master exasperated by the fact that, no matter how hard he shakes people, he can’t wake the world from its stupor or its stupidity. Or perhaps he’s a “seer” with shit-vision goggles who, after pointing out that said “shit” is everywhere, is aghast that people continue contentedly living in it. He strikes me as someone whose driving idealism battles daily with his compulsive realism, whose passions are stretched on a rack between what the world should be and what it is.

Then again, maybe I’m presuming too much. I’m certainly being far too abstract to give you a real idea what his humor is like. One thing I can say without doubt is that the slight gravel in Stanhope’s voice is satsifyingly gutteral. That isn’t something everyone can pull off, but I like his voice a bit sandy.

The show was opened by Nashville’s own Chad Riden (“America’s Favorite Comedian Of All Time”), and The Mattoid, an avante-garde band whose music I genuinely enjoyed. Both of the opening acts would have been more exciting with a more enthused crowd, as most people were there purely for Stanhope, but were certainly fun.

The headliner began his act denouncing the “that guys” of the world, including one who imposed himself on him while he tried reviewing his notes before the show (and who later acted like a moronic jackass yelling up to the stage). He then ranted on issues of religion, sex, politics, sex in movies, and so on. There were also a few folks he chastised for holding up video cameras. Now, I’d brought my camera, and would have used it if the batteries hadn’t been dead, but ONLY to take pictures (without flash), NOT video. I would never violate an artist’s right to have control over how and when their own material makes its public debut.

My favorite part, as mentioned above, was the more personal revelation at the end about why he rants. He’s resigned himself to a spirit of futility, even though he keeps treading the hamster wheel, so to speak, by continuing his act, but I’d still like to think his ranting is for a purpose. Sure, the whole world is still terribly messed up, but for people to change things they do have to know what’s wrong and they do need to maintain motivation for working towards what’s right. That’s the other thing that truly great satire does (at least, for me personally). The awareness and motivation to combat the insanity is also why I love The Daily Show so much. The perspective and the humor that satire brings are BOTH incalcuably important. Apathy is the greatest fuel to the fire of the world’s insanity. Or perhaps South Park provides a more apt comparison with Stanhope’s show, since both (in their ironic little heart of hearts) are driven by moral outrage. Still, this self-professed “lover of losers” (by which he affectionately means “his fans”) has an acerbic allure all his own.

In short, I like people who can rock my world without a musical backdrop for their words (although rock’n'roll is fun too). The bottom line is that Stanhope is a funny dude (as long as you’re not easily offended) and that I’m a complete idiot for attending his show with a dud of a camera. It did turn out to be a battery problem, thankfully, rather than a camera problem. But I wanted a picture, dammit! *mad-at-self grumbles* … Guess I’ll just have to catch Stanhope again whenever he returns to Nashville.

Visit Anna Matsen on Facebook.

Just a last-minute reminder for Doug Stanhope‘s one and only stop in Nashville this year (TONIGHT, April 10th at Exit/In with The Mattoid and Chad Riden). Online ticket sales have ended, but they will be available at the door until they sell out. The Facebook event is here.

Stanhope’s material ranges from true-life graphic perversion to volatile social criticism. Doug is vulgar, opinionated, brutally honest and shockingly uninhibited and is certainly not for everybody.

Here is a short video from Doug’s “Deadbeat Hero” dvd:

It’s an okay write-up, but only okay. Dave could have looked deeper than Nashville’s “funny musicians” to find his local angle. For example..

Lahna Turner

Occasionally, Lahna produces “The Music City Comedy Show” at Zanies Comedy Showplace – a night of funny people who have music in their comedy acts. In the past, the lineups have included Rik Roberts, Steve Goodie, Wynn Reichert, Sean Parrott, Bucky Habanero, and Shantel Adams.

Rik Roberts

Steve Goodie

Wynn Reichert uses a tongue-in-cheek delivery to belt out tunes like, “I Need To Get Laid,” and audience favorite, “Sometimes I Wish I was Black.” Wynn is originally from California, lives in Nashville and tours internationally.

Sean Parrott

Speaking of the Mangy Dog Whoop Dee Doo, this Nashville-based podcast consistently features funny songs and parodies and whatnot produced by local professional funny people Jesse Perry, Mark Anundson, the previously mentioned Sean Parrott, Damian Anaya, Brad Edwards and more..

Mark Anundson

This isn’t nearly a comprehensive list of ALL the musical comedy acts in Nashville.. but it’s a start. Keep an eye on the NashvilleStandUp calendar for upcoming shows featuring these very funny people.

Tuesday, April 7
8am – 9am Get Up, Stand Up (91.1 WRVU-FM)
6pm “Hope Lodge Night of Laughs” (American Cancer Center)
7:30pm Rik Roberts + OPEN MIC (Zanies)
8pm OPEN MIC Contest (Spanky’s Sportsbar & Grill)

Wednesday, April 8
7:30pm Mike Speenburg (Zanies)

Thursday, April 9
7:30pm Patrice O’Neil (Zanies)

Friday, April 10
7:30pm Comedy Contest (Crossbright, White Bluff)
7:30pm, 9:45pm Patrice O’Neil (Zanies)
8pm Flight Of The Conchords (Ryman Auditorium)
9pm Doug Stanhope, Chad Riden, The Mattoid (Exit/In)

Saturday, April 11
7pm, 9pm Patrice O’Neil (Zanies)

Sunday, April 12
6pm Sunday Stand-up Showcase Showdown And Stuff – Damian Anaya, Sean Parrott, Iron Comic, Chad Riden (Improv Nashville Comedy Theater)

More details can be found in our calendar thing over there.

Tickets are selling fast for Doug Stanhope‘s one and only stop in Nashville this year (April 10th at Exit/In with The Mattoid and Chad Riden). This will sell out, so buy your tickets now while you still can. The Facebook event is here.

Stanhope’s material ranges from true-life graphic perversion to volatile social criticism. Doug is vulgar, opinionated, brutally honest and shockingly uninhibited and is certainly not for everybody. He started his career in Las Vegas doing jack-off jokes for free drinks. Not much has changed, save for the mullet.

Here is a short video from Doug’s “Deadbeat Hero” dvd:

A few reviews:
“Ask anyone whose opinion matters, and they’ll tell you Doug Stanhope is one of the top ten stand-ups in the world today. Stanhope’s confrontational stance comes from the rough, blistered underbelly of America ‘s trailer parks; he’s a feral, aggressive man full fuelled by primal urges to drink, fight and screw -­ and the corrosive material has all the venomous aggression you might expect from that background. But what underlines it, and makes it so untouchably good, is the passion and conviction with which he holds his intelligent beliefs, informed by sensibilities that might seem alien to such a no-nonsense, pig-headed persona.” – Chortle, UK

“Stanhope shocks you with the virulence of his lucidity; he shocks you into realising how transparent the confidence trick of western propaganda can be made to seem. What he has in abundance is the charm, don’t-give-a-damn swagger and aggressive intelligence that make for important, exciting comedy.” – Guardian, UK

“Some of the sharpest and most biting cultural commentary you’ll see in a comedy club.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Let me tell you something, friends. Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He’s also one of the most twisted individuals I’ve ever met, but that’s part of his charm. He’s one of those comics that doesn’t make shit up. He lives a mad, mad life and what he remembers he reports back to us. He’s been known to bare his soul, and other things, right there on the stage. If you’re easily offended, stay home this week. Watch Matlock or something. But if you like your comedy rough, raw, and rowdy, there’s no one better than Doug Stanhope. Have I made myself clear?” – The Austin Chronicle

“Sharp, off color, and howlingly funny” – The San Francisco Chronicle

“Stanhope breaks down the walls of decency. He uses profanity, but nothing he says is meant to shock. Everything he says is designed to make the audience laugh. Stanhope has worked his way to become one of the best comics around” – The Reno Gazette Journal

Get more infos about Doug at:
DougStanhope.com
MySpace.com/DougStanhope

THE MATTOID: An ever roving cast but one solid constant, the Mattoid (Ville Kiviniemi) hails from the cold morelle land of Finland. After traveling the countries of Western Europe, Mexico, Thailand, India, and Egypt the Mattoid decided to spread his message amongst his fine American friends. A few years back he resides amongst the Anti-folk presence ala NYC, has had stints in Reno, San Francisco and Phoenix. Now resides in Nashville, (Jiaaaaaa!) Tennessee. Who knows where next! GLORY HOLY THE EP IS NOW AVAILABLE!

MySpace.com/theMattoid

CHAD RIDEN: has been described as “a comedian, a family man, a computer dork and a smart-ass.” He has also been called “America’s Favorite Comedian Of All Time,” a “Legendary Old School Rapper,” a “Moronic, Lying Jackass,” and “The Hardest Working Man In No Business.”

As early as the age of 8, Chad would sneak out of bed to watch David Letterman, thinking “THAT’S what I want to do.” In college Riden majored in Broadcasting, as “Jackassery” was not an option. Amazingly, Chad graduated and began working in local radio and television.. but was fired from nearly every job for being a smart-ass. Eventually, he began to realize that he needed to find work where this kind of behavior was appreciated and decided to embrace poverty and pursue comedy. He currently tours the nation using his smart-ass super powers for good, not evil.

www.ChadRiden.com

Doug Stanhope, The Mattoid, Chad Riden
9pm, April 10th, 2009
Exit/In
2208 Elliston Place
Nashville, TN 37203
615-321-3340

$20 –
tickets are on sale now

(comment on this in the forum thread)

April 10, 2009 @ Exit/In

Doug has built a wide-ranging television resume of dubious achievement. He hosted The Man Show on Comedy Central as well as the ubiquitous psuedo-porn for the sexually crippled, “Girls Gone Wild “, both solely and shamelessly for financial gain. He has appeared on “The Howard Stern Show”, “Comedy Central Presents”, “Premium Blend”, NBC’s “Late Friday”, “Spy TV” BBC’s “Floor Show Live” while on ecstasy and wrote, produced and starred in Fox’s “Invasion of the Hidden Cameras” and has even popped up on “Fox News with Greta Van Sustern” and “The Jerry Springer Show”. But none of it compares to seeing him live.

A few reviews:
“Ask anyone whose opinion matters, and they’ll tell you Doug Stanhope is one of the top ten stand-ups in the world today. Stanhope’s confrontational stance comes from the rough, blistered underbelly of America ‘s trailer parks; he’s a feral, aggressive man full fuelled by primal urges to drink, fight and screw -­ and the corrosive material has all the venomous aggression you might expect from that background. But what underlines it, and makes it so untouchably good, is the passion and conviction with which he holds his intelligent beliefs, informed by sensibilities that might seem alien to such a no-nonsense, pig-headed persona.” – Chortle, UK
“Stanhope shocks you with the virulence of his lucidity; he shocks you into realising how transparent the confidence trick of western propaganda can be made to seem. What he has in abundance is the charm, don’t-give-a-damn swagger and aggressive intelligence that make for important, exciting comedy.” – Guardian, UK

“Some of the sharpest and most biting cultural commentary you’ll see in a comedy club.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Let me tell you something, friends. Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He’s also one of the most twisted individuals I’ve ever met, but that’s part of his charm. He’s one of those comics that doesn’t make shit up. He lives a mad, mad life and what he remembers he reports back to us. He’s been known to bare his soul, and other things, right there on the stage. If you’re easily offended, stay home this week. Watch Matlock or something. But if you like your comedy rough, raw, and rowdy, there’s no one better than Doug Stanhope. Have I made myself clear?” – The Austin Chronicle

“Sharp, off color, and howlingly funny” – The San Francisco Chronicle

“Stanhope breaks down the walls of decency. He uses profanity, but nothing he says is meant to shock. Everything he says is designed to make the audience laugh. Stanhope has worked his way to become one of the best comics around” – The Reno Gazette Journal

Get more infos about Doug at:
DougStanhope.com
MySpace.com/DougStanhope

THE MATTOID: An ever roving cast but one solid constant, the Mattoid (Ville Kiviniemi) hails from the cold morelle land of Finland. After traveling the countries of Western Europe, Mexico, Thailand, India, and Egypt the Mattoid decided to spread his message amongst his fine American friends. A few years back he resides amongst the Anti-folk presence ala NYC, has had stints in Reno, San Francisco and Phoenix. Now resides in Nashville, (Jiaaaaaa!) Tennessee. Who knows where next! GLORY HOLY THE EP IS NOW AVAILABLE!
MySpace.com/theMattoid

CHAD RIDEN: We’ve never heard of this “Chad Riden” fellow.

tickets are on sale now

(forum thread)