He's much taller in person.

On Friday, Jen and I went to Davenport, Iowa to attend the standup comedy extravaganza that is the "Bob and Tom Comedy All-Stars Tour". The shows usually feature five or six comedians and are hosted by one the on-air personalities from the Bob and Tom Show.

Friday night's show featured Patty Vasquez, Scott Dunn, Greg Warren, Donnie Baker, Bob Zany, Tim Wilson, and was hosted by media darling Chick Mcgee. Every comic was funny, some more so than others, but for me, it was Chick who made the whole show.

Chick has long been my favorite member of the radio show, so I was eagerly anticipating seeing him on stage. Even though he had to deal with a somewhat unruly crowd, Chick held himself together (as well as one could expect from the Chickster) and delivered some hilarious moments throughout the evening.

After the show all the performers were selling their merchandise in the lobby of the theatre. Jen and I made our way over to one of the tables and I was finally able to meet one of my heroes.



Although, anybody who listens to the show knows that "hero" might be too strong a word.

R.I.P George, a week too late.

George Carlin was a comedy legend. Never afraid to state his mind, Carlin brought "taboo" topics to the forefront. Comedian, social commentator, brutal pontificator, and decent guy, George Carlin will be missed by many people for many reasons. I can't explain the impact he had on the shaping of my sense of humor, my outlook on life, but I do know that the world is a little less funny with his passing.

BTW, here's a great article that Kevin Smith wrote for Newsweek concerning Carlin's passing.

Well that's a little p'awkward...

A funny thing happened on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. On both days, this blog had unusually high numbers of visitors. Don't get me wrong, I was excited to see that so many people were stopping by, but really, 180+ hits on Tuesday? Slightly less than that on Wednesday? Freaky.

Then I started noticing what these folks were checking out. They were traveling directly to my "review" of the latest Steven Wright album. At the end of that post, I tagged a line about Mike Birbiglia being "thin and hilarious" (this in reference to someone calling him pudgy and awkward), and it was this mention of Birbigs that brought people by this blog.

That's cool and everything, but to make things even better, I discovered today that Mike linked to my blog in his latest "Secret Public Journal". "Swanny, you're full of crap," you say? Fine don't believe me. Check it out here, I'll wait. Are you back? Did you see it? It was the link tied to "pudgy and awkward". Pretty cool, huh?

This whole thing has made me realize that even though most people don't care about what I have to say, they'll still find their way to this blog if I mention (semi-)famous people in all my posts.

"Pot Pie is like soup with a lid." - jimmy pardo, comedian

So, Saturday got a little crazy.

It was a gorgeous day (check local listings), so Peanut, Jen, and I were able to play out in the sunshine most of the day. It was perfect for planting, cleaning up some landscaping, and playing on the swingset.

As it turns out, the night was pretty perfect as well. Jen and I had tickets to "Zanies", a comedy club in St. Charles, that I had purchased because my favorite comedian, Jimmy Pardo, was headlining last night.

On the way to St. Charles, I got pulled over by a cop for going "slightly" faster than the posted speed limit. I won't say how fast I was going, but I definitly should've gotten a ticket. I deserved one; did not get one. Jen's still trying to scrape her jaw off the floor from that one.

Back on the road, I "obeyed" the speed limits for the duration of our trip. After what can only be described as a "good meal with mediocre service" Jen and I found our way to the comedy club.

First off, if you don't know who Jimmy Pardo is, I don't want you as a reader anymore. Okay, that's extreme. Keep reading but then go to Jimmy's website, or Bob and Tom's website, and check him out. Better yet, search for "Never Not Funny" (Pardo's podcast, or Pardcast as it's sometimes known) on iTunes. There you can download for free the first 20 minutes of each week's show. Best of all, you can check out out how to get the full-length shows for download here.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. As I said at the top, I'm a big Jimmy Pardo fan, so last night's show was something I've been looking forward to for a while.

His jokes are fast and hilarious. As Jimmy himself says, in an hour long set, he has 10 minutes of jokes and 50 minutes of crowd work. There's lots of interaction for the folks sitting in the front row, and how much (fake) disrespect you're given, depends on how you respond to what he's saying. By the way, did I mention we were sitting right near the front?

Two thirds of the way through his act, Pardo started moving away from the people he'd been calling on from the start. I'd been secretly hoping he'd single me out at some point (I have an album of his, so I knew what to expect), but also nervous that he'd make me look ridiculous. Thankfully, I was right on both counts. I can't even explain everything he touched on, because I could never do it justice, but he had Jen and I in stitches.

That was the best part, too. I knew that I liked Jimmy Pardo's style of humor, but I wasn't sure if Jen would think he's as funny as I do. I was thrilled by the fact that everytime I turned to look at her, she'd had tears streaming down her face, holding here belly like we might launch into early labor. Naturally, I mean because she was laughing so hard.

Then, topping it all off, after the show, Jimmy was kind enough to sign my copy of his album "Pompous Clown" and even chatted at length with Jen and I about Peanut and the little one on the way.

If you're looking for some good laughs, check out Jimmy Pardo however and wherever you can.

(caution: contains adult language)

He's baaaack...

1985. I was eight or nine years old, probably hanging out at Jeff's house, listening to a tape by a comedian I'd never heard before. His completely dry delivery and one-liners that run on momentum, but don't necessarily tie together, had us rolling on the floor. We didn't always get the jokes, but it became quote fodder for years. We were lucky enough to get to see him in concert while we were in high school. I listened to the tape over and over, switching to the CD when my copies of the tape wore out. As I've gotten older, it's gotten better.

The comedian? Steven Wright. The album? "I Have a Pony".

Despite various stand-up specials, movies, and DVD's, "I Have a Pony" has been the only album that Wright has put out. Now, 22 years later, I've listened to and enjoyed, "I Still Have a Pony".


Filled with more of Wright's classic delivery style, this album is a must-have for his fans. As I listened to it for the first time today, I was wiring new lights into the basement ceiling, but I was transported back to Jeff's basement in 1985. It's been like getting back in touch with an old friend. Pick up this CD, or download it. It's good, clean fun.

I mean, any album that makes you laugh so hard you drop a hammer on your foot, has to be good, right?

Has anybody had experiences like this? "Rediscovering" something that you didn't even know you were missing? Something that's still great, even after all these years?

p.s. Mike Birbiglia is thin and hilarious. Bob and Tom listeners will know what I'm talking about.