Tom Haverford
Stardom and popularity are interesting things for a performer. It seems to be a bit like a hitting streak. When you're hot, you can do no wrong. But staying on that streak is impossible. At some point it will end. If you're really lucky, you can keep it going for quite a while, make the money, and continue to evolve (your swing, your act, your jokes, your songs, whatever). But without a lot more hard work than talent, staying on the crest gets increasingly difficult.
Tonight we had Aziz Ansari for two shows back-to-back at the Paramount. I caught a few minutes of the early show then went in for the second show after we closed the box office. Both shows were completely sold out. That means almost 6000 people paid to go see him stand on stage, telling jokes. In one night. Ansari is riding a very, very strong wave of popularity right now and it will be interesting to see how long he can keep it up.
His schtick plays well to a Seattle audience. He's not white, for one (despite Seattle being the 5th whitest large city in America). Data aside, Seattle thinks of itself as a multicultural, cosmopolitan place. And we do have a lot of all types of Asians. He's also more than a little nerdy and unintimidating. Besides that, the character that has made him a household name is undeniably ambitious, as is Ansari himself, with his stand-up tour, Comedy Central specials, and recent American Express marketing blitz. He wants to succeed in a big way.
After watching him live last night, I will be surprised if he can continue to evolve and stay on top. While he comes across as very likeable and certainly has a good sense of humor, he didn't seem funny enough for me to imagine seeing him 5 or 10 years from now on stage. I'm reminded, first, of Joan Rivers's guest appearance on Louis where she absolutely lambastes Louis CK for making stupid decisions and complaining. Then I think of seeing her live and how incredibly funny she was. And finally I think of the documentary of how she got to where she is and what she has to do to stay there. Does Ansari have that sort of staying power? Does he connect with a broad enough base of people? Or is he like a rap star, trying to hit it big, fast, and make that money? I guess time will tell.
I liked him. I enjoyed myself. I don't want to sound like I didn't, but let me list other stand up comedians I've seen live who have made me laugh harder and longer. The best: Russell Peters. That guys is peerless and an absolute virtuoso. Joan Rivers, Kevin Hart, Jo Koy, Sarah Silverman, Mike Birbiglia, Demetri Martin, Kyle Cease. I think Demetri Martin has played out his material and doesn't have much more staying power. Mike Birbiglia is more of a wit or yarn stringer than a joke teller, a la David Sedaris (also one of the funniest live "performances" I've seen) or Mark Twain. And I've seen a lot people less funny than Ansari. I hope he continues to succeed if for no other reason than he doesn't look anything like most other comics, and that's always a good thing.
Tonight we had Aziz Ansari for two shows back-to-back at the Paramount. I caught a few minutes of the early show then went in for the second show after we closed the box office. Both shows were completely sold out. That means almost 6000 people paid to go see him stand on stage, telling jokes. In one night. Ansari is riding a very, very strong wave of popularity right now and it will be interesting to see how long he can keep it up.
His schtick plays well to a Seattle audience. He's not white, for one (despite Seattle being the 5th whitest large city in America). Data aside, Seattle thinks of itself as a multicultural, cosmopolitan place. And we do have a lot of all types of Asians. He's also more than a little nerdy and unintimidating. Besides that, the character that has made him a household name is undeniably ambitious, as is Ansari himself, with his stand-up tour, Comedy Central specials, and recent American Express marketing blitz. He wants to succeed in a big way.
After watching him live last night, I will be surprised if he can continue to evolve and stay on top. While he comes across as very likeable and certainly has a good sense of humor, he didn't seem funny enough for me to imagine seeing him 5 or 10 years from now on stage. I'm reminded, first, of Joan Rivers's guest appearance on Louis where she absolutely lambastes Louis CK for making stupid decisions and complaining. Then I think of seeing her live and how incredibly funny she was. And finally I think of the documentary of how she got to where she is and what she has to do to stay there. Does Ansari have that sort of staying power? Does he connect with a broad enough base of people? Or is he like a rap star, trying to hit it big, fast, and make that money? I guess time will tell.
I liked him. I enjoyed myself. I don't want to sound like I didn't, but let me list other stand up comedians I've seen live who have made me laugh harder and longer. The best: Russell Peters. That guys is peerless and an absolute virtuoso. Joan Rivers, Kevin Hart, Jo Koy, Sarah Silverman, Mike Birbiglia, Demetri Martin, Kyle Cease. I think Demetri Martin has played out his material and doesn't have much more staying power. Mike Birbiglia is more of a wit or yarn stringer than a joke teller, a la David Sedaris (also one of the funniest live "performances" I've seen) or Mark Twain. And I've seen a lot people less funny than Ansari. I hope he continues to succeed if for no other reason than he doesn't look anything like most other comics, and that's always a good thing.