Tonight's show, plus Coxen and Johnson at the Brattle

Well, tonight's show was really good. An old friend of mine from high school showed up with her husband and surprised me, which was great. Every time I see Tara I feel young, primarily because she is a couple of months older than me and looks at least 6 or 7 years younger than she actually is. As long as I avoid mirrors, I convince myself for a few minutes that I am younger than she looks.

I know, it gets a bit complicated.

It was nice to be back in the ol' Comedy Studio in Harvard Square tonight. The road gigs last week went so much better than I expected, and it was a definite blast riding down with Tim McIntire, the only down note was my brief reflection at how much it blows that a guy as talented as he is has to ride with me to Manchester, Connecticut to play a VFW after kicking ass on stage for fifteen years. Tim was hosting tonight's show and releasing his new CD "Scatter Brain", which boasts some really cool artwork on the front (done by Renata, coincidentally)

A bunch of my favorites were on the show tonight, as well as some Iranian chick from New York that totally rocked. Most importantly, she was hilarious and smart, but she was so personal and unique that I just wanted to hear her talk about anything she wanted for another half hour.

The Comedy Studio format is like a buffet of delicious appetizers that leave you wanting more (on a good night). And of all the stuff on the table Negin Farsad (I pray I am spelling that correctly) was the most enticing for me.

Don't get me wrong, there was a terrific mix tonight, and I'm sure some part of the reason she knocked my socks off was that I hadn't seen her before. Everyone was great. Some new kid showed a lot of improvement since the last time I saw him, especially with stage presence. It kind of irritates me when people take stage time for granted, or comedy fr that matter, and just mail it in, doing the same crap and not really working on it, so I love to see a young person really put their ass into it and do something with the talent they have.

The Walsh Brothers were being recorded for Chronicle, and actually trotted out something that happened today. These guys just amaze me. They are being taped for a (expletive deleted) TV show, and they're trying new stuff out. Who does that???

More good news was that Coxen and Johnson, a terrific local sketch and stand up team, have a show to benefot the Brattle Theater, AT the Brattle, April 14 & 15, with a bunch of great special guests.

Coxen is on at the Studio tonight and tomorrow night (April 1) doing his own act, but these guys are terrific together. Sean Sullivan, a brilliantly calculated wack-job is in a bunch of stuff, too. I could be wrong, but I think Sullivan was in the Herald today for some comedy-ralated stuff.

If you get a chance, please check this show, and these guys out. Coxen does a myriad of character, one more absurd than the next. Tonight he did fitness guru "Ripps McCoxen"... genius.

He and Johnson will be trotting out all our favorites, I'm sure, and I believe the Walsh Brothers will be making an appearance as well on of the nights. I am 50/50 to be available to hit the show on the 14th, I have a gig of my own in Portland, Maine on the 15th. There is a tentative date for cards at my sister's house on the 14th, but we ARE awaiting confirmation. Coxen and Johnson have had like 3 or 4 big shows and I have had a gig on every one of them, which is good, I'm not complaining, but kinda stinks, too.

Well, it was nice to be on the show tonight with so many great comics. Renata Tutko, this newer chick, always cracks me up. There is a subtle genius in each of her jokes that is actually funnier after you've had ten seconds to think about what the hell she just said.