Thursday, June 30, 2011

Local Comedy Review: Dark Times with Jay Maus at Granada / City Commission Update / Jammin For Joplin on Saturday

Larryville has two new late-night comedy talk shows. There's the "Not So Late Show" on Channel 6 (Chip: "I haven't seen it because it airs opposite Leno.") and there's "Dark Times With Jay Maus" at the Granada, whose events are being recorded for a future internet program (site currently under construction).

We stopped by Dark Times last night to gauge what's funny on the local scene. The answer: quite a lot of dick and rape jokes.

We arrived during Julio Ugly's set, the centerpiece of which was a long story about the time he had "swamp gas" on a plane after drinking something called Reindeer Beer.

Chip: "I think we could all relate."

Next up was a serious discussion with local hip-hop artist Approach, who seemed like a gentleman and a scholar, sandwiched between Larryville's comic vulgarians. Approach's next "Chocolate Brown Thunder" night is this Friday at the Granada and he'll also be a part of "Jammin For Joplin" on Saturday (details below).

And just prior to the intermission was an energetic performance from host Jay Maus's alter-ego, an evangelistic preacher-type who exhorted the audience to worship Loki and explained how Loki often climbs in through windows and 'gets to rapin'. It wasn't always funny, but it was performed (at length) with a conviction that was sort of admirable.

The cost for these shenanigans? A single dollar bill, which gains you a neat complimentary fan containing info on the night's performers and sponsors.

Chip: "I'm not embarrassed to admit that I fanned myself like an old lady in church. It was kind of stuffy in there."

Dark Times is scheduled every two weeks throughout the summer. Check it out.

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We like to check in with the good work of the City Fathers on occasion and the following story caught our eye yesterday.

Bullwinkle's is on the verge of obtaining a permit that allows them to transition from "a cereal malt beverage establishment that must close at midnight to a regular full-service drinking establishment that could stay open until 2 a.m" (LJ-World). The city fathers, however, requested that the owners find a way to discourage patrons from congregating too much outside the establishment. The solution:

"Staff members said they likely would put together a plan that would replace grass on the site with thorny bushes... that would make it difficult to stand in the area" (LJ-World).

Chip: "Nice. I wish someone would plant thorny bushes outside the Replay to eliminate the 2:00 am hipster 'sidewalk-sale.'"

Richard: "I kind of love the idea of drunken frat boys stumbling outside into a patch of thorn bushes."

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Occasionally the insular cultural world of Larryville decides to look beyond its borders and do something nice for our neighbors. One such occasion is this Saturday at the Bottleneck. Our Twitter-buddy @Ms_Frye has put together an event called Jammin for Joplin with all proceeds of the $7 dollar cover going to the United Way to help Joplin residents.

The event promises to be an interesting collision between Larryville's scenester worlds (the MC is none other than J-BARRR and Approach will rock the late-evening dance party) and the not-so-scenester worlds (the evening kicks off with the defiantly unhip antics of Sellout). There will also be auctions for such prized local items as KU men's basketball tickets.

Chip: "I wish they had thought to include a spend-the-evening-with-a-player auction. I'd love to go out brawling with T-Rob and Taylor!"

There's a flyer in our sidebar and here is a link to L.com's story about the event (they took a break in their recipes to write a nice piece!) and to the Facebook event page:

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