Neil Hamburger “Looking for Laughs”

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Arrived late to a sparse crowd as Tom Green was just starting. Apparently there was a communication snafu between promoters and Tom because while he was billed on the website as TOM GREEN, he kept referring to himself as MC BONES. Maybe he thought the pseudonym would keep out the droves of fanboys from his MTV days. It’s kind of sad because apparently he didn’t need the pseudonym’s help–the room wasn’t even half full. But what his absent fans missed out on was their loss. His set was remarkably tolerable, fun even. Tom did a handful of minimal self-composed hip-hop tracks (some with vocals, some instrumental), all through a keyboard and sequencer that he manned the entire night. After Tom was Paul F. Tompkins. Paul has serious Mr. Show cred and a Comedy Central special, but he spent his entire set talking about his bit part in There Will Be Blood. Appropriate, I guess, since it was Oscar night; but who gives a shit? Then Neil went on stage, house music still blaring. He started his set by demanding someone shut off the “garbage music” on the PA system. He threw drinks at audience members regularly, shattering glasses into tiny shards. Topics discussed included: Domino’s Pizza, Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger, Elton John, and disgraced vocalist Britney Spears. For example: Why did God create Domino’s Pizza? As punishment for humanity’s complacency in letting the holocaust happen!

– Harry Kellerman