Last Comic Standing 2: Episode 10
What Happened To The "Comic" Part?
Recap By C.C. McCandless
July 28, 2004
In describing Hollywood, Last Comic Standing host Jay Mohr said "they say in this town you never get a second chance to make a first impression…they lied!" No, they didn't. Because each of the five comics participating in the wild card round already has made a lasting impression, and in most cases that impression does not include being funny. Unlike most reality shows, this one saw the least deserving players, for the most part, get the boot early on. But of the departed five, one will advance to the finals anyway. Mohr explained that viewers could vote via phone, text message, and internet. "If you're watching in Florida, make sure you listen to the instructions and vote correctly," he added. This joke was pretty much the high point of comedy for the evening. In other words, if you're reading this recap because you didn't catch the show, well…you didn't miss much.
Mohr then provided a brief rehash about the whittling of the field from 40 to 20 to the eventual ten that moved into the "almost palatial mansion." Was this summary really necessary? If people haven't watched so far, they sure aren't starting now. Anyway, then they basically cut to the chase. Each of the comedians delivered a four minute set, this time thankfully free of much butchering in the editing room. The final five sat watching in the front row, and with what they saw, they probably aren't worried about the wild card winner at all. Or at least they shouldn't be.
Corey Holcomb went first after describing how he was motivated by getting eliminated at the end. He returned with some new material covering the same ground-socio-economic stuff. He lamented about how his family was so poor that at Thanksgiving they had "turkey flavored toast." This, coupled with more lame relationship humor added up to a very weak set. He just wasn't funny. Bonnie McFarlane was next, sporting a new, bad "Helen Hunt in 'Mad About You'" haircut. And her stage presence was even worse. She embraced having "another chance to lose," and good for her, because that's all she's got. "Where my six percent at?" she asked the audience, referring to the slaughter that John Heffron laid on her earlier. Her numbers shouldn't go up much here, if at all.
Jay London followed. "Maybe I don't have to say anything," he said early on. I wish. Instead, he rambled on with his shticky act, getting an occasional laugh with lines such as "I'm thinking of joining a support group: welfare." I just hope he knows that people are laughing at him, not with him. The funniest piece of his set was a reaction shot in the crowd after he finished, as an on-screen graphic read "Jay's friends" while one lone guy stood clapping. Now that is comedy.
"Let's hear from Ant," said Jay Mohr. Let's not. Ant had to harp on strategy and reality show BS again, saying "after being eliminated, I got a great night's sleep," he said. So did I, thinking that I'd never have to see him again. Ant, once and for all: get off of my TV. Seriously. The night's last comic was Todd Glass, and he remarked on his painful (and unjust) loss to Tammy. "Am I being punk'd?" he thought at the time. The only thing that hurt him tonight was going last, as most of the audience was probably in a catatonic state at that point after suffering through four horrifically unfunny sets. Todd's first line was better than anything else before him, as he told the audience "call in your votes now, that's all I need to do, thanks a lot folks, good night!" And he didn't need to be joking. His set wasn't great, but it should be enough for him to win. He at least has the potential to be funny, and probably won't cause me physical pain by doing one more set or two. The same cannot be said for the rest of the wild card hopefuls. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go log on to www.votenbc.com and cast three votes for Todd.
C.C. McCandless is an independent filmmaker and freelance writer. He has a Bachelor’s degree in broadcasting from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
You can contact C.C. here: ccmcc33@msn.com
