The Secret Stand Up of Alex Mac

For as long as I've been going to the Boston Comedy Festival, there has always been Lewis Black. In 2005, Black (along with a separate show by Denis Leary) hosted "Lewis Black and Friends". The show featured, in addition to Black, locals like Kenny Rogerson. My memory is notoriously bad but I distinctly recall that the night was superbly enjoyable. As a long time fan of Black's and the Boston comedy scene, I was enthralled. Not only was I seeing a major comedian who I enjoyed but I was also seeing some of the people who made Boston so notable during the 80's Boom. After that, I recall Black's role being a bit less noticeable. The next year, he was one of the host of the final rounds of the comedy competition. The next, a judge himself. Hearing his laugh come from the balcony was the comedy equivalent of hearing Waldof and Statler crowing from the balcony on the Muppet Show. It only served to heighten the mood.

I've seen Lewis perform at multiple venues since then and have always been thoroughly entertained. I sometimes think that Black gets a hard rap from those who consider themselves comedy purist. Often he is boiled down to a caricature: a loud mouthed comedian whose only gimmick and selling point is his loud mouth. Even Jimmy Pardo, one of my favorites and the quintessential comic's comic, has decried those who enjoyed Black and his "political humor." However, I feel that dismissal sells Black short. Black is more insightful than given credit and his stage persona does this introspection a disservice. His books, Nothing's Sacred and Me of Little Faith, give a more complete view of how his life affected his comedy and perspective.

I had originally wanted to cover the festival competition but venue changes prevented that. I'm only 20 and while I might be able to get into the clubs to do shows, getting in as a spectator is a bit trickier. With few options, I decided to see Black once again. Honestly, I was a little burned out on seeing him but I knew that I would still have a mostly enjoyable night.

Black performed at the Wang Theater, a space often reserved for touring shows like the Lion King or Les Miserables. Situated next to the Wilbur Theater (the now home of the Comedy Connection), it is a place you are more likely to be attacked by spooks than anything else. Maybe it is just me but I've never liked the atmosphere of a big theater compared to a club setting. Most would probably agree with me. Climbing up to the highest part of the balcony, I was treated with a nosebleed and vertigo. So far, so good.

Black's opening act is, and has been for years, John Bowman. Bowman, in contrast to the times that I have seen him, was a whirling dervish of inconsistency. His start was exceedingly slow, full of half thoughts and incomplete bits. Vague thoughts about product placement and televisions control over our lives felt more like someone trying too hard to channel the spirit of Hicks and other social artbiters. Bowman picked up when he moved into less pointed material including a long riff about KFC/Taco Bell. Closing off with a bizarre commentary on the Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney song "The Girl is Mine", Bowman used the recent death of Senator Ted Kennedy to build up to the bit, musing about how many when many people die, the good they do is remember and not the bad. You could cut the tension in the air with a sword before Bowman revealed that he was talking about Jackson. After all, Kennedy's funeral had taken place in Boston that day. It was a nice example of how tension before a punchline can really accomplish a whole lot. Overall, Bowman had a few moments of comedic clarity but gave what was, at best, an average showing.

A 15 minute intermission and it is Black's turn. Immediately, he is off to an interesting start when a heckler begins to dispute his claim on the fact that the economy has gone down 20 percent. The heckler, who I will refer to now on as Skippy, claims that it is closer to 40. Black proceeds to verbally castrate Skippy who cannot understand that he may be incorrect. Black wonderfully explains that "he is the one making up the numbers tonight!" Skippy, I can only assume, hung himself later that evening.

Black doesn't start with much more politicizing than to playfully suggest that if the economy is 20 percent down, the audience's expectations should be down that much as well. Instead, he launches into an amazingly funny story about having to do comedy after Vince Gil performed with his wife Amy Grant (who was so pure that she was "made out of cream"). Black is a better story teller than anything else and paints a great picture of how Gill's music made him feel like he was "in a bath tub with the perfect temperature" and how having to follow that as a "jaded, fuckin' Jew" was one of the worst decisions a booker has ever made. The story was great and really cemented the idea that Black is at his best when relaying personal anecdotes.

What followed was mostly political but in a more direct way than I've ever seen Black address things. Talking about legalizing pot, Black was less of a commentator and more of a pusher of an agenda. You got the sense that Black felt that he was getting older and had less patience than ever. It was oddly refreshing to see him be even more vicious than ever. His material had an edge that he had lacked, especially in recent album Anticipation, which was a halfhearted effort at best. This time, Black was so indignant, so cutting that it was like watching the last fight of a great boxer. The topics shifted to healthcare and a honest appraisal of Ted Kennedy's role in the debate which really hit home in Boston on the day of his funeral. You could feel the audience's reverence for the Senator as Black discussed how healthcare and the debate for it would now suffer with his loss.

It might have seemed like standard Black affair if not for these things, his genuine anger and ability to use recent developments to shape his arguments. Black has clearly overcome his previous slump and used his age to add a sense of urgency to his voice. Suddenly, it seemed a lot more personal. And that made it a lot more funny.

Overall, the night was great, even with a few low points. Black had generate a lot more new material, his whole act was new. His tone had shifted ever so slightly and he laid to rest any doubts in my mind that he was beating a dead stick with a horse.