RECOMMENDED

Sporting a giant, nasty afro and a t-shirt that says “Less Humans More Robots,” an audience member could suspect that 2006 Andy Kaufman award-winner Reggie Watts is about to push the limits of avant-garde comedy—in reality, he’s probably about to push the limits of his vocal chords. While primarily considered more of a “performer” than a “stand-up comedian,” Watts does delve into a bit of dialogue and absurdist punch lines; one story, about pushing his grandfather off a balcony and to his death, ends with Watts saying his grandfather, “didn’t make a sound, which showed his commitment to silence.” But Watts’ best attribute is one killer set of pipes, boasting a vocal range of ten octaves (we’ll assume some hyperbole involved) and the ability to imitate a whole slew of instruments and sound effects, making him like a more likable version of that “Larvell ‘Motor Mouth’ Jones” character from “Police Academy.” Many of Watts’ jams—often performed live through layering loops of his vocal beatboxes and basslines—fall comfortably in the “just really damn impressive” category, even with little or no actual jokes involved. But when the comedy does come paired with Watts’ bewilderingly high musical talent, it’s just that more effective. Watch his CollegeHumor.com video “What About Blowjobs?” to see the most impressive performance of the lyrics “Cradle the balls!” ever conceived. (Andy Seifert)

January 9 at Lakeshore Theater. 3175 N. Broadway, (773)472-3492

RECOMMENDED

You better believe if there’s something wrong in the fabric of society, Chicago’s own Dwayne Kennedy is gonna try to wrap his head around the problem. His brand of social observational comedy refuses to shy away from any controversial topics of interest—9/11 (which he says cramped his theory that “the white man is the devil”), racism and slaves are all free to be comedically bandied about. What’s just as appealing about Kennedy’s routine is that after the tension is released and the laughter subsides, some thoughtful and serious commentary exists. For instance, Kennedy insists that all races will remain edgy with one another unless some sort of dialogue occurs and we start asking questions of one another. “You could say like, ‘Hey white man, how come you’re so tense and afraid?’ Kennedy says. “’And then he could say, ‘Hey black man, how’d you get into my apartment?’ Then the healing begins.” (Andy Seifert)

January 13-14, 16-18 at Zanies, 1548 N. Wells, (312)337-4027.

RECOMMENDED

A sure sign of a comedian who’s not all that self-centered or too neurotic: the ones that can make fun of themselves just as mercilessly as they would a celebrity. L.A.-based comedian Mike Bridenstine, who’s done a fine job poking fun at Pamela Anderson and Eminem (through his semi-internet meme “Every Eminem Song Ever,” which mostly only features the words “8 Mile,” “Detroit,” “Haley,” and “Mom”) has also found a plethora of ways to tie a variety of subjects to his somewhat pathetic state of existence, like gaining excess weight, being a Cubs fan and even Terrell Owens’ rumored attempted suicide. “The cool part about it, his publicist went on and said, ‘There’s no way T.O. tried to kill himself. T.O. has twenty-five million reasons not to commit suicide,’” he says. “I’m watching like, ‘That’s awesome. I was just at the bank; I clearly have sixty-eight reasons not to commit suicide.’”

January 2 at Lincoln Lodge, 4008 North Lincoln, (773)248-1820

RECOMMENDED

The first thing you will notice about Kevin Hart is that he’s comically short and knows it. His upcoming album uses its title, “I’m a Grown Little Man,” to get the amusement from his five-foot, four-inch height out of the way so that he can use the rest of the time ripping through other, non-short people jokes (though he does say he yearns to have a son he can name “Lil’ Kev,” just so people will call him “Big Kev”). Animated, fiery and oftentimes hilariously argumentative in a harmless sort of way, Hart’s always moving, screaming, shrieking and convulsing if it means a laugh. Theatrics, though, aren’t the meat of his act. Hart’s mostly a substance-first, style-second kind of a comic, even if the substance is about things like fat-ass toddlers. “I saw this lady like three weeks ago; this lady had one of the fattest asses I’ve ever seen in my life,” he says. “She was like three or four years old. … I ain’t never seen a Pamper like that. Huggies don’t make those.”

December 30 at Zanies, 1548 North Wells, (312) 337-4027.

RECOMMENDED

You probably have never heard of South Side comedian Robert Hines, but perhaps you’re one of the 800,000 views to his alter-ego’s You Tube video, “Jones Big Ass Truck Rental and Storage,” the newest internet meme created by Hines and local sketch group Big Dog Eat Child. Local entrepreneur Toby Jones will store anything – rusty bicycles, antique silverware, buses, weed, you name it—in an abandoned warehouse for the low, low price of $10.99 a month! “Now friends, you may ask yourself, ‘how in the hell can he store this stuff for such a cheap price?’” Toby asks. “The fact of the matter is I’m pretty drunk right now.” While Jones may be one of the year’s best internet characters, it’s thankfully not the only part of Hines’ act. Potential targets of Hines’ chuckle-worthy observational humor: Flying as an overweight individual, the way African-Americans spruce up the National Anthem, and, best of all, his love of “boobies.”

December 31 at Lakeshore Theater, 3175 N. Broadway, (773)472-3492

Shelly Gossman, Michael Patrick O'Brien (Photo by Knuth)

The short version of this review: If you’re planning to see one show at Second City, bypass the mainstage.

In fact the two shows currently running at Second City—“America: All Better” on the mainstage and “Brother, Can You Spare Some Change?” on the e.t.c. stage (see my review here)—are a case study in comedy formatics. In other words, the format of each show is the same but the results lie on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Break down most sketch comedy at Second City and what you’ll find is an initial premise repeated over and over. The joke is not really advanced or deconstructed or developed. The trick is to keep the audience engaged anyway, and the folks over at e.t.c. do this with considerable ease. It takes inspired ideas to make such a gambit work.

Alas, the same cannot be said of the 96^th revue on the mainstage. Hell, just look at the title—call your show “America: All Better!” and you’re just advertising a lack of wit and better instincts.

Three new cast members join the ensemble, with Lauren Ash as the standout. She brings to mind the loud sarcastic girl at the pep rally, and she’s a natural fit here. Tellingly, she doesn’t have to fight (i.e. resort to overblown performances) to be noticed. (Veteran Emily Wilson, on the other hand, does an awful lot of screaming with very little payoff.) In a sketch where Ash could easily be the harpy—complaining about her boyfriend’s emotional reticence—she is funny, but she also taps into something authentic: frustration and hurt.

Anthony LeBlanc (also new) needs to create more of a defined presence for himself, though his song about interracial love (sung to a white women in the front row) contains priceless, tasteless lyrics, including: “I want to plow your snow.”  Clever raunch is a delicate thing, and LeBlanc has a knack for it.

Michael Patrick O’Brien is new to the mainstage, as well. Over the summer I went nuts for his Andy Kaufmanesque solo show called “Shatter” (when he was billed merely as “Pat O’Brien”). His strength as a performer is that you’re never sure if he’s fucking with you—this comes to the fore just once in the show, when his “love life” takes center stage.

It’s a good bit, and I wish there were more of them. The best sketch features Shelly Gossman as a Russian gymnast performing a balance beam routine on the rail separating the front of the house from the back. Stepping over drinks (and imbibing them at various points), she is accompanied by her effusively bearded coach (a very funny Brad Morris) and color commentary provided by O’Brien and Joe Canale. It’s the one bit that feels absolutely right. It’s a surprise and it manages to be both lightly transgressive (I’ve never seen any Second City cast member venture this deep into audience territory) and strangely hilarious.

Ultimately, though, there is something missing in the creative drive. (Matt Hovde is the show’s director). If “Impress These Apes” has shown us anything, it’s that funny people—given the right motivation and freedom to play—will generate unique and indelible material. Second City can’t accommodate the freeform structure of “Apes” (nor should it) but I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere. Second City has always had impeccable taste when it comes to hiring talent, but shows like this suggest there has to be a better way to take advantage of what these folks have to offer.

“America: All Better” certainly has enough good actors in it—I’ve come to really appreciate what Brad Morris is doing as a performer—and it’s not quite a colossal failure. Then again, it is so mediocre as to be insignificant. (Nina Metz)

At Second City Mainstage Theatre, 1616 N. Wells St., 312-337-3992 or www.secondcity.com. Tues-Thur 8p, Fri-Sat 8p & 11p, Sun 7p. $20-$25. Open run.

RECOMMENDED

Interning at the “Late Show with David Letterman” must constitute a pretty memorable three months in and of itself, but Chicago-based stand-up comedian and current “Late Show” monologue writer Kevin McCaffrey was able to one-up most temps by being blasted with a fire extinguisher by Letterman himself, which should perhaps become a rite of passage for aspiring comics. McCaffrey’s set will go beyond monologue one-liners, but expect the same sort of laid-back persona from a late-night talk-show host. McCaffrey doesn’t expend energy on creating some crazy alter-ego, his comedy relies on pure substance, telling stories about find himself in ridiculous situations (like getting stabbed in the neck with a pencil by a mentally challenged kid) or teasing his Catholic background. “You might remember the Pope made some comments tying the Muslim world to violence,” he quips. “How did the Muslim world respond? Mostly by burning shit, so at least now you can definitely tie the Muslim world to irony.” What’s more, a quick YouTube search of McCaffrey reveals a number of videos that, for some reason, virtually no one watches, including his wholly-underrated character “Emo Republican,” whose record consists of authoring a bill that includes a tax cut on eyeliner, booking My Chemical Romance to play an anti-abortion rally, and writing haikus against gay marriage. (Andy Seifert)

December 18-20 at Zanies in Vernon Hills, 230 Hawthorn Village Commons, (847)549-6030

RECOMMENDED

“You guys like bangs humor?” Cameron Esposito asks her audience in the midst of ripping off joke after joke about the joys of her new bangs-centered hairstyle and bangs-centered lifestyle. It’s a bit of a microcosm of Esposito’s entire act, which seems to accomplish two things: fool around with the seemingly trivial tidbits of life (like bangs, or singing the “Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers” theme song in the shower); and use little, chuckle-worthy punch lines to build up to one killer joke that ought to bring the house down (In this case, the openly gay comedian recalls when someone asked what consisted of her workout regiment: “I said, ‘nothing really,’ and then I thought about it. ‘Oh yeah, it’s banging chicks.’”). While it’s not her entire routine, her sexual orientation (and how she’s amused with people’s reaction to it) does come up through her set. “‘I just want you to protect yourself so you don’t get AIDS’” her dad once told her. “Which is super relevant to me as a gay man living in 1985.” (Andy Seifert)

December 18-19 at Lincoln Lodge. 4008 N. Lincoln, (773)248-1820.

RECOMMENDED

One of the novelties of being in a gay comedy rock band is that it immediately makes you one of the founders of gay comedy rock, so it would be apt to call New York City stand-up comedian Ben Lerman (of the now-defunct gay-rockin’ The Isotoners) the “Paul McCartney of homosexual comedy rock.” Three years removed from the Isotoners stint, Lerman’s stand-up routines are ukulele and absurdist-driven, having penned several goofy little folk songs about being attracted to Anderson Cooper (to the tune of Elvis Costello’s “Alison”), wanting an Asian baby for Christmas, and the sexual female encounters that led him to homosexuality (an Ace of Base parody called “(I Saw) Vagine”). At best, he can twist irony and satire around a melodic punch line, and at worst, he’s sort of a cooler, more homosexual-centered version of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Listen to his last record “Ukulear Winter” on his Web site for free to get a better idea of what you’re in for. (Andy Seifert)

December 18-19 at Lincoln Lodge, 4008 N. Lincoln, (773)248-1820.

Tom Flanigan, Laura Grey, Amanda Blake Davis, Christina Anthony, Timothy Edward Mason (photo by Bob Knuth)

RECOMMENDED

We’re all breathing different air these days, what with a disastrous economy and all hopes pinned on a shiny new president who seems awfully close to perfect. The cast of Second City e.t.c.’s thirty-seceond revue is clobbering these sentiments for all they’re worth.

Something about the show’s vibe, though, feels especially fresh and full of momentum. You won’t find one “Hey, Grandma” bit, no cocktail party or barbecue sketches, no dad uncomfortably talking about the facts of life with his kids. Not everything here centers on current events (and a couple sketches miss their mark), but I’d say ninety percent of the material has an original spin to it—either due to its construction or the performances themselves. An image of Cloud Gate makes up the set design—the cast is literally performing on top of the Bean, and the height suits them.

“Brother, Can you Spare Some Change” (directed by Bruce Pirrie) features one new cast member, Christina Anthony, and she is a major talent. It can take newbies a few months to figure out how to be themselves within the parameters of a Second City show—everything is polished and lively and very mainstream—but Anthony is confident right from the start and she is probably the most exciting addition to the e.t.c. stage since the arrival of Keegan-Michael Key so many years back.

She sings a song about bad luck in love, backed up by cast members Amada Blake Davis, amusingly pert and neurotic, and Laura Grey, an imp with huge eyes and an energy that stands out from the pack. But watch as Anthony slinks into the crowd and attempts to pick up an audience member, her seduction red hot and hilarious.

Timothy Edward Mason—who joined the cast last year and was somewhat muted—displays more of his specific comedic personality. The guy has the biggest smile on that stage, and he and Anthony have real chemistry in their scenes together. Mason has a twisted side, seen in full effect as he devolves into a sputtering weirdo, ending the scene with his hand down his pants—looking startled at his bizarre behavior but unable to stop it. Later, Mason turns a bedtime song for his daughter into a very funny bit by virtue of his delivery—earnestly dirty, you might call it.

There’s also a surprisingly funny opera about Mayor Daley sung in Italian (Adam Sandler used to do something similar on “Saturday Night Live,” but the high quality of the show puts you in a forgiving mood). In one of the strongest bits, Andy St. Clair takes the stage all by his lonesome, playing a Southern-fried defense attorney in the William Jennings Bryant mold, dabbing a folded hanky to his upper lip as he improvises with an audience member. It’s a very good showcase of St. Clair’s talents and ability to charm an audience.

Tom Flanigan is perhaps the quietest cast member, but his understated boy-man persona works. He is frequently the perplexed guy—but it’s a layered performance, somewhat dim, but not quite dumb.

This is a factor too important to be dismissed—without good acting, sketch is just a collection of potentially funny ideas. I’d say that potential has been reached this time out. I’ve been critical of Second City’s show in the past; they can feel like regurgitated clichés of themselves. “Brother, Can You Spare Some Change?” is unquestionably a Second City show, but an extremely good one at that. (Nina Metz)

At Second City e.t.c., 1608 N. Wells (second floor of Piper’s Alley), (312)337-3992. Thur 8pm, Fri-Sat 8pm & 11pm, Sun 7pm. $20-$25. Open run.