I had the privilege of seeing British comic genius Ricky Gervais perform stand-up at the intimate Brentwood Theater in Los Angeles this evening and it was one of the most fun evenings I have had, possibly ever. It has been a great while since I have laughed so hard for so long. At one point Gervais had my friend and I in tears and they were the best tears I've shed of late. Laughing until I cry is one of my greatest pleasures for sure.
What was so great about it? Well, first off, I am going to see Gervais perform again on Saturday night at the Kodak Theater where he is doing a full set similar (from what I understand) to the stage show he did in the UK. If tonight was any indication at all, there is nothing lost in translation from this coast to his coast and I am in for the largest laughs I've ever achieved. Tonight and tomorrow night's shows are called "warm ups" and I'd imagine an opportunity for Gervais to test out his material on the So Cal audience he does not usually perform stand up in front of. Secondly, Gervais is fantastic at moving between topics and circling back and he tied his show together quite well. It was easy to stay engaged though he wasn't so smooth that the show seemed over-rehearsed. It just worked very, very well. Third, Gervais is such an incredibly humorous guy that he often cracks himself up. Any fan who has seen outtakes from BBC's The Office will know exactly what I mean. He has a wonderful and infectious laugh. The anticipation for what he was going to say next grew when he was laughing just at the thought or at times couldn't proceed for a moment because he was laughing. Forth, Gervais gets dirty and politically incorrect but in such a way that he is not really offensive but just "wrong". His jokes or comments could seem more offensive but there is something about his personality, the playfulness, and his delivery that makes what could be gross or crude in some cases or rude in other cases, just funny. Fifth (for good measure), Gervais has a great way of using his body in his act creating visuals that are fun to imagine and making gestures or faces that make it even more difficult to control your laughter.
If you happen to read this and will find yourself in L.A. anytime through Saturday, I highly recommend and almost insist that you go and see this man perform.
Another cool thing about the warm-up shows is that the proceeds are going to the American Cancer Society. Gervais went on about his charity work and made light of it but really, it is so terribly important that attention is brought to issues. One of the greatest bits tonight was about a charity for the obese. I was seriously dying!
I could go on and on because I had so much fun tonight and felt so incredibly alive. I also think I got a great ab workout during my isometric laughs as well as some cardio from rocking in my chair.
In case you don't know, Gervais created BBC's The Office, NBC's The Office, Extras, hosts podcasts, writes books and acts in films. In addition, he is, as described, an outstanding stand-up comic.
The only thing that would have made this night any better is meeting the man who I respect and admire. Another time I hope.
Bravo, Mr. Gervais and thank you from bringing your comedy to us in-person.
No comments:
Post a Comment