Thom and Dangerously

By Thomas Willett

This week I figured that I would try and do something different. You could say that it’s a review. What makes this different than my collective body of work is that this is the first time I have written an entire entry reviewing a comedy stand-up special. It always seemed daunting because they’re just words and tones. There is a craft to appealing to an audience, but essentially the most I have ever said was “I think he’s quite prophetic.” In fact, I am not an expert on stand-up. I have a few that I’ll defend (Robin Williams, Bob Newhart, and George Carlin), but I cannot tell you an in-depth reason why. I am hoping to change that because stand up is a performance. I have critiqued a few of those in my time. Maybe it’s because it’s slow news week. Maybe it’s also because it’s Aziz Ansari.

I have a very warped perception of Ansari. I didn’t know who he was until the series premiere of Parks and Recreation, and even then it took a while to leave an impression. It wasn’t until I saw an HBO promotional special for Funny People in 2009 that he finally landed on my radar. While it featured footage that wasn’t in the movie, it was undoubtedly the Cold Stones Creamery bit from the movie that sold me. I remember it being timely because my friend Alex was visiting from England and one of our deals was going to said place. It came out of nowhere, but I think that the relation to the moment has made it significant to me.

It was so vibrant and wild. There was something about it that after the movie came out, I kind of loved Ansari unconditionally. It also made me love Parks and Recreation more and caused me to seek out more from him. I was really into THAT energy. The reason that my perception is considered warped is because while he is a livewire, he isn’t too eccentric. Even though his stand up features a range of emotions, it never got to the Funny People level. Even during an episode of WTF with Marc Maron, it confused me more because he seemed too relaxed.

So which end is he? Does he jump around in circles, or does he lean back and nod like a suave version of Chris Rock? I cannot tell because every time I see him, he feels different. Even when I saw him at the Conan O’Brien’s Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on TV tour (albeit from three sections back), I expected him to be over enthusiastic and crazy. He wasn’t. While his energy confuses me, the reason I actually like him is because I use that enthusiastic voice every time I read his excellent Tumblr page or even a random Twitter post. It just works better that way. I find him to be an endearing connoisseur of internet etiquette. He makes himself known but doesn’t seem overbearing like Kevin Smith has become.

The reasons that I bring this all up is because this is what I had in my mind going into this week’s assignment. While perusing AV Club on Tuesday, I discovered that he just released a new special via pay download called “Dangerously Delicious” (follow link to purchase). Of course as someone who thinks that his previous CD “Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening” is so well known that if you own a TV, you’ll at least be familiar with one routine, I was willing to give it a try. I didn’t wake up thinking that I would be buying a new Ansari special, but when I discovered it, I just gave into my impulse.

I am so glad that more artists are taking this route, especially after Louis C.K. had a stellar year with two stand-up specials, the best show on TV, and revolutionizing the pay download concept with “Live at the Beacon Theater.” Along with Jim Gaffigan, Ansari is taking advantage of this new model and I wish him all of the luck in it. Even in the closing credits, he thanks C.K. for opening the doors, and after watching this special, I wouldn’t argue against him. What was to come may not be the best contemporary pieces, but it reminded me why Ansari was a comedian that I have admired for three years now.

For the most part, I perceive Ansari to be a pop comic. While his content is rather selective, I find him to be performing for the general public. He dresses in suit and ties and presents himself as a classy, yet flawed performer who just happens to be invited to Jay-Z’s New Year’s Eve party. His enthusiasm is a key element, and manages to carry an average piece to levels of absurdity with a few surprise nonsense lines thrown in for good measure. Everything about him feels like he is a pop comic, kind of like Russell Brand minus the cattiness and hairdo. You don’t have to care about what he’s talking about to find it funny. That’s what makes Ansari brilliant.

What also makes him very promising is his understanding of how technology can be used to communicate. While people like Patton Oswalt have used the internet in routines before, a fair amount of this set dissects what exactly makes it simultaneously frustrating and isolating. From bits about texting to internet feuds, Ansari’s grasp feels smooth and his ability to keep coming back to it in fresh ways helps him feel modern. He doesn’t so much embrace the technology as he uses it to explain how time consuming it can get. By the time he brings Joe Pesci into his ramblings, it makes absurd sense.

While it is all wrapped up in a nice bow, there are definitely a lot of weak spots throughout the set. If you are opposed to hearing penis jokes inserted into numerous spots, then this set can prove to be a problem. While he isn’t as crass or as vulgar as some comics can be, he sometimes gets as juvenile as they come. However, it’s his ability to keep it classy that keeps anything from becoming too distractingly awful. After all, his first CD did have some penis jokes in there, too. Here there just seems to be a bit more with less momentum.

As a whole, this feels like a pop comedy CD. With bits about 50 Cent and the internet, this feels like a set meant for the modern generation told in a way that they could enjoy. Ansari is an expert on delivering a solid performance and this continues to make him one of the most enjoyable comedians working today. He may never become as profound as Louis C.K., but comedy hasn’t always been about educating. Ansari is an entertainer, and a good one at that. If you can overlook the rough patches, which are few and far apart, this is definitely a great use of your $5.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

You can read Thom’s blog every Wednesday and hear him on Nerd’s Eye View every Tuesday and Thursday at nevpodcast.com. Send your thoughts to nevpodcast@gmail.com. You can also read Thom’s movie reviews for Cinema Beach at cinemabeach.com.