S08.E12: Finals: Top 5 To 4

[Tara Ariano]

The Top 5 comics perform for the judges, who then determine which four will advance to the next round.

[TVbitch]

Will they all be doing sets each show now. Does anybody know the format from here on out? I never watched this show before, but have enjoyed this season so much, I went back and downloaded previous seasions. Yikes! Two hour long episodes with so much bad comedy and lame filler. It is SO MUCH better in this incarnation. I really hope it is getting the ratings to stick around.

Edited July 30, 2014 by TVbitch

[ae2]

The website calls it a "standup showdown" and has sneak peak pictures with each of the contestants on stage.

 

Who will go home tonight?

 

Although I think he could win the competition, I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see Joe sent home after his performance last week. It was funny, but he does seem to be running low on steam (and material).

 

Does anyone know when these were filmed? I noticed Joe is still on the schedule for performances at Stand Up NY, including one tonight.

 

If not Joe, it has to be Nikki or Rocky LaPorte. I can't see Rod Man or Lachlan going home until the final three. Nikki was great at the roast, but if she relies on her usual, tired "I'm fat, black, and a woman" material then I think she's done.

 

So I guess, my oh-so-official prediction is Nikki is going home tonight.

[DrSpaceman]

Not surprised Rocky is leaving. I thought he had the weakest set and is the weakest in general.

I like Joe, but really, he needs to speed up his set.

I was not as impressed by Nikki's set as the audience apparently was.

Still I think Rod Man's to lose.

[purplemouth]

Rod Man has really grown on me -  he's now my favorite to win. I like them all, actually. How refreshing!

 

Agree that it was Rocky's time to go, and Nikki should follow next week.

[Actionmage]

I liked Joe's et tonight, but Rod Man just killed it. I liked Nikki's set and Lachlan's set as well. Rocky's set was fun, but...not as engaging, imo. Not that Rocky is crap, but tonight didn't work for him as much as the others' sets were great for them.

 

My ranking for tonight's sets would go:

 

1. Rod Man--he had me laughing so hard!

2. Nikki Carr-- best takedown of exes and movie bad guys in a while

3. Joe Machi-- Stuff I never expect and find edgy, disconcerting, or both and love it

4. Lachlan Patterson-- Nice bringing things back set; well done and you weren't automatically expecting  him to do that.

5. Rocky LaPorte-- Fun start, Calling it quits made me lol, and the Who killed Kennedy nun  were great, imo.

 

Yet to me it broke down to more Rod Man/ Nikki then Joe/Lachlan. As always, mileage varies.

 

I'm excited for next week!

[EVS]

I thought Joe was going home. Glad he stayed. He and Rodman are my favorites, but I thought Joe wasn't as funny as usual tonight. I didn't find Nikki that funny, but my husband thought she was one of the strongest. I thought Rocky was pretty funny until he finished with that weak 'verb' joke. Lachlan was good, but I have a hard time warming up to him for some reason. Every time I see/hear him, I think someone must have hit Jerry Seinfeld with a 'pretty stick'.

[beedub]

Everyone did well tonight, varying by slight shades, but with Rod Man clearly in front. He had Mrs. beedub and I in absolute stitches, literally gasping. Just such simple but brilliantly-phrased material (yup, I used the "b-word").

 

A few (paraphrased) highlights: "Some babies are good-lookin', and some are... goin' through changes... That's no livin' room baby... she's takin' lots of pictures of that baby, but I don't think there's that much demand." Great stuff.

 

But I did laugh at each of their sets, and think they all can write great jokes. Rocky, though, was marked to leave as soon as they had all finished. Nikki had some good moments but I think the movie monster ex-boyfriend bits could use some editing.

[Tabasco Cat]

Sorry to see Rocky leave but, it was obvious he was going to go when 2 of his jokes mentioned JFK and Nam (even though they were funny). The purge of the old people is almost complete.

 

My prediction for the final 4:

1. Rod Man

2. Lachlan Patterson

3. Joe Machi

4. Niki Carr

 

Niki will be gone next week because they need to finish purging the "old people". The NBC TV Development deal is worth almost nothing, but they always look to draw in the 18-49 demographic and Niki isn't going to make it there. Joe Machi is a riot but I think he's running short on material. He was all over the place with his set tonight. I like him a lot but I don't think he's got enough gas left in the tank. Lachlan Patterson might be just what NBC is looking for if they've got an Adams Family remake in the works and need a comic-relief Lurch character. I did like his set tonight; it was the first time he made me laugh more than once during his routine. But I still wouldn't pay to see him perform stand-up. I live in an out-of-the-way city that doesn't get a lot of visiting talent (of any kind) coming to town and I think Joe Machi and Rod Man are the only 2 I would pay money to see if they came to town. There are contestants already eliminated I would pay to see before I'd pay to see Lachlan.

 

This thing is Rod Man's to lose. He seems like the only one left who can think on his feet and be funny. They showed that home video clip last week (maybe 2 weeks ago) when he was on a boat with his family and he was just making it up as he went along being funny as shit. I don't see how he doesn't win it all. I absolutely want Rod Man to win. He's the only comic left standing whose TV show I would tune in to watch, no questions asked.

 

ETA: I've been watching me some YouTube of old Rod Man performances and he definitely needs to win LCS.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Tabasco Cat

[themadman]

I love Joe Machi but I agree he might be running out of material. Keenan is right that a relaxed, confident Joe actually works against his neurotic stage persona that automatically seems to make things funnier. (And I found his repeated use of "gang" quite odd.)

Edited August 1, 2014 by themadman

[Vandy10]

I agreed with the judges' giving Rodman first call out (to borrow an ANTM phrase). He had my full attention his entire set, and I was laughing.

 

Two comics surprised me:

1. Joe Machi--I was legitimately afraid he was going home tonight. I have really loved all his stuff up to this point, but he did seem more subdued and less funny tonight. I'm still glad he's going through because he has so much goodwill built up in me from this season so far.

 

2. Nikki--I actually enjoyed her stuff tonight. Normally I don't find her very funny. Maybe it's because tonight's set wasn't about food?

 

Lachlan did middling for this group, and Rocky did fine but was sent home. Those two I had kinda expected to go the way they did.

[BeatrixK]

Sooo glad I'm not the only one who didn't find Nikki's set funny.  Her sets are fairly predictable - and the movie ax-murderer boyfriend seemed to drag on too long.

 

Rodman - I have no idea how he takes these mundane things and just turns them into Comedy Gold...but I don't see how he loses this thing.  The only 'threat' he has there is if Lachlan comes up with a drop dead killer set.

 

So glad Joe didn't go home.  I don't see him winning...but I just find him so likable and sweet...yet a bit twisted.  I hope he gets an extended career bump outta this show - he deserves it.

 

'He ain't a living room baby...' 

[attica]

I liked the sets in the order the judges picked them (which kinda surprises me): Rod, Joe, Nikki, Lachlan, Rocky. But my biggest laugh was for Nikki's delivery of "Jason??".

 

Shallow: Lachlan looked hella gaunt sitting next to Leno. OMG, I thought it was Lurch!

 

Gotta give points to all the comics (or, you know, the editors) for finding nice things to say about Mr. Hacktacular, Jay Leno.

[bentley]

I'm hoping the call out of the finalists was deceptive and not a literal re-enactment of how the judging went. I agree Rodman was the best tonight and Rocky was the worst. But when Russell was saying there were 3 comics on the bubble, and Roseanne was asking him who was the third, I was wondering the same thing. I hoped he wasn't talking about Lachlan, but now I have to consider that they ranked Lachlan in the bottom two. Yikes.

 

I thought Nikki was the second worst, and if I had to pick a third, it would be Joe. This was the first time I didn't like Joe's set. I don't like comedians who string a bunch of unrelated one-liners together for an act. I agree he may be running out of material,.

 

When the judges were talking about how perfect Nikki was for a sitcom, I'm thinking, "Yeah, on one of those small networks where the writing is lame, the jokes are telegraphed and the laugh track never stops. Sure she would steal every scene, as she did the bug-eyed shouting out of each line. No thanks.

 

This is Rodman's to lose, but I still hold out hope for Lachlan.

Edited August 1, 2014 by bentley

[Ohwell]

ETA: I've been watching me some YouTube of old Rod Man performances and he definitely needs to win LCS.

Me too.  I wish he's do the shopping mall food court bit with the orange chicken.

 

I'm so tired of Nikki shouting at me.  Joe seems tired of it all and I wonder if he's run out of material.  Lachlan did a good set but he looks very gaunt, like he's lost weight since the show began.  I wonder if it's stress?

[Traveller519]

This was the first time I didn't like Joe's set. I don't like comedians who string a bunch of unrelated one-liners together for an act. I agree he may be running out of material,.

 

I agree with a lot of what you're saying with respect to Joe. A lot of his material has been the one-liner delivery, but previously they all had a common theme (or mostly did) that he tied the set together with. He also doesn't have the Mitch Hedberg-esque timing to do the one-line bit followed by another right now. I felt uncomfortable with his ski, and figured he was a likely candidate to go this week, but do believe he's still cashing in some extra goodwill from the Monroe show-down. Also the "gang" "team" stuff wore on me, it sounds too much like the principal trying to be your friend and "rap" with you.

 

Nikki is hit or miss for me. I haven't bought into a lot of what she's done, but last week at the roast and this weeks set were good comfortable routines for me to get on board with. Unless she lays down a killer set next week, or Joe really runs out I'd say she's probably the most likely candidate to head home 

 

If I'm handicapping from here:

Rod Man (2 to 1)

Lachlan (4 to 1)

Joe (6 to 1)

Nikki (10 to 1)

[Holly F.]

(And I found his repeated use of "gang" quite odd.)

 

The "gang/team" aspect of his set was my favorite part. Along with "m'friend" at the end of his slut talking bit last week, his quirky familiarisms have been the things that have stuck with me over the last few episodes.

 

This season has been amazing, but I'm afraid that Joe Machi is going to be my Dave Mordal: really well-liked, but ultimately not the winner.

[DrSpaceman]

Rodman - I have no idea how he takes these mundane things and just turns them into Comedy Gold...but I don't see how he loses this thing.  The only 'threat' he has there is if Lachlan comes up with a drop dead killer set.

 

 

I think with Roadman its not only his unique delivery, but he has a way of taking awkward situations and reacting and explaining them in a way that defuses the seriousness and the awkwardness.  He doesn't go for the hard, sarcastic response but instead a realistic one that makes everyone comfortable.

 

Think about the :

 

He made a drunk driving joke, being pulled over, tells the officer "I want t pass your test, I just don't know if I can do it now".....paraphrasing

 

He took the baby doll situation with his daughter and made that into a bit about her having to care for it herself, him not being the "baby daddy".  It makes it easier when its not a real child and its him teaching his daughter EARLY about expectations of caring for a baby by her, when it happens, but you can see the larger point in it all as an adult and what he really means. 

 

Then last night the picture situation, you know we've all been there, kids pictures we just don't care about, he again explains it to that its not as direct and insulting to the person giving out/forcing the pictures but still gets the point across that he really is not that interested and doesn't need a bunch of 8x10 photos he won't do anything with. 

 

Roseanne commented about how she liked the "harsher" or edgier Lachlan, I forget how she put it, more sarcastic I think, but Rodman at the same time is almost the opposite, he is not harsh/sarcastic, he is in many ways softer in his delivery but still gets the poitn across, which is where I think he is different from most comics you see

Oh and Leno last night.......I am not a Leno fan, not sure i would be taking stand up advice from him.  He knows how to carry say the tonight show, but from what I have heard his stand up act, while he works hard, is not that fresh or original.  I have heard more than a few comics on Sirius radio comment on how he has done the exact same act for years, down to the second, and current stand ups don't seem to view him favorably

Edited August 1, 2014 by DrSpaceman

[Primetimer]

The gimmicky challenges end as the race to the finale begins for real.

Read the story

[daughtersofanarchy]

I agreed with the judges' choice of Rocky to go home.  He spoke too quietly and it was difficult to make out some of his punchlines, so I would have to say he had the worst delivery of the five.  He just seemed to be fading into the background as his set went on.

 

Love Joe and Rod Man, but would choose Rod Man to win.  He's just irresistible.

[tv4sho]

I thought Nikki killed tonight!  She had me rolling on the floor laughing with tears in my eyes!

 

I've been a fan of Joe, but I think he's definitely heading downhill hill fast.  I really wanted to laugh but I just didn't find his set funny.

 

Lachlan was funny.  He could possible win it all.

 

Yep Rocky, it was way past the time for you to go.  Really don't know why people didn't challenge him in the head to head.

 

Rodman is still my favorite and I really hope he wins it all.  Rosanne seems to really love him.

[beedub]

I too thought Rocky was set for elimination, but to be fair to him, I don't think it was because there was anything inherently inferior in his style or performance, or even his material. Comedy has room for any number of styles, from the almost-catatonic (Steven Wright) to the hyperactive (Sam Kinison). Rocky's delivery style works for him and no doubt has served him well as a stand-up act for many years. But in a competition setting, being a bit louder / more intense is definitely an asset, and appearing noticeably less so than his competitors seems to be what set Rocky apart this week.

[DrSpaceman]

I loved Joe Machi's joke about John Lennon's Imagine. Sums up my thoughts perfectly.

[BoogieBurns]

Rocky's joke about Rome should have gotten a laugh. His delivery just wasn't right, or something.

 

RodMan is so nice. He is saying mean things in a nice way. @DrSpaceman (I'm pronouncing that Spuh-che-man) said it better than I can. RodMan is almost anti-snark, which is super refreshing these days. I didn't even know I liked nice comedy until I saw RodMan on this show. 

Lachlan and Nikki are nice in their sets too, for the most part. 

Joe is nice in person to the other comics so I'm very happy these folks are in the top 4. 

[Vandy10]

Rocky's joke about Rome fell flat for me because I'm too familiar with Rome, NY, which does have some Italian-Americans in its (rather) small population. So I really had to take a minute to process that he was talking about Rome, Italy. That probably wasn't the reason the rest of the audience didn't get it--unless they trucked in a bunch of Upstate NYers for the show--but it pulled me out of the funny.

 

And I too noticed how gaunt Lachlan looked during his sit-down with Leno. I wonder if there was a big time lag between this and the roast episode, because I don't remember his cheeks being so hollow last episode.

[WhineandCheez]

A few (paraphrased) highlights: "Some babies are good-lookin', and some are... goin' through changes... That's no livin' room baby... she's takin' lots of pictures of that baby, but I don't think there's that much demand." Great stuff.

 

And then  during the critique when Roseanne was talking about his ugly baby jokes he interrupts softly and says, " No, no they just going through some changes."  I didn't think anything could beat BabyAlive Baby Daddy in funny but this set was flawless. H HAS to win, he's so darn likeable.

 

Rosanne looks so darn pretty.  She doesn't look lifted or plastic.  She seems like a nice person (which as I remember she really isn't in real life?).  Nikki, didn't like her set, she can go next.

[LakeGal]

Before the show even started I expected Rocky or Nikki to get the boot.  I assume they kept Nikki since she is the last female standing.

 

Comedy is something that nobody can really describe and what one finds funny another does not.  I have even felt up and down on various comics this season.  One week I like them the next I don't.  I normally love Rodman but tonight I found his right arm flying around to be kind of distracting.  Joe's little quirks are not as funny anymore either.  I do wonder if NBC is looking for the best standup comic or for who they can build a TV show around.  Would this person be the star or the comic relief crazy friend?  It all makes a difference.

[beedub]

I have even felt up and down on various comics this season.

Did you at least buy them dinner first? ;-)

[Ohwell]

Yeah, at least a Denny's Grand Slam breakfast the next morning.

[woodscommaelle]

What was the rest of the joke Rodman was telling about playing with the baby on the plane?  He said 'baker man baker man." And then the baby said/did what??? I didn't hear or maybe just didn't get it.

[Amarsir]

This is why Rod Man is going to win. He's got such a comedic persona that he can do "Patty Cake" and be hilarious.

 

I thought Nikki was the second worst, and if I had to pick a third, it would be Joe. This was the first time I didn't like Joe's set. I don't like comedians who string a bunch of unrelated one-liners together for an act. I agree he may be running out of material,.

 

I agree with a lot of what you're saying with respect to Joe. A lot of his material has been the one-liner delivery, but previously they all had a common theme (or mostly did) that he tied the set together with. He also doesn't have the Mitch Hedberg-esque timing to do the one-line bit followed by another right now. 

I agree as well. He'd do better if he could connect his jokes, and this set just didn't.  (Possibly because he's running out.)  It's not that one-liner comedians can't succeed, as there have been many good ones. But when you're resetting every time it puts pressure on that next joke in a way you don't get when the set has some flow.

 

I did enjoy every set. Nikki's material has been among the weakest to me all season, but her delivery was superb.  Although ... I always get a little distracted when I hear a comic I know is gay doing "hetero" jokes like she was. Now I know everyone has their own history and it could be coming from a real place, but part of me is always wondering if you're doing that because it's actually you, or because you feel like you have to.

 

(I first started wondering that watching Jim David years ago, similar situation. I never got to ask but always wondered why he'd do something not true to himself.) 

 

Anyway, Rocky had a good set but it started and ended weak.  "Italian neighborhood - Rome" is a great joke but not a good punchline.  I was thinking about what name would work best and I think "Sicily" would.  (Yes, I know.)  As the judges said you need a word that travels to the audience and especially with his accent, "Rome" doesn't.  And then "adverbs" was a weak finish too.  So bye to Rocky, but he wasn't bad. Just the weakest.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Amarsir

[possibilities]

I am really pleased that the show is actually funny, and not a chore to get through. Even the worst set is pretty good, and I wasn't hating anyone or wondering what the hell the judges were thinking. The 4 to 3 elimination looks like it's being pre-empted for football "pre-season" programming on my local affiliate, and I'm actually really upset about it, where before the season started I wasn't even sure if I would bother watching at all.

 

I am shocked that Nikki manages to continue to mine the "I'm so unattractive" subject, pretty much exclusively, without running out of material. It's a subject I tend to not find funny, but I actually think she's gotten a lot funnier than she was in the beginning. That business about Jason had me laughing.

 

I didn't like her line about how she didn't want to be a lesbian but had no choice, because the way she delivered it, it implied that no man would want her and that's why, not that being queer is "born, not made." I do find it to be true that the lesbian community accepts a much wider range of body types than the straight world, but it's a bit of a sore point to imply that lesbians are only how we are because no man would have us. I hope she fixes that in future performances, whether on LCS or elsewhere.

 

Rocky's low key delivery really did seem to hurt him. If you imagine the same jokes being offered by a different comedian, they probably would have gotten bigger laughs. But I kind of like his style, even though he's not my favorite performer in this crop. But if he had a show, I'd watch it-- whether it was a stand up special on Comedy Central or a sitcom on NBC.

 

I find Lachlan funny while he's performing, but then he's utterly forgettable after. I don't remember any of his jokes, and i had to search for "who was the other performer, I know there were 5..." to remember him at all. Still, I like him. I don't know why he's so forgettable somehow.

 

And that's where Rodman and Joe Machi really stand out-- they are unforgettable, specifics aside. Both of them are decisively distinct in form and content, and make a lasting impression.

 

It does seem like Joe is running out of material, and it's frustrating because I love his perspective, and his act was always terrific, as long as it lasted. When he's not got a tinge of "grasping for material" he's hands down my favorite.

 

I still find Rod Man's rambling style exhausting, and I'm not as enamored of his material as his more hardcore fans are, but I see the appeal of how he makes everyday situations funny and can get away with calling babies ugly terrorists without seeming mean. I respect him and if he wins I won't be pissed.

[trow125]

I thought it was interesting when Rocky mentioned something about having seen Jay Leno "coming up" in the clubs. I hadn't realized how old he was, but he's 55 according to this article.

 

I wonder if Joe Machi was trying something different with this performance -- the whole routine was a series of unrelated jokes, which I don't think we've seen him do before. Maybe since the judges have had so much exposure to him over the past few weeks thanks to the head-to-heads he felt he should shake things up a little. Anyway, I hope that was his aim, rather than he's running out of material. We'll find out on Thursday, I guess.

[Kromm]

Jay Leno as a mentor? Yeah. Like he's done SOOOOO much for his fellow comedians (NOT!)

Also, because it can never be said too much... JB Smoove? Shut. Up.

[bilgistic]

Also, because it can never be said too much... JB Smoove? Shut. Up.

Sit with me. I've been bitching about his yelling since minute one. Also, that "skit" at the beginning was PAINFUL. Hacky "that's racist" jokes? If that's the kind of "development deal with NBC" that the winner gets, "You can keep that, thanks", said me and Rocky LaPorte.

 

Roseanne can stop screeching any second now, too.

[LunaNegra]

Gotta give points to all the comics (or, you know, the editors) for finding nice things to say about Mr. Hacktacular, Jay Leno.

 

Word.  Jay Leno is not very well respected by other comics. He is NOTORIOUS for stealing other people's jokes and materials, which is a big NO-NO in the comic world.   I think the only reason he was brought out was because of his NBC affiliation. I'm sure the comics were laughing inside their heads when Jay said he would go on the road and each night work out "his" jokes.

 

Here is a Gawker article from earlier this year:  A Brief History of Jay Leno's Joke-Stealing

It's gone on for years and years.  Just google "Jay Leno Joke stealing".  

 

Howard Stern and others have very publicly called him out for years. He has stole from almost everyone.

Edited August 3, 2014 by LunaNegra

[Amarsir]

Here is a Gawker article from earlier this year:  A Brief History of Jay Leno's Joke-Stealing

That is one of the most unconvincing articles I've ever read. (Although admittedly I don't spend time on Gawker.)  Only the Jimmie Walker one seems like an actual offense, and the article calls it "more alleged then the rest of them."

 

In particular I remember the two RedEye jokes mentioned, because I was watching RedEye at the time. And they turned it into a joke about Andy and Greg having a time machine, coming forward in time to steal Jay's joke, then going back to use it.  But it was all joking, and they clarified that they thought it no more than coincidence.  (And had similar clips with other hosts including Kimmel and Stewart using jokes similar to their own.)  I don't know to what extent the Tonight Show did or didn't take ideas from other comics. But when your sources are Rush Limbaugh from 3 years earlier and a couple of guys who say their joke wasn't stolen, it feels like a shitty article.

 

Honestly, though not a huge fan of Leno I did get sick of the bandwagon-y Jay-bashing.  He had the job others wanted and got the ratings to hold it. Letterman didn't get the spot, Conan didn't pull the ratings, and neither them nor their fans every stopped blaming Leno for it. Fallon is doing a great job with The Tonight Show (via ratings; I don't watch) and to my knowledge has never said anything bad about his predecessor. So I don't know what is or isn't original about him, but I have a hard time stripping away the criticisms from the jealousy.

 

That said, the final 5 didn't get "mentoring" with Jay Leno.  They got a catered lunch with him. It's fine, just don't pump it up NBC.

[LunaNegra]

That is one of the most unconvincing articles I've ever read. (Although admittedly I don't spend time on Gawker.)  Only the Jimmie Walker one seems like an actual offense, and the article calls it "more alleged then the rest of them."

 

That said, the final 5 didn't get "mentoring" with Jay Leno.  They got a catered lunch with him. It's fine, just don't pump it up NBC.

 

I don't disagree that this particular article is not the best but it was one of the more recent ones (instead of pulling up one from years ago as the allegations are nothing new).   As mentioned earlier - just Google  "Jay Leno Joke Stealing" and take your pick."   

 

There are probably better ones out there but I don't care enough about Jay Leno to give him the effort. :-)

Edited August 3, 2014 by LunaNegra

[Kromm]

Word.  Jay Leno is not very well respected by other comics. He is NOTORIOUS for stealing other people's jokes and materials, which is a big NO-NO in the comic world.   I think the only reason he was brought out was because of his NBC affiliation. I'm sure the comics were laughing inside their heads when Jay said he would go on the road and each night work out "his" jokes.

 

Here is a Gawker article from earlier this year:  A Brief History of Jay Leno's Joke-Stealing

It's gone on for years and years.  Just google "Jay Leno Joke stealing".  

 

Howard Stern and others have very publicly called him out for years. He has stole from almost everyone.

Not to mention that for decades under Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show was the world's best launching platform/career boost for stand up comedians.  Then Jay Leno, an actual stand-up took over, and then... bupkiss.  The regular stand-up segments disappeared into the mists. Rather than taking that platform to help his fellow comedians, he instead pretty much ignored them.  For decades.

 

Sure he continued to always to personally appear at comedy clubs during his down-time from The Tonight Show.  But a lot of comedians must be been giving him the finger behind his back at the local Yuk-Yuk's comedy club.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Kromm

[BoDiva]

I don't really get Rodman. Too rambly for my taste. But I couldn't be happier that Rocky is gone because the dumb Italian trope is so over for me.

Rooting for Joe, who always makes me laugh. But not unhappy with either Nikki or Lachlan. (And I loved Alingon Mitra--would have kept him over many others who made it, so if he comes back to win, good for him.)

[millahnna]

I would be delighted by any of these final four winning but I'm pulling for Joe and Rod; they both just destroy me.

[Kromm]

I guess (like most comedy) Rod's lackadaisical delivery is a matter of taste.  But it totally kills me. It's rambling-SOUNDING sure, but beneath that it's all calculated (in other words, he's not ACTUALLY rambling, because he always knows where he's going, as well as has chosen the specific pace to get there at).  It's an African-American-specific variety of "Southern hick", but it deliberately plays with the cliche of assuming that slow-talking Southerners are slow in other ways.  Then what Rod throws on top of that is decidedly nontraditional--his voice and delivery may spark images of dim slow witted Southerners, but the material being delivered is a complete dichotomy to that, because it's this weird observational stuff (traditionally the province of lily-white urban comedians), but said in THAT accent. If I had to pick someone else currently in comedy doing anything similar, I'd have to say Ron Funches (although there are a tons of differences too--Funches for example doesn't use repetition to make himself sound even dimmer, and Funches subject matter is pretty different).

 

Then we have Joe.  I don't know if I can recall a specific comedian that's done well before with "nervous wreck" as his "character", but somehow Joe pulls that off.  Come to think of it, I do recall a comedian on America's Got Talent who also had that weird staccato "I sound like I'm nervously reciting lines off a card" delivery (even if he didn't have the rest of Joe's specific quirks).  With those two examples in my mind, I think the key is that when someone reads jokes like that, it only reads as "funny" if it simultaneously comes off as a bit absurd. The material has to be REALLY strong too.

 

EDIT - Wait.  There IS a classic comedian with that weird line reading.  Emo Phillips. How could I forget Emo? It's not EXACTLY the same, because it's more "over the top weirdo" than nervous, but it's got a lot of "nervous sounding" hanging in the background, and it's got a very similar weird rhythm with how the lines of the joke are pronounced/paced.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Kromm

[MsTree]

I don't know if I can recall a specific comedian that's done well before with "nervous wreck" as his "character", but somehow Joe pulls that off

 

 How about Don Knotts?

[iMonrey]

 

What was the rest of the joke Rodman was telling about playing with the baby on the plane?  He said 'baker man baker man." And then the baby said/did what??? I didn't hear or maybe just didn't get it.

 

I didn't understand the punchline either. Sometimes Rod Man needs to watch his diction.

 

I hate to say it but I would have eliminated Lachlan over Rocky, and I generally like Lachlan better. But I didn't laugh at a single one of his jokes, whereas I did enjoy the whole bit Rocky did with who killed JFK. Then again if the judges are anything like me maybe they just gave Lachlan a pass because they know he's typically funnier than Rocky.

 

This was the first time I've thought Joe Machi was running out of steam, and also the first time I really though Nikki's material (rather than just her delivery) was funny. I would have placed her first just based on that set. "Jason?!"

Edited August 4, 2014 by iMonrey

[Kromm]

I didn't understand the punchline either. Sometimes Rod Man needs to watch his diction.

That's problematic in a different way though.  His particular diction is a core building block of his gimmick, of his comic persona I mean.  If he's TOO careful, he'll wind up sounding well... too white.

 

To me it sounded like he said "My hitter, my hitter".  I don't really get the joke if it's that, but that's okay.  Just the delivery by itself was pretty funny and it was a pretty small piece of the whole routine.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Kromm

[Cramps]

I'm pretty sure Rocky's been doing that Kennedy bit since the 80s. That might have worked against him.

Kromm -

Interesting comparison between Emo and Joe. They're both truly brilliant writers, doing quirky material, which a normal delivery wouldn't suit. I wonder if Joe studied Emo's delivery when he was first starting, or if he just stumbled into it.

[After7Only]

I didn't understand the punchline either. Sometimes Rod Man needs to watch his diction.

That's problematic in a different way though. His particular diction is a core building block of his gimmick, of his comic persona I mean. If he's TOO careful, he'll wind up sounding well... too white.

To me it sounded like he said "My hitter, my hitter". I don't really get the joke if it's that, but that's okay. Just the delivery by itself was pretty funny and it was a pretty small piece of the whole routine.

Yes it was "My Hitta, my Hitta". It's a line from a rap song.

Edited August 5, 2014 by After7Only

[themadman]

Yes it was "My Hitta, my Hitta". It's a line from a rap song.

 

This is the problem with having your jokes relying on the audience knowing some rap song. I didn't get it either and I kept scratching my head. 

[After7Only]

This is the problem with having your jokes relying on the audience knowing some rap song. I didn't get it either and I kept scratching my head. 

 

 

I appreciated the hip hop reference.  It's probably closer to what a typical "club set" from him would be like.   To win this show however, you have to be mainstream, which is something Rod Man has been extremely good at adapting his style to, and where comics like Karlous Miller failed.   

[iMonrey]

 

I'm pretty sure Rocky's been doing that Kennedy bit since the 80s.

 

Yeah, I was pretty sure I'd heard it before. Still laughed at it though.