S08.E04: Semi-Final Day 1

[Guest]

Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer mentor the comics in a semifinal installment.

[Actionmage]

Well, for 14 sets shown, having the Advice segment dropped out of 9 contestants' package (I consider the package to be the recap, the advice, the set and the judges' feedback) surely saves time, but (like with the invitationals) why not an extra episode to give these folks a fairer shake/ tv exposure? Just wondering.

 

I was disappointed that the only female to get through was Aida Rodriegez. Not because I didlike her, but I thought Tracey Ashley was great tonight, with her ATM hippo and Slappy Mae, Country Midwife.  I would not have picked Karlous Miller, but I would've picked Tracey or Nick Guerra or Mike Vecchione.  I loved Karlous' first set, but thought it wasn't as good tonight. Subjective, I know. I still like him; he's very funny. I was disappointed that I didn't like Mike Gaffney's second set as much either.

 

Monroe Martin, Joe Machi, and Aida Rodriegez killed tonight (in the good, socially acceptable way)! Glad they made it through.

 

I lovedloveloved that Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes told Aida to forget the 'tone down' booshwah Keenan was trying to sell. I also enjoyed her flipping the script right back to him during the critique. I just wish Russell hadn't dated her so he wouldn't continue with the 'yeah, she's crazy/ I know how she is' comments. Unprofessional imo, even in comedy.

 

Still, lots of good laughs tonight and I'm looking forward to what's coming next, especially the Universal tour guide challenge!

[Cramps]

Russel dated Aida? Then he should not be making the critical comments he's making, because they're not constructive and they're not funny. Did they say on the show they'd dated?

[Actionmage]

Yeah, after her first set, Russell mentioned that they had dated. I took it as fact, not as a joke, because they seemed past whatever it was.  Russell, to be fair, seems supportive. It just seems not cool to make the off-hand/throw away remarks about their past dating. It has nothing to do with her comedy today. Even if he was agreeing with Keenan.

 

eta: Just watched Aida's set (Hour 1 of the Premiere, about 46 minutes in.)  Russell said she opened for him on the road before ("we go way back."). In response to Keenan's not condescending  at all remark that he didn't hear a word she said because she is so pretty, Russell  said, "I've seen her without make-up, Keenan."  She laughed a moment then zinged right back with "And I've seen you standing up."  So they may not have actually dated, but that's how it read the first time I watched.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Actionmage

[leighdear]

I enjoyed the mentor sessions.  I don't remember having those in previous seasons, with an actual sit-down and critique.  Both Amy & Wanda were good in their notes, and I can see how using what they offered would benefit the comics.

 

I don't care much for Karlous, and I thought he was a bit abrupt when stating "I don't rehearse, I just get up there & be funny".  Professional comics that get booked for paying gigs have to have tight sets with specific time limits.  They don't really just get up there and wing it for however long they like. 

[LakeGal]

I never took it that Russell dated Aida.  It is well known she has opened for him.  I just took it to mean they know each other well because they have been on the road together.

 

I wish the show had not rushed through so many of the comics this episode.  We could almost guess who was being picked because they got more time on this last show.  I was hoping to just be exposed to more stand up comics to see who I might like.  We know we will see enough of the ones that are moving forward.  It just seemed like a rushed format.

[possibilities]

I don't care much for Karlous, and I thought he was a bit abrupt when stating "I don't rehearse, I just get up there & be funny".  Professional comics that get booked for paying gigs have to have tight sets with specific time limits.  They don't really just get up there and wing it for however long they like.

I liked him last week, but this week he was off-putting. Apparently the editors wanted to throw him under a bus, because they left in his telling of a sexist joke so off-putting that even Amy Schumer thought it was in bad taste. So it's weird that he was chosen to continue. I thought there were others who did a better set and came off more likable.

 

They way they are rushing through this year, it's like the network didn't want to do the show at all. It's one thing to have a short format. It's another to have a format that is not only quick but which actually feels rushed while you watch it.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Sean ranks the first day of the LCS semis!

[Monty]

Karlous struck me as very unprofessional with his claim that he didn't even know what joke he closed with in the first round. And the "lesbian in Alaska" line offended me, not for its sexism, but because Google has over a hundred hits for that exact joke. Do original material or get out.

[Ohwell]

I don't know.  I wasn't blown away by this bunch last night.  Of the five that went through, I thought only Monroe Martin, Karlous Miller and Jimmy Shubert deserved to go through, and even of those three, I only really liked Jimmy Shubert.  He's been around, and it shows, but all he has to do is stand up there not saying anything, and I laugh.  He won't win though but I hope the exposure helps.  I'll look to see if he's performing in my area in the future.  

 

The issue I have with Monroe Martin is that he looks and acts like he's still carrying the pain of his growing up years, and it's just uncomfortable for me to laugh at/with him.  Maybe he's gotten over it, but that's how he comes off to me.  Plus, there's something about his voice that sounds like he's hoarse or needs to clear his throat.  Maybe it's "nervous voice" but it annoys me.   I like Karlous Miller's energy, but I'm so tired of black comics telling white people jokes, and vice versa (although most white comics wouldn't dare go there).  His other stuff was good, so I know he can do better than that tripe. 

 

I don't think Aida Rodriguez is funny at all, and I don't understand the hard on the judges have for her.  Well, maybe Keenan and Russell because of how she looks.  I also don't get Joe Macchi and his voice just grates.  Mike Guerra's set was weaker than the first one, but I would have given him another shot, and either Mike Gaffney or Mike Vecchione, although I thought he needed more energy. 

 

I still think redneck guy should have made it through.

 

I thought the mentors were a waste of valuable time.

[ferretrick]

EVERY YEAR.  Every year there are one or two people I just loathe watching and I'm going oh no, anyone, ANYONE but them and they always sail right through the semis.  QUIT YELLING AT ME, Jimmy Shubert.  And Joe Machi, just go away with your affected baby voice. 

[Traveller519]

I was surprised. I really figured Tracey Ashley was going to make it through, Although I do still think she's already too big for this show. The Hippo/ATM is one of her oldest jokes though. She did that one twice in one of the earlier seasons. I imagine she still does it because it gets good laughs and she sells it well, but I've heard it too many times at this point.

 

It's interesting just how subjective comedy is. Everyone has their favorites and others can't stand them.

 

Jimmy Shubert is a fine comedian, I'd enjoy seeing him at a comedy club, but he feels really out of place on the show. His material is very throwback, I don't find much fresh about it. Aida just isn't too my stylings. She feels like a female Dane Cook to me, in that she talks about herself in a very built up manner, and doesn't mix in much self-deprecating material to offset it. Karlous' "mentor-session" was a disaster, but I enjoyed the set he put together.

 

Two guys who I enjoyed from the first round but came out with flat sets were Mark Normand and Nick Guerra. Nick's pretty raw still but I really enjoy Mark's stuff. I would have liked to have seen his mentoring session they Teased with Amy telling him that maybe he should try a different career.

 

My top 5 would have been Monroe Martin, Mark Normand, Tracey Ashley, Karlous Miller, and Joe Maachi.

[maryis1]

The thing about Joe Maachi's material is that it is pretty edgy, make that very edgy, and it's coming out of this nerdy guy's mouth in a voice that is his regular speaking voice. Just a bit below Ross Matthews timber. And like the judges, I remembered a lot of his jokes from the week before and I think that was because he crafted some very difficult scenarios and threw in stuff that took us right up to the outraged ledge and then he flipped on that goofy smile and finished it off in an unexpected finish. I think he could definitely star in a show on NBC... he's an original character and it would be fun to see what he could come up with.

 

I also think he'd be a great interview with Craig Ferguson on Craig's show IF Joe's as quick on his feet in conversation.

[aradia22]

The first guy's set with the cats on the airplane wasn't bad but it just didn't win me over. I actually liked Vecchione more in this round than the first round. I think Karlous Miller had better material this time. I liked the comic with the set about having a gay mom but I also think the first few comics had already set the mood and I'm a sucker for someone who mentions musicals. But then that doesn't explain me not liking Chloe Hillard's routine. I'm tired of female comics who seem to only do jokes about body image or "women things". At some point it feels like the rom-coms that think we all drink buckets of wine and sit in front of the TV eating tubs of ice cream if we're single. The checklist was also weird. It was too personal/specific in a joke that was written as universal. Mark Normand's set was pretty good. I don't think the crowd was totally with him and his delivery might not be for everyone but I think the joke construction was there. Tracey Ashley had a fun set. I think she's one of the comics that would work well with her own show because there's a part of her that's an actress more than a joke-teller. The times when she's acting things out are when her jokes really shine. Aida Rodriguez started off OK but it was kind of unfocused and she didn't seem totally confident. When it got into the dating/surveillance stuff it started to lose me. I don't think the rest of the dating stuff really got me back into it. I've just heard so much material on dating that none of it felt fresh.

 

I didn't love Yamaneika the first time but I liked the cocaine/baby powder joke. I wanted to see more of her set. I wanted to see more of Mike Gaffney's set. I feel cheated. Deanne Smith is kind of painfully unfunny. Maybe she should just go be in an indie hipster band? I have yet to hear her tell a really great joke. I still don't think Nick Guerra has great jokes but as with his first set he has a good energy and is comfortable working the stage. He could be a comedic actor who sells other people's jokes but right now I'm not wowed by his own material.

 

I still like Monroe. I have no issues with his jokes. I just think he hasn't reached the performance level where they land as hard as they should. A good comic does make you feel safe as Vecchione joked. You feel safe because you're confident that they know what they're doing. Monroe Martin still lacks that final spark that makes someone a great comic because you feel like they're on top of things.

 

Keenan is totally the best judge. He gives the most constructive, helpful advice. I feel like Russell just keeps describing what he saw and saying useless things like "we/I related to that." Um... thanks?

 

Joe Machi. I can see how he could be grating but I like him. I like his rhythm and delivery and his jokes are actually pretty well thought out. They were far superior to Deanne's you're going to die song. Ugh. Hate her. There were so many comics better than she was who didn't make it through.

[Cramps]

Aida's timing was off this week. I like her writing a lot, but you could tell she hadn't been doing stand up as long as some of the others.

Joe Machi is brilliant. I don't see how you'd give him a development deal, as the most he could do is play the weird neighbor/coworker, but he is truly innovative, hilarious and is becoming surprisingly likable. In a perfect world, he would win.

[Ohwell]

Unfortunately, I think Joe Macchi or however you spell his last name, will Dat Phan his way to victory.  He's the only comic besides Dat that I can honestly say that I can't stand.

 

Aida Rodriguez acts like she thinks she's hot (she's not, at least to me), and I don't think her material is that funny.  

[attica]

The minute I saw DeAnne with her uke, I flashed on where I knew her from: this video of her kitty playing her guitar! Not surprised she didn't move on; her set was weak and her instrument wasn't mic'd.

 

Ugh, Karlous Miller lost many many points with me. Ugh. I enjoyed Macchi's set, and several that didn't move on.

[Traveller519]

I don't thin it's possible for anyone to Dat their way to victory anymore, not under this format anyway. You have to have a lot of material and be able to sell it all well in brief segments. Dat's segments rarely deviated from his Vietnamese family and often involved the same jokes. It looks like it's going to be the judges that decide who wins so it won't come down to the voting public going with the nice guy.

 

I can get how Maachi's style won't be everyone's cup of tea, and I don't think there's much you could do with him as the central character on a sitcom. But he's owning the stage presence right now.

[Amarsir]

They way they are rushing through this year, it's like the network didn't want to do the show at all. It's one thing to have a short format. It's another to have a format that is not only quick but which actually feels rushed while you watch it.

 

I recall feeling that way about LCS last time it came back too.  It's like NBC says "Nobody's going to watch this, but it's cheap and we have nothing else, so let's just get through it".

 

I really like Joe Machi.  I probably don't laugh as much at him as I do at others, but he gets huge bonus points for being unique. Anyone could become a "comic" by making a list of their favorite email forwards, coming out with energy and shout "How are you doing <city> make some noise!", and acting the jokes out with big mannerisms.  If they're a natural and/or very polished, I might even enjoy their set.  But they don't hold a candle to someone with a custom style and point of view.

 

Unfortunately, I think Joe Macchi or however you spell his last name, will Dat Phan his way to victory.  He's the only comic besides Dat that I can honestly say that I can't stand.

I don't thin it's possible for anyone to Dat their way to victory anymore, not under this format anyway. You have to have a lot of material and be able to sell it all well in brief segments. Dat's segments rarely deviated from his Vietnamese family and often involved the same jokes.

 

Ohwell if by "Dat Phan" you mean someone the audience likes but you don't, that's legit and I can't argue with you there.  But I'm with Traveller519 in that "Dat Phanning" means having one good set and repeating it every time.  I doubt any of these comics will do that because they're all more experienced than anyone in Season 1 and they know they're playing to the same audience every week.

I lovedloveloved that Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes told Aida to forget the 'tone down' booshwah Keenan was trying to sell. I also enjoyed her flipping the script right back to him during the critique. 

To find just a little benefit of the doubt to give Keenan, in general his advice is correct: you don't want your look to distract from your jokes.  (For example, the woman with the high pants who looked like she was 3/4ths legs?  Everyone in this forum talked about her look but did any of us discuss her set?)  

 

If you have a look that is noteworthy, there's a technique called "calling the room" where you acknowledge it with a joke up front.  (This also applies to anything unusual that happens and might have distracted people, like a prior act that got people talking or a waiter dropping a tray.)  It's better to control people's attention rather than let them be distracted.

 

That said, for Keenan to say "your beauty is a distraction so you should tone it down" - that's terribly sexist and unfair.  And I'm also glad Wanda and Amy corrected that and she stood up to the judges last week and now.

[Ohwell]

Ohwell if by "Dat Phan" you mean someone the audience likes but you don't, that's legit and I can't argue with you there. That's what I me

That's what I mean.  I can't stand his voice, it's uncomfortable for me to listen to.  Now I've heard strange or funny voices from comedians before, but for some reason his just grates on my nerves. 

[Vandy10]

Karlous turned me off in his mentoring session. And then he had almost the same joke in his set as he did in his first! It was the one about how he loves LA's homeless more than the homeless back home. It ended slightly differently than the first time he told it, but I was raising my eyebrows at that. And then nobody mentioned it! I thought the judges would at least point it out. But no, they sent him through. Blech.

[millahnna]

Machi just slays me.  I was totally with Russel in that I've been quoting him (which is to say the specific words of his stuff has stayed with me rather than the general concept of the jokes). 

 

Karlous's mentoring session seemed weird in that "oh right, reality shows are edited oddly" kind of way.  On the one hand he seemed dismissive and almost disrespectful but then they cut to his testimonial style bits and he seemed genuinely thrilled to talk to them.  It just came off odd. 

[Ohwell]

The problem I have with Joe Maachi is that I generally don't like comedy stuff that makes me feel uncomfortable, and usually that stuff has to do with race.  When I go to a comedy club, I don't want to squirm in my seat if I'm sitting next to someone who's not black (like me).  So I thought the N-word joke wasn't funny, not because I was offended by it, but because it made me feel uncomfortable, even in my living room.  Plus, I thought it was his sly way of just getting to say "N-word."  What a laugh.  Had I been in a comedy club where he performed and had he told that joke, I would have walked out.  It's just stupid and unnecessary. 

 

I have the same problem with Karlous and other black comedians who just have to do a bit about white people, to the point of mimicking how a white guy is supposed to sound.  I saw him on BET and I guess it worked with that audience (maybe not, though), but that stuff is just not funny to me.  Surely there's better material out there.   

 

Maybe that's just me, but there it is.   

[barbedwire]

I too wanted Tracey Ashley to go through!  She has great jokes and great timing!   I will certainly look for her around comedy clubs.

 

I still think that Monroe needs a lot more practice.

[Traveller519]

Her Album, "Two First Names" was released this year. It's available on iTunes. It's a good chuckle.

[DrSpaceman]

Jimmy Shubert is just doing a Dennis Leary impersonation. I didn't find his material that funny and cant believe they all told him how "original" he was when he bascially is a copycat act.

Loved Joe Machi, I dont see him as being like Dat Phan in the least. He has original and funny material. His voice is kind of weird, but I'll live with that if he keeps coming up with stuff like "Never forget" and then the place forgets his breadsticks. In regards to him making people uncomfortable, first of all he doesn't make me feel that way and second, I fundamentally disagree about comedy that makes you uncomfortable. People are super touchy about everything anymore and you can't say a thing without someone complaining. Stand up is one of the only venues you can get away with saying some things that might have a bit of truth in them but that just wouldn't be accepted in some conversations. It shouldnt be an excuse for being blatantly racist, but it can, and has for me with certain comedians, been a medium to bring up some interesting points that may be jokes but are also though provoking and make you question how you feel or what you believe. The best comedy does just that.

I happen to like Karlous Miller as well, though I will say this week's set was not as funny. I feel like he has great stage presence and that helps him even when his material is weaker.

I like Amy Schumer, but don't feel they added much to the show. Would rather just see them give the comedians more time to perform.

I liked Nick Guerra set this week, especially his bit about the home camera ghosts.

Overall can't complain too much about the semifinalists, Shubert was the only one I didn't really want to see advance.

[attica]

My problem with Jimmy Shubert is the sheer number of men I know who are Jimmy Shubert. They're tedious and bro-horrible, and I don't wish to be in their company. Which may be unfair to Shubert the comic, but there it is.

[Lantern7]

Question: wouldn't it be easier for NBC to air LCS on Monday nights at 8, instead of showing the repeat? That works better for me, because I can chase it with American Ninja Warrior for a full three-hour experience. Instead, they run it on Thursdays at 10, when I'm watching The Challenge.

 

I'd like to see more Amy Schumer. Is she the only LCS alumnus slated to be involved this season? Or am I forgetting somebody else?

 

ETA: WTF was Tell It To My Balls Lady thinking with the ukelele? And the bow tie again??

Edited June 17, 2014 by Lantern7