FUNNY HA HA

On Friday, the day after the inauguration, I pulled myself out of a hangover cloud to catch a comedy show at the Warner Theatre near Metro Center, sponsored by National Journal's Hotline -- once described by Wonkette as a "self-serious, enormously expensive, unlinkably elitist, faxed political summary," despite its irreverent headlines and non-faxedness -- and the Will Rogers Institute.

The lineup primarily consisted of congressmen, political writers and a couple of pros. As it goes with comedy nights performed mainly by non-comedians, there were moments of unbearable silence, but I was surprised (and disappointed) at how few true wipeouts there were.

Worst of all was the last-minute addition of a couple of College Republican types who filled in when Walter Shapiro didn't show (still bitter about USA Today, perhaps?). Timing? They had none. A routine? If that's what they called it. Maybe they were both too concerned about playing the "straight man" to bother being funny. When they promised to get off the stage soon, the audience clapped.

Best of all, believe it or not, was Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), who walked out in character as George W. Bush, and held it the whole way. His vocal impersonation wasn't quite as good as a professional comic like Jim Morris (also present), but his mannerisms were dead on, and his material was pretty strong. He even had a mysterious bulge on his back. The finale was "Bush's" promise to outdo his mission to Mars plan and launch Operation Solar Landing. Huge laugh. But don't worry, he reassured: "We'll go at night."

The next best performance of the night was a properly soused Christopher Hitchens, who staggered out to the microphone, sat down on the stool available, and rattled off a number of joke-book jokes impressively. And stopped in the middle to take a swig from a flask in his coat pocket. No cigarette, though. Better still, he told funnier blowjob jokes than Ana Marie Cox of Wonkette. In fact, Wonkette tanked. Or as a friend said to me at intermission, "Did you see Wonkette tank up there?!"

Though Baird's impersonation was generally good-spirited, partisanship ruled. The Nation's David Corn, Bob Somerby from the Daily Howler and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State's Barry Lynn made Bush or the Republicans in general the target of their jabs. But former Daily Show correspondent A. Whitney Brown wasn't just partisan: he was purposefully unfunny for great stretches, ruminating on Abu Ghraib and declaring: "We're the bad guys!" I've seen bad comic timing, but he was off by hours.

There wasn't much from the other side; there just weren't that many Republicans on stage. Even so, there wasn't much anger to be had -- hard to complain when you've just won everything, again. Fox News' Tony Snow emceed, but didn't really make any jokes. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) focused on her Southern origins, and VRWC charter member Grover Norquist saved most of his barbs for the French. And who doesn't like to make fun of the French?

Bonus tidbit — Newsweek's Michael Isikoff was at the comedy show -- although not performing. Later that night, transferring to the Green Line at L'Enfant Plaza, I came across him once again. Nothing interesting happened. I just wanted you to know that Michael Isikoff rides the Metro.

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posted by WWB at 1:38 PM |