Dane Cook is Still The Man
Friday, August 8th, 2008
I have not seen Dane Cook perform in more than a year and a half. Considering I saw DC perform about 25 times between 2000 and 2006, knew every word of his first two albums, and my license plate says SANGWCH - a year and a half is a long time.
I credit DC for sparking my love for stand-up comedy. He inspired me to put “Perform Stand-Up Comedy” on my 2006 New Year’s Resolutions list and to actually do it. I used to gather all my friends and take them down to the Laugh Factory to watch him perform.
But right around 2006 things changed. Other people started to get involved with Dane’s career. Other people tried to market, write, and speak in his voice. Much like what happened to Dennis Miller. Maybe it was execs at the studios, maybe it was agents, maybe it was the promotions people, I don’t really know. It just became forced and cheesy. It wasn’t authentic. It wasn’t what made Dane Cook great. It wasn’t the bond that I felt he created with his fans. So I tuned out for a while.
On Wednesday night at the Hollywood Improv at the Comedy Juice Show, I not only saw Dane for the first time since 2006…I saw something different. I saw a comedian who has matured. His material has gotten edgier and darker. His writing has gotten deeper. Yet his stage persona is still infectious. When he tells jokes about abortion, rape, and being white…you know it’s not the same as it used to be. Gone is the manic style I used to love. He has adopted a calm presence that all the greats have. It was incredible to watch.
It was so cool for me because it was like watching a friend perform. I loved it. It was just him, the mic, and a small audience in a club…making people laugh. That’s what it’s all about. Go Laugh.
