- Caroline Smith
- Rana May’s deadpan set at Rotture on Thursday night. This lady loves dogs. Plus she’s real funny.
I hit Bridgetown hard last night—right in its kisser. The first night of the fest tends to be a little sleepy, a little punchy, and a little light on crowds. That was mostly true, except for the punchy business. Where was all the punchy? I think it might be on the decline with the loss of SE Hawthorne’s late-night venue the Tanker. That place always drew comedians who were down to clown. The open mic at My Father’s Place is intended to supplant the Tanker’s rowdy shenanigans, but I hope it picks up steam this weekend. Last night it just felt deflated and there weren’t enough comedians dropping by to refresh the stage. But there was some good stuff going on elsewhere:
The Festival Kick-Off at the Doug Fir was a great start. The lineup was thin (thanks, Obama), but the comics who made it, made up for it. Atlanta’s Dulcé Sloan was a blast, with bits about gay best friends and her ample bosom. She began my festival count of jokes about white people and beer:
Tally of white people jokes: |
Tally of beer jokes: ||
Others who killed (audiences, not puppies): Jackie Kashian, who is my spirit animal. Catch her Sunday show at Guardian Games at 8 pm. It’ll be very game-focused and probably spectacular. And I saw local comedian Gabe Dinger, who should really win Portland’s Funniest Person contest one of these years—he’s got a fan-fucking-tastic joke about LeVar Burton’s roles in Roots and Star Trek that must be heard, post haste.
A few other odds and ends: Chad Daniels is a very funny bro-dad who did a great set about his disgusting 15-year-old son. And you might have to maim someone to ensure you get into Saturday’s Tinkle Twins show at the Norse Hall, just to catch the delightfully spastic performance by MADtv‘s Arden Myrin. I saw her last night and she was pepped to the gills.
On tonight’s docket: Kill Rock Stars Presents with Kurt Braunohler (!) and Kyle Kinane (!!) at the Doug Fir at 11 pm, and some sets at Boogie’s Burgers. Join me, won’t you?