|
This is a collection of Reviews Ive found on the one and only, Doug Stanhope. He is a hot, dark, humorous, horny, anarchist who I love. But not in a scary stalker way. Haha. The reviews are followed by a couple of interviews with him, they are very funny and show himself very well.
-Die laughing is the almost complete transformation of Stanhope from a autobiographical comic ("Sicko" is basically just all stories from his life) to one as a social critquer of our society. I personally believe Stanhope is at his best when he's doing an almost even mix of the two, as "A little something to take the edge off" was. This cd leaves the listener feeling angry at the end, which is how Doug probably intended for it to turn out, almost like talk radio does. That is not to say this cd is not funny, Stanhope on his worst day could blow the socks off of any other living comic (maybe even Hicks?) and this cd delivers many of those laugh at loud outrageous off the cuff comments you've come to expect of Stanhope. Just the theme is a little too dark. If you have Stanhope's other cds and are very familiar with him then buy this one immediately. If you are a beginner I would recommend "Something to take the edge off" first, then "Sicko" and then this cd. It's not for people who are just beginning to study the brilliance and art of Stanhope's work. (Believe me, it is truly brilliant and it is art)-
- More outrageous, perverse, X-rated and yet at the same time, touching and poignant humor from America's hardest touring comic. Doug Stanhope's great delivery and keen grasp of the absurd and the profane will have even the prude next to you busting up. Put the kids to bed and warn the neighbors before you put in these discs.-
-Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He's also one of the most twisted individuals I've ever met, but that's part of his charm. He's one of those comics that doesn't make shit up. He lives a mad, mad life and what he remembers he reports back to us. He's been known to bare his soul, and other things, right there on the stage. If you're easily offended, stay home this week. Watch Matlock or something. But if you like your comedy rough, raw, and rowdy, there's no one better than Doug Stanhope. Have I made myself clear?-
-For those of you haven't heard of him, Doug Stanhope is one of the most talented and outrageous comedians working stand-up today. A gifted storyteller and writer, Stanhope mines his prodigious libido and colorful life as sources for his comedy. Less autobiographical than his earlier "Sicko" (I haven't listened to his other albums), the appropriately titled "Die Laughing" finds Stanhope injecting a dose of brutal nihilism into his raunchy material. I laughed, and I laughed hard, but I certainly wasn't in a happy mood after hearing the material on this album. Stanhope is often compared to the late, great Bill Hicks, and that is in some ways an apt comparison. Both men were enemies of the forces of hypocrisy and reaction, clever satirists of the human condition, and razor-sharp storytellers and comedians. Hicks' comedy, however, though often dark and aggressive, was leavened by his belief in human evolutionary potential. By contrast, Stanhope's material is far darker, for he evinces no faith in anything beyond sex, death, and human stupidity. Hearing this album, I could almost picture Stanhope killing himself on stage as a final punch line. This isn't meant as a criticism of Stanhope's material, since its not for me to sentimentalize the purity of his vision or his role as an artist. . . Anyway, don't let the way-too pretentious blather in this review stop you from buying this album. Stanhope is a comic treasure.-
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Doug has been a standup comic for many years. He has been seen on Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and Louie Anderson's Comedy Showcase. After Jackie Martling left the "Howard Stern Radio Show," Doug got the chance to fill in.
Doug was nice enough to grant us an interview about his life in comedy and filling in on the "Howard Stern Radio Show."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What city are you in right now?
Seattle, Working
Your act is pretty macho, what's the girliest thing you do in real life?
Get stuffed in the ass with my girlfriends dildo. I guess you could call
that girlie-ish.
That's more gay than girlie, butt whatever.
How much does a guy like you get laid on the road?
Not nearly as much as a Jim Carrey/Jerry Sienfeld type that's cute and non-threatening, but far more than a fat pool cleaner.
Other than the occasional groupie are there any other advantages to being on the road?
When you fuck up there are fewer apologies to make.
I found doing standup as one of the most demoralizing, baring your soul in front of strangers, so they can pee on you experiences of my life, has your experience been more positive than that?
I find my need to bare my soul more demoralizing than the fact that people don't give a fuck. How can you expect them to? My experiences have been good overall although there are points I will look back at in horror.
On your web site, you have your "Best of the Road" series, where you list a lot of your favorites places you've encountered while you're on the road. So why is Mary's (Portland, OR) the best titty bar?
Kinda skeezy corner bar you'd hang out in anyway, just happens to have a few naked chicks that rotate on a small stage. Play the jukebox to dance to, pass the hat every now and again for juke money. Chick owned with slots and a pool table. Sweet.
I'm surprised. I thought it was more like handjobs in the bathroom and a shot and a beer is $1.25.
How were you able to hook up a fill in gig for "Jackie The Joke Man" on the "Howard Stern Radio Show?"
Sent my CD's a couple times. Eventually they played a track of one. Shortly thereafter I heard they were looking to fill a seat so I called Gary and set up a day to sit in. I then went on and promptly froze like a computer with too many programs going.
When you came in to fill in, what were they looking for you to do? Did they give you any kind of guidance?
They were incredibly supportive, far more than I was expecting. I don't think they exactly knew what they wanted me to do aside from try to find a way to fit in and be the best at what I do. I never did get that loose.
Is it hard to be funny at 6:00 a.m.?
Depends on the environment. Sometimes you're funnier at 6 am.
After all the time you've spent on stage, is it hard not to be bitter about
the fact you don't have your own TV show?
Actually it is hard, which sucks considering I don't really have a desire to have any kind of sitcom. But you get into a place where you're judging yourself on that barometer, getting disheartened when people you hate get shows when the fact is that those shows suck and those people remain unfunny.
Is there anything else you'd like people to know about you or your act?
You can get my stuff on Napster or buy it at my website
www.dougstanhope.com. I have two CD's, Sicko and Something To Take the Edge Off. There's a third out there that is a resounding piece of shit I did for a record company years ago that still haunts me. Its called The Great White Stanhope. Stay away from it.
Ready for the lightning round? Yes. Yes I am.
Favorite food? Sushi - eel
Favorite Position? Girl on top, jockey style, squatting so as to create minimal contact save for the genitalia. Like an effortless blowjob in a toothless mouth.
Favorite sound? Wet shit sounds always make me laugh.
Favorite movie? Breakfast Club, Fight Club, Some Kind of Wonderful, 9th Configuration, many others. These just came to mind.
Real or Fake? I'd rather have a nice fake tit than an ugly real one.
Boxers or Briefs? Jockeyboxers or Freeball
Dinette set or trip to Europe? Trip. Good times always over good things.
Ability to fly or become invisible? Ooh fuck. Great question. I'll go with fly. I don't seem to be far off from invisible right now.
http://www.ugtv.org/dougstanhope.shtml
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*
|
There's really no good way for me to do this intro without sounding like I'm deifying Doug Stanhope. But the fact of the matter is I became a rabid fan as soon as I heard him, even more so since I first met him about a year ago. With a wit that's equal parts rapier and fucking sledgehammer, his performances have shaken me awake like exorcisms, leaving me angrier, more aware, and in hysterics.
He's a smart, bitter, brutally funny motherfucker whose voice deserves to be heard by anyone who likes their comedy strong and served with a mouthful of bile. I recently got a chance to interview him regarding his newfound co-host spot on Comedy Central's "The Man Show", the comparisons he draws to Bill Hicks, and the concept of "Liberty in our Lifetime".
I had heard rumors attaching Joe Rogan to The Man Show. How did you get involved?
I got a call from my agent, auditioned and then got partnered up with Joe. Pretty simple affair.
Is there going to be a change in format? Are you going to be allowed to chain smoke on the show as you do onstage?
They haven't even hired the staff fully so I have no idea what we're going to be able to get away with.
I think like a lot of great comics, you most likely hate a pretty high percentage of the comedy that's out there. Who are some people currently doing standup who you feel are actually "artists of the craft", for lack of a better term?
There's a lot but unfortunately you probably wouldn't a lot of recognize the names. Sean Rouse, Andy Andrist, Mitch Hedberg, Dave Attell, Brian Holtzman, Jim Gaffigan, Nick DiPaolo and of course Joe Rogan. There's shitloads more.
What were the last album you heard, book you read, and movie you saw that you thought were amazing?
I'm reading The Coming Anarchy right now but I can't remember the author. The last movie I saw in a theater was the Royal Tennenbaums and I only went because I was trying to fuck a girl (now my wife). I avoid theaters when at all possible, being a smoker and all. I think the last CD I bought was the first Counting Crows about 9 years ago. Music is annoying most of the time.
One of the most flattering, but most tired comparisons to you that I hear is with regards to Bill Hicks. Although I see that with respect to a certain fearlessness and social relevance, a lot of people feel that Bill's comedy was driven by an underlying societal optimism. In contrast, I get the sense that your comedy is more driven by an itch. Something bothers you, so you talk about it. Is that a fair statement?
I've heard that said about Hicks a few times and never really spotted him as an optimist but I was really looking for it either. But yes, I talk about things that bother me and fortunately a lot of things do. Unfortunately a lot of the things that really do bother me are hack premises. There plenty of everyday shit that makes irritates me far more than anything that could ever happen in Iraq but it's all been done. Yelling about the state of the world may give you the illusion that you are socially relevant but you're really just a high-brow football fan. You yell for what you believe but you're not really going change the outcome.
As fiercely as you believe certain things and as openly as you talk about them, there has to be people in the audience who get angrily offended. Has something like that ever led to a screaming match or a physical confrontation after a show?
Most people who have a problem with me usually just leave and occasionally yell something on their way out. That's as confrontational as it gets, usually. I don't have a lot of points that can be, at root, easily disputed. You may disagree with the end result but you can't argue with the basis most of the time.
You walked into the month-long Edinburgh Comedy Festival last year, did a few late night dates, and walked away with the Critics' Choice Award for the Edinburgh Fringe. Are European audiences fundamentally different than American ones in what they'll laugh at, or what they're willing to hear?
Hang on, I'm going to grab a beer
I think I went over well partly because I was viewed as anti-American. That's a good sell in a lot of countries right now. The problem is that I'm anti-government of all kinds, it just happens that I'm from the United States. The nationalism in the UK is far worse from what I saw. If I preach anything it's individualism. Everyone's a fucking gang member.
This is a pretty "Inside the Actor's Studio" question, but is there anything that offends you?
Nothing that I can think of. Things piss me off. Humanity is overall depressing but I can't really say offensive. I listen to shitheads on talk radio just to have arguments in my head and I go insane with the flawed theories and rhetorical vitriol but I can't say that I'm offended as much as negatively entertained. Police offend me. And really bad commercials, like the Carls Jr commercials with people chewing loud and sloppy. Mouth noises, they offend me.
At what point, if ever, does humor cross the line? At what point do you draw it?
I can't think of any point, though I have drawn the line when I thought there was a high probability of violence.
One of the things about your performances that has repeatedly struck me is how conversational it all seems. It's hard to pluck out, at least for me, the "setup-punchline" format with respect to what people laugh at in your act. Do you take the stage with a set in mind, or do you sort of freeball it and go where the act takes you, putting in your bits where they seem to fit?
Depends, but mostly I wing it. Wing it in the sense that I usually know what I want to talk about towards the front and then the rest of the bits fall where they may.
What are the best and worst clubs you've performed in, and why?
I've been on the road too long to have superlatives. At some point you no longer have a favorite band cuz you've heard too many.
I know you're a supporter, but I'm interested in hearing you articulate your opinions regarding the Free State Project. How was it brought to your attention?
Someone sent me a link. It sounded like a great idea. After that, why go below the surface? I'm actually trying to learn more about the Libertarian Party. It's easy to hear "Legalized drugs and prostitution and no income tax" and sign right up but the whole economic side of it I'm not clear on. I just read their "Concise Guide To Economics" and it reads like a children's book - written by a child molester. I don't really get economics anyway but I just read Grapes of Wrath and the "Concise Guide to Economics" sounded like it was written by the growers.
Regardless, the Free State Project sound like the only way you'll see anything like their slogan - "Liberty in Our Lifetime". The idea is to get 20,000 people to move to a lowly populated state and take over. Repeal income tax, all vice laws and most government involvement in private lives. People in this country act - again - like this the country is a sports team. Just because you're on top, why try to do better. If anything, people try to make it less free in order to save the standing.
But people suck - on the large scale - and they want to be led and they want to be cared for. That's why democracy is a flawed theory. On a balanced field, stupid people and mediocre minds out-vote smart people two to one. Therefore, the people and laws that win elections should range between stupid and mediocre.
Personally, I don't want a leader. Where does that vote go? So far, Free State Project is the best idea I've heard.
You can keep up on Doug's happenings and find out more about him at www.dougstanhope.com. More information regarding the Free State Project can be obtained at www.freestateproject.org.
My understanding is that Man Show episodes starring Joe Rogan and Doug Stanhope will begin airing in August. |
|
|
source: Personal Interview |
|
http://www.eightballmagazine.com/crashland/2003/032003.htm
|
