CD Review
Danny Lobell: Some Kind of Comedian
3 stars (out of 5)
Danny Lobell can be fierce and subject his listeners to sharp edges. There’s not a ready concern for the possibly offended, but cleverness and surprise may outweigh the almost-cruel approach. At its best, Lobell’s bluntness bursts through a racial or social taboo like a high school football team storming through a banner, political correctness being the trampled cheer leader.
Moral ambiguity has its place in comedy, enjoying Some Kind of Comedian will depend upon embracing the pure fun of the jokes and worrying less about the lessons of Aesop’s Fables and the importance of being nice. Under the right light his taunting portrayals of Middle Eastern folks on public transportation refer in flamboyant pageantry to trends of racism and paranoia, but it’s more fair to consider Lobell’s absurd premises, bits about faux terrorists who serve mango juice on non-American airplanes or create a scene to acquire the most desirable seats on public buses, as circus like stunts constructed with the available lumber of societal tension and discomfort.
Many of the jokes are quite clever and even the most defensive listener would be taxed to stifle a chuckle here or there. There is also some material from some truly absurd part of Lobell’s mind, like the impromptu beginning of a romance novel narration of his sexual encounter with a homeless mermaid. Yes, that’s right, and it’s a great bit.
Unfortunately, the trespasses of insensitive pieces that don’t pack enough of a laugh create an indifferent feeling. But there is a notable amount of ingenuity and risk-taking that is enjoyable, especially given the array of maniac characters and voices which make appearances throughout Some Kind of Comedian, such as the world’s worst bible salesman, a Yiddish grandfather with a folk version of “Humpty Dumpty,” and a very brief, to the point Scottish concierge.
