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Colin Quinn Carolina Dates One in Every Crowd

I have been neglecting this site, but wanted to begin posting again. Today I wanted to share the most recent images from Colin Quinn's One in Every Crowd Tour. This weekend Mr. Quinn is appearing in North and South Carolina so I will share the images for Ashville, Charlotte, and Charleston dates. (With a bonus Charlotte image) Remember to check Colin Quinn's site for upcoming dates of his tour. www.colinquinn.com
 

 

The Chip Chipperson Phenomenon

Self-awareness is not a strength for many people in this age of social media. Self-aggrandizing posts attempting to make marginal lives seem extraordinary are the norm, and no one embodies this as a person more purely than Chip Chipperson. Granted Chip is not a real person, but his personification of the current zeitgeist is undeniable. Chip is the type of person you would absolutely revile if you experienced him in your daily life, he takes all the unattractive traits inside each of us and amplifies them: the desperate desire to be loved, the denial of our own faults and failings, and a disgusting over confidence in his own mediocrity. This adds up to the ability to exist inside a world of his own creation where he lives in an uneasy denial of his Mother’s amorous activities while bedding numerous Hollywood starlets himself without even knowing their proper names. This parallels our own online existences where we selectively edit our lives for public consumption (Hey, cut that part out.)

I think part of the reason people are drawn to Chip is that he absolves us of the aforementioned sins (even if it takes place on a subconscious level). I think this absolution is some part of what creates the cult like devotion to Chip. I cannot imagine the disgust Chip’s success elicits in the minds of established comedians that struggle to receive the recognition and acclaim they so richly deserve. Keep in mind Jim Norton is a great comedian himself, but to have a character that he has brought to life for years now take on this status has to be a shock even to him. Though I am sure he delights in the love showered on Chip, especially as it horrifies his fellow comedians. Chip is the Rupert Pupkin of our day.

I believe I have heard multiple comedians say their job is to find humor in our universal experiences. I believe this is exactly what Jim Norton has done with Chip; even if the audience doesn’t consciously recognize this. Which means there is probably a little more Chip in all of us than we would like to admit. 

Keeping Joe Podcast

Social media has given us access to more entertainment options than ever before, which is great, but it makes it all the more difficult to find quality entertainment. This is true nowhere more than in the field of comedy. It is difficult for the uninitiated to separate the wheat from the chaff with so many comedians on the scene, but thankfully there are still institutions you can turn to, to aid in the process. One such institution is the Comedy Cellar in New York City. The comedy Cellar has grown to be the premiere club in the world where the top comedians in the business go to hone their material. It is not unusual for comedic giants like Jerry Seinfeld or Dave Chappelle to drop in and deliver a set, but just as valuable and perhaps underappreciated is the fact that you can routinely see legends of stand up comedy like Colin Quinn and Dave Attell perform in the Cellar, or one of its satellite rooms, on a regular basis.

The Cellar is also where you can see the brightest young comics perform as well, three of which are on the Riotcast Network podcast Keeping Joe. (Riotcast is an online media company co-founded by Cellar regular Robert Kelly with a studio on the Comedy Cellar premises) The three aforementioned comedians are Sam Morril, Phil Hanley, and the show's name sake Joe Machi. In addition to the three comedians Liz Furiati the manager of the Comedy Cellar also appears on the show and brings a sense of balance. Another great feature of the podcast is the music of Colin Smith who has produced a number of song parodies for the shown (Mr. Smith is brilliantly talented and should be a household name). The podcast features comedy legends like Colin Quinn, Dave Attell, and Artie Lange as well as young comics like Mike Vecchione, Beth Stelling, and Anthony DeVito, all talking about their craft and experiences in the world of stand up. It is the perfect podcast for comedy fans and for anyone entertaining the idea of becoming a stand up comic. The podcast is available on iTune and on the Riotcast website.

Make sure if you are in New York city you visit on of the Comedy Cellars shows, but be sure to make reservations as they routinely sellout.