Last Comic Standing – My Very Guilty Pleasure

I suppose that as far as vices go, being addicted to ‘Last Comic Standing’ is not quite as bad as owning a crack pipe. But it is pretty damn close. Last comic standing is now in its 4th season, and it has suffered some serious problems in the seasons prior. Problems you say? How bad can they be? VERY BAD my friends, very bad indeed…

Let’s start with the host…

This show about struggling comedians trying desperately to make it was originally hosted by Jay Mohr, which is a beautiful piece of irony as Jay Mohr is the very dictionary definition of a ‘struggling comedian’ himself - For exactly how many years are you allowed to be introduced as the co-star of ‘Jerry Maguire’? Doesn’t this title have some sort of shelf life or ‘best before’ expiry date? Shouldn’t you have done something since then, other than sell shoes?

Not only did Jay Mohr seriously botch the finale of one the earlier seasons, he spoke out publicly against NBC’s appalling handling of the show (more on this in a moment) and got his ass fired as a result. To prevent such future outbursts, NBC in their Socratic like wisdom has decided to bring in new host Anthony Clarke, who’s previous jobs included being the paint that other people watched dry.

And how about the judging scandals?

Now the judges themselves are verging on scandalous. Their alumnus has included such notables as that really irritating host of Fear Factor, Buddy Hacket, and my personal seal of quality assurance – Cathy Griffith (Think ‘Suddenly Susan, Think ‘Average Joe’ Think ‘that crazy chick sniffing glue at the welfare office’).

And no one is actually clear on what the judges are actually doing on the show. With the exception of celebrity judge Drew Carry (no, that’s DREW Carry, not JIM Carry… Sorry) who staged an on air demonstration arguing that the network was picking ‘personalities’ instead of the best comedians [what a surprise…] these people do not appear to be doing ANYTHING other than having their names draped across the show’s credits.

Hell they even introduced Tim Meadows, this season’s guest judge, as the star of the BLOCKBUSTER HIT – ‘The Ladies Man’. Now I could be wrong, but didn’t that movie go ‘straight to betamax?’

And what about the Network?

If this show was the offspring of NBC then this network should have been charged with child abuse.

A sampling of the network's neglect:

• Switching the timing slots repeatedly.
• Publicly threatening to cancel the show.
• Rushing third season production to produce a steaming pile of ‘merde’.
• Canceling the show right before the finale, then selling the rights to Comedy Central to air the finale, and then RELEASING THE RESULTS before the public could watch the episode!

NBC should be ‘proud as a peacock’ over their handling of this one.

And we mustn’t forget those who went on to…um… ‘Fame and Fortune’?

Or more likely obscurity and a newly acquired nasty coke habit. I think the last time anyone actually saw season one winner Dat Phan was when they were ordering a burger at a Wendy’s late night drive through… Alonso Boden and John Hefron, while both talented comedians, have not exactly been catapulted to fame and fortune as a result of this ‘coveted title.’

So why do I like the show now? Other than being a melodrama in the making and the anticipation of another train wreck of epic proportions, some of the comics on the show are actually pretty damn funny.