LEWIS BLACK performing Friday to Sunday (April 24 to 26) at the Winter Garden Theatre (189 Yonge), 8 pm. $47.25-?$57.25. 416-870-8000, ticketmaster.ca. See listing.
I’m looking for funny in my conversation with Lewis Black and I’m just not getting it.
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He’s personable enough and not drenched in ego shtick and neuroses the way many stand-ups are, but as he talks about his life as a political ranter, there’s very little comic relief.
“Toronto’s the only city I’ve been in that I could eat off the sidewalk,” he says, clad in a grey suit and sitting in one of the green rooms at the Winter Garden, where he’s doing a three-night stand beginning Friday. “I like the neighbourhood aspect. It’s just a pity that it doesn’t have a better climate.”
When I invite him to rant on the subject of America’s health care system, he can’t seem to get going, complaining fairly feebly about how many insurance forms he has to fill out.
I’m not laughing yet.
But maybe Black saves the big yuks for the stage and only aims to elicit a chuckle or two in conversation.
He’s smart and thoughtful on the subject of how comedy and news have begun to interact and the profound effect that’s having on political thinking in America. Jon Stewart, who gave Black his break on The Daily Show, can go too far, says Black. Take Stewart’s infamous attack on MSNBC financial analyst Jim Cramer.
“Jon’s great when he’s interviewing someone political and maintains that humour. He’s done for political comedy what Carson did for celebrity comedy. You have a sense of what it’s gonna feel like when Stewart does what he does, but it butts right up against the danger zone,” he says, his gravelly voice crackling.
According to Black, comics enter the danger zone when their anger feels so real that audiences begin to resist. That’s why Black doesn’t often risk an off-the-cuff rant sparked by his own rage.
“The audience isn’t going to take real anger,” he claims. “I’ve done that. When I blow up onstage without thinking it through, there’s a palpable difference between that and what I usually do. It’s the difference between expressing rage and outrage. It’s when you slip into real anger – which Jon did with Cramer – that you can feel the audience pulling back.”
As for the satire potential in the Obama presidency, Black’s more hopeful than others who are desperately seeking the comic hook.
“What will become the satire is his earnestness and that he talks too much,” Black predicts.
When it comes to making Canada the butt of jokes, Black’s been playing it safe for a long time – but with good reason.
“For eight years I’ve seen Canada as my option out, so I’ve kept my comments to a minimum, but now that I don’t need the option so much, that could change. Up until now, my material about Canada has been based on convincing Canadians that we’re not insane.”
And if he couldn’t turn to the art of comic ranting to get his anger out, what would he be doing?
“I thought teaching was what I wanted to do, so I guess if I weren’t doing this I’d be screaming at students.”
Interview Clips
Black on the uselessness of the democrats
On when anger is no longer funny
On the perils of play writing
susanc@nowtoronto.com
