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Recovery in the News
Comedy Addiction Tour worth the trip
Doug MacCash
The Times-Picayune
August 3, 2007
Lead comedian Mark Lundholm and producer Todd Grove seemed dissatisfied after Tuesday's Comedy Addiction Tour performance at the Howlin' Wolf. It was the last of the work-in-progress previews before they take the irreverent four-man recovery-oriented show on a set of national dates.
Lundholm and Grove said they wanted the 90-minute show to hang together a bit better. They wanted each of the comedians' bits to be more reflective of the others. They wanted more personal anecdotes, more theater than standard standup. In music terms, it seems they're looking for a concept album not just a series of songs.
I say, relax. The work-in-progress is already pretty solid. The theme of a descent into substance abuse and the climb toward recovery holds things together as is.
In time the four comedians will come to play off one another's material more and more and the projected backgrounds and more deliberate staging that Lundholm and Grove have planned may lend the show the theatricality they crave.
The ensemble may achieve more harmony in time, but it's never going to be the comedy equivalent of a barber shop quartet -- nor should it be.
Truth is, no matter what, a comedy show is going to succeed or fail on the strength of its jokes. To be honest there were a couple of dry patches during Tuesday's show -- pardon the pun. And the comics need to back off the mike a little if they're going to shout -- some of the punch lines were obliterated by speaker roar. But by and large, the jokes and laughs flowed forcefully.
Here are a few of my favorites moments -- the printable ones.
Jesse Joyce said he's found that one of the best things about being sober, is being better able to determine if the person your kissing is a male or female, before such information becomes really crucial. Kurtis Matthews pointed out that addicts watch the television show "Intervention" as studiously as other people watch the Super Bowl.
Billy Robinson said that he'd read Jeffrey Dahmer had been in rehab. When, he mused, do you suppose Jeff D. knew his life had become unmanageable?
Lundholm discovered that he's able to be addicted to anything, even programmable television, which he believes was probably invented by a crack addict. Instead of relaxing, he obsessively changes channels, recording the things that he doesn't have time to watch, which doesn't really help because he doesn't have time to watch them.
The Comedy Addiction Tour is relatively blue, sometimes emotionally raw and relies on some knowledge of 12-step programs. There were a few sticky moments of solidarity between the comedians and audience -- many of whom seemed to personally relate to the recovery jokes, but the show isn't particularly preachy. And the fact that it was held in a bar lent the whole affair an acutely ironic atmosphere that snuffed out any possible sentimentality.
Lundholm said to expect the tour to return to New Orleans in March or April. My sober advice is, don't miss it.
For a taste of the show, visit:
http://www.comedyaddictiontour.com/page/page/4468766.htm
You can reach Doug MacCash at dmaccash@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3481.
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