Theatre in Review

Wednesday, 07 December 2011 18:00

Cruel to be Kind; Lisa Lampanelli is the Don Rickles of Our Generation Featured

 

Lisa Lampanelli really killed it from beginning to end during her sold out comedy concert at The Venue in Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino.

 

As she began her usual rant hitting on every race, sexual orientation, religion and minority group, she mentioned that the Hammond casino crowd of 3000 was “cute, not as ugly as she expected”, and called out for a show of hands on any Jews in the house. Seeing as I was in Hammond, Indiana, alone in an empty row reserved for reviewers - I was the only one who raised my hand.

“Oh great, only ONE Jew in the house!” she roared and mentioned that she would, “Appreciate a booking in CHICAGO!”

 

I absolutely love her appearances on the Comedy Central Roasts, where she has really set the tone and pace and her monologues are very memorable.

 

It's true she is one of the most insult driven comics out there, but it's also so obvious that she is doing the “Don Rickles - Mr. Warmth” thing by throwing the audiences' own prejudice and massive generalizations about all of these groups right back in their faces so that they can laugh at the sheer nonsense of hatred based on stereotypes. “As a professional comic, I only make fun of ethnic and other groups that I love- that's why you never see me making French jokes.” And on gays, “Gays love powerful, talented women, they just don't like their vagina's. If I saw a drag queen dressed as me I would be elated. It's like being inducted into the gay Hall of Fame - except the ceremony is in a Denny's men's room.”

 

Lisa shared a great example of the healing power of this type of comedy - when done right - about Zsa Zsa Gabor’s leg amputation earlier in 2011. When Lampanelli joked about the leg a little “too soon” for critics, Zsa Zsa sent Lisa a funny personal note back, saying how much she actually laughed and appreciated the attention at that difficult time.

 

Lisa recently met and married a great man - with great big balls apparently - because his nickname is Jimmy “Big Balls”.  A good portion of her hysterical set was devoted to describing his monstrous package. “Honestly, these freaking balls are disgusting, they're H-U-G-E!!!” I think this newfound love is the reason Lampanelli recently lost 30 pounds and seems well, a lot more “girly” and dare I say happy?  

 

At the end of the show Lampanelli announced that she will have her own show on Broadway next year and sang a show tune about not wanting to be “mean” anymore but I really hope she doesn't give up her astounding reign as the “Queen of Mean”. 

 

Women in general are so repressed and restricted from expressing anger, disgust and a vast array of  “socially unacceptable” topics in their daily lives. We all need Lisa Lampanelli's comedy to remind us it's perfectly okay to let off that steam, it feels great to let it out, especially if you can make it funny. Lampanelli has inspired this Jew to let out a little mean here and there too.

 

For more information on Lisa Lampanelli on tour: www.insultcomic.com

Last modified on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 17:05

 

 

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