“Here's something you never hear: Now that I've worked through all of my emotional issues, I'm free to dedicate my life to ventriloquism!”
- Dana Gould
No matter what you're talking about, there's always exceptions, right? I before e except after c…there are many exceptions to that. A platypus is a mammal but it lays eggs instead of giving live birth. Exception.
And so it is with my lifelong passion for standup comedy. I certainly have preferences for the comedic style of the standup comic. My tolerance for the lazy use of cussing has grown thin. That might seem odd for someone who grew up idolizing Richard Pryor's standup chops, but he was a true artist with language. Lots of lesser talents drop bombs every other word to cover for their weak material. It gets tiresome. But still, most any good standup I will watch preform their craft. There are two exceptions, however. I cannot abide magic or ventriloquism/puppets. I know it takes great skill to be good at those two things, but nope, I have zero interest. I wouldn't even watch Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop on TV when I was a 4th grader. YAWN. I was waiting for David Steinberg on The Tonight Show.
So, If either of those things is something you're into, right on. They're just not my bag.
Magic as a topic in music, though, can be a fine metaphor. Here are three fellas that have made good use of it.
Anything I need to know?