Saturday, November 17, 2012

Doug Stanhope: Before Turning The Gun On Himself

Doug Stanhope is an acquired taste, and you will know if you have acquired it within in a few minutes of his stand-up performance. If you are a fan, you’ll be in Stanhope heaven watching this set, recorded in Salt Lake City. Stanhope is as abrasive as ever, but he’s also sharper than ever, whether he’s skewering the cult of celebrity rehabilitation of arguing the “Keynesian Economic Theory as Applied to Private Sector Independent Contracting” (one of the show’s funniest bits). The fact that he can offend as he enlightens is a rare gift for any performer, and it is fun to wonder which Stanhope enjoys more. (His fans, at least at this show, seem to prefer the more grating style of his personality.) And if you are not a fan … give him another chance. Yes, he may say things that will keep you awake at night if you are easily offended, but he will also make you laugh if you relax and let him.

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