tip of the hat

Still in a mode of catching up on this Tip of the Hat feature that we’ve taken off for a few months, we’d next like to bestow the honor on the one and only Jesse Case. Those of you that have been lucky enough to catch Jesse on the road, frequenters of the LA comedy scene, and avid fans of the now defunct reality competition series Last Comic Standing might know who Case is, but many outside unfortunately don’t know of his comedic brilliance.

It’s one thing to say that we’ve seen Jesse Case absolutely have two audience members rolling in their seats that are surrounded by completely empty tables and booths, but’s it’s definitely a whole other thing to see it happen live. While there are plenty of talented stand-ups and performers in the Los Angeles area, few possess the ability to bring a show that’s a couple of audience members from being a showcase of the existential condition to something that’s undeniably hilarious. In short, Jesse Case has that “ringer” ability. 

Whether it be a dive bar, an AA recovery hall, a comedy club, a 500 seat theater, the 2nd floor of a Chinese restaurant, or something else, Case has an act that not only we’ve seen destroy, but one that we can almost quote word-for-word and yet, still laugh hard when he tells it. Largely by playing any and all such places, Jesse has honed his comedy to be that funny. Case, much like Dave Attell who barely told anybody in the weeks preceding the premiere of Dave’s Old Porn that it was happening, is more concerned with his comedy than anything else. That’s why you’ll be hard-pressed to find a clip of his stand-up online, which we would normally feature after this paragraph, but, due to Case focusing on going out every night and tweaking every bit of his jokes to perfection, we, alas, have nothing to show you.

Take our word for it or ask local comics that perform regularly and they’ll tell you the same as is written here.

One of the sharpest observers of what’s taken for granted in comedy, Case exhibits exactly how a hilarious 5 minute bit can derived by a mind shrewd enough to see it from the simplest observations such as Christian bands only singing about being Christian and nothing else or the diagrams on the wall in the hospital examination room. Jesse has, for our money, one of the best jokes of 2011 and it isn’t some unbelievable 10 minute story on how he inadvertently got caught in the mob or a brilliant, well-crafted rant on love. It actually only has one punchline and, for the sake of how great it is, we’re not going to tell you anymore. 

Just seek him out on whatever show that has him wisely on the line-up. Follow @jessecase on Twitter or check back at the Comedy Bureau to see him in the several shows that he’s performing at in the Greater LA area and beyond.

It’s been over 5 months since we’ve given our last Tip of the Hat, but, as has always been our problem, we’ve been vastly understaffed. Yet, we won’t get into what departments we had to cut in order to come under budget because this latest Tip of the Hat going to Portland based comedienne Kristine Levine is well overdue.

Also, she’s in town (in LA, that is, you know, where we’re based), which you should take advantage of catching her do a set.

I first caught her opening for Doug Stanhope a few months ago at the Main Room of the Comedy Store at which Stanhope let her perform over 30 min. and absolutely crushing the audience in laughter while doing it. Most headlining comics generally a) don’t let their openers do that much time and b) get openers that do well, but don’t “crush”. Of course, Stanhope, who fears almost nothing when taking the stage, especially at his own show, let Levine, who probably no one in LA knew and largely still doesn’t (we’re hoping to change that), go through what many LA-based comedy venues would consider headlining and going to Jeselnik’s famed “applause break city”.

As far as comedic prowess goes, that’s definitely counts as that proverbial “saying something”.

Combing through her bio, you’ll find a brief comparison to “a brutal cross between Lenny Bruce and Roseanne Barr” which you can only reconcile in your brain by watching her live. As she’ll tell you, she’s an overweight porn clerk (which is hilarious as that’s the first time we’ve ever heard that job title said that way) and a proud mother of three kids, which has made for an incredible well to draw from in her brand of comedy. It’s debatable whether honesty makes for the best comedy, but Levine certainly makes a damn good case for it being so by telling stories and observing motherhood, romance, and the oddities of life with the only filter being that it’s undeniably hilarious. If only all those journalists, essayists, and bloggers that continue the discourse on women being funny would see Levine, they’d probably switch their focus to how funny pornography, especially when discussed sincerely, can be.

Not to sound like a host introducing her at a live show, but she does tour the country, you’ve might have caught her in an episode of Portlandia, and she will be in what will undoubtedly be a highly anticipated comedy documentary, The Unbookables, very soon.

Like we mentioned earlier, Kristine is in town and can be seen opening for Stanhope in both Irvine (Wed.) and Brea (Thurs.) as well as tonight, in her element, at the famous (or infamous if you like) Pleasure Chest at Performance Anxiety tonight at 8PM along with several other shows throughout the city until Dec. 16th. Check back here at the Comedy Bureau for her upcoming dates or follow her on Twitter @KristineLevine.