The Kungs of Comedy

We can think of billowing stacks of reasons to go see David Brenner do comedy. Among them: most appearances of any guest on The Tonight Show, four HBO specials, appeared on the last live Ed Sullivan Show, Philadelphia accent. We believe his accomplishments speak for themselves. However, no matter what the caliber of your brain, if you’re an actor and/or performer in Hollywood who has soldiered on past the age of 27, there is a 99 percent chance you’ll make efforts to appear younger. Or younger's gettin’-drunk-at-the-Hard-Rock-in-Vegas cousin, the dreaded "edgier." Brenner’s online bio includes the sentence: “Brenner began as a kid in the poor sections of South and West Philadelphia where he was a gang leader who used humor as a powerful weapon or a negotiating tool.” Which reeks of “the malt shop is neutral territory.” This ploy is totally silly -- and deceptively benign. Brenner is a sharp, observant, quick, funny guy. See him, as well as Page Hurwitz, Dan Naturman and Lisa Geduldig at any of the eight iterations of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy, Geduldig’s annual Jewish comedy festival held in Chinatown.
Thu., Dec. 25, 5 & 8:30 p.m., 2008