Another Stand-up Comedian Post...

July 17, 2008 12:05 PM

Based on the current influx of questions about stand-up comedians, I've been reminded of a question that has been plaguing me for a while. But unfortunately, I don't have much information. - Male. 40+ yrs old. Dressed plainly. - Opened for Lewis Black at the Univ. of Connecticut in the Fall/Winter of 2006 or 2007 - Shtick was borderline psychotic. Like he was extremely angry and ready to snap. Genuinely scared me a little at the beginning. He never really left this personality. - Worked the crowd a little and even left the stage to walk through the crowd. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
posted by coolin86 to grab bag (6 comments total)

John Bowman, I think.
See here.

(Found by searching google news for 2005-2006 for '"Lewis Black" tour Connecticut'.)
posted by inigo2 at 12:15 PM on July 17, 2008

picture at bottom

...might help to differentiate "plainly dressed" in the future.
posted by rhizome at 12:17 PM on July 17, 2008

Wow good thinking on that search. That is definitely him.

More here:
http://www.standuprecords.com/johnbowman.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcTyeoEtFHM - old video, different personality

Thanks so much! And he is highly recommended if anybody ever sees him.
posted by coolin86 at 12:26 PM on July 17, 2008

Wow good thinking on that search
Thanks! For what it's worth, it wasn't my first try. But hey, this is what I get accomplished when I have a raging headache at work...
posted by inigo2 at 1:04 PM on July 17, 2008

Depending on John Bowman's mood at the time of the show you'll get either a more laid back guy or a more psychotic guy but there's always an edge of anxiety/high strungness present. A lot of the time when he goes out into the audience it's for conversation and hugs. You can download his album "In Stink" from itunes. (I particularly recommend the track titled, "Matt.")

John Bowman was also largely responsible for writing the Lewis Black segments that appeared on Inside the NFL before HBO shitcanned the show...at this point in time he's producing Lewis Black's Root of All Evil and still touring with Lewis Black.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:14 PM on July 17, 2008

Bowman also writes a lot of Lew's material... or at least helps conceive it, since not much gets written down. Seeing him perform reminds you why live comedy is so enduring and special -- you never know what you're gonna get: a belly laugh, or stabbed in the heart.
posted by turducken at 9:22 PM on July 17, 2008