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June 19, 2009/The Lakeshore Theater

I think the Just for Laughs Chicago festival had the right idea creating "Double Threat," a dual showcase show for comedians Danny Bhoy and Jim Breuer. I'm not sure either would have been a big enough draw to have their own shows in the fest, but placing them within the confines of a larger, five-comic showcase wouldn't have given audiences enough time to get to know either comedian.


Both are worth getting to know.

Scottish comedian Danny Bhoy took the stage first (calling this performance his first ever in the United States), opening with six or seven minutes of unscripted riffing. It got things off to an excellent start, showing off Bhoy's alarmingly quick wit and innate likability; he teased members of the audience (though was never mean spirited -- amazing where a Scottish accent will get you) and ragged entire rows of people for arriving late. He was fast and charming, and I was excited to be discovering this new comedic talent.

Once he settled into his scripted act, however, things slowed down quite a bit. His act -- which focused largely on the cultural differences he's been discovering upon arriving in America -- still had sporadic laughs and Bhoy remained quite charming, but it lacked the invention of the early moments. It wasn't just that his opening was strong; it was that the audience was aware he was creating it as he went along. Once that novelty had been taken away, Bhoy began to seem like too many other comics.

Filling out the back half of "Double Threat" was former Saturday Night Live cast member (and host of his own show on SIRIUS/XM Radio) Jim Breuer. Certainly the bigger name of the two, Breuer arrived on stage looking disheveled (his flight had arrived late) and spent a good deal of his opening addressing the fact that he looks that way all the time; despite his role in Half Baked, he isn't high all the time. He did a few excellent impressions of Dave Chappelle and Tracy Morgan, too. I give him credit for not pandering by whipping out his famous Joe Pesci.

What I liked most about Breuer is that found interesting ways to trade on his celebrity beyond just "Hey, remember me from...?" It would have been impossible for him not to acknowledge his role in Half Baked (likely where most of the audience remembers him from) or his days on SNL. Instead of just making references to win favor, he built on those expectations and integrated them into his act, telling funny stories about shooting the now-famous stoner comedy and how his "Goat Boy" character came to be. He still gave the crowd what they wanted, but made it work and never took the easy way out.

The rest of Breuer's set was devoted to observations about marriage and parenting. While still enjoyable, much of it relied on physicality, loud noises and a good deal of mugging. It went over big with the crowd, but I have to admit that I was enjoying it more when he was just talking to us. That's just me, and I know that.

Grade: B-