By: Mary Cavaliere

I’ll be honest.  I was a little hesitant about watching this season of Last Comic Standing.  I was pretty disappointed last year when Ralph Harris was voted off way too early and when Lavell Crawford didn’t win.  They were my two favorites.   But I love stand-up comedy, and we have a small comedy club a few miles away where many of these headliners end up playing after the show, so I figured I’d tune in once again.

This year the judges are being pulled from other NBC hit shows.  I think that’s a little biased but I’m guessing the network is hoping for more people to tune in than those that are only familiar with stand-up comics who have been doing the judging in the past.

Season 6 auditions began at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City.  The judges were Richard Belzer, a former stand-up comic and an actor on Law & Order, and Steve Schirripa who they said was from the Tonight Show, but most of you will remember him as Bobby Baccaliere on HBO’s The Sopranos.   I’m not sure how he qualified to be a stand-up comedy judge, but I can say I enjoyed it when he would immediately disqualify a contestant if he made jokes about killing a baby.  As a mother I appreciate that Steve!  You are right, those kinds of jokes are not funny.

The talent that stood out for me in New York City was God’s Pottery, two guys who poke fun at born-again Christianity in a Smothers Brothers style format.  They were hysterical and I’m really happy they made it through to the finals.

Auditions then moved to The Improv in Tempe, Arizona.  The featured judges were Fred Willard who they also said was from The Tonight Show, but I know him as a comedic actor who’s been around on television and film for decades.  The other judge was Kathy Najimy who is also a comedic actress from Veronica’s Closet, a show I’ve never even heard of.  Most of you might remember Kathy as Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act with Whoopie Goldberg.

My favorite of the night in Tempe was Marcus, a brilliant impressionist from Utah who also made it through to the finals.  I am in awe of this man’s talent!

You can read more of Mary’s television blogs at www.myspace.com/italiangirl57


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