By: Mary Cavaliere

 

Richard Belzer (Law & Order) and Steve Schirripa (The Sopranos) returned as talent scouts for the Las Vegas semi-finals.  Thirty-two comics will compete for the title of Last Comic Standing.  Tonight the first sixteen performed at the Paris Las Vegas.  Below I've rated the comics with smiley faces.  If a comic received five X's  (the max) it means I was laughing out loud all by myself without the help of alcohol (unlike the Las Vegas audience who seemed to laugh at everything).

 

Adam Hunter ~ New York, NY = x x x

 

Phil Palisoul ~ Denver, CO = x

 

Jeff Dye ~ Seattle, WA = x x x x x

 

Erin Foley ~ New York, NY = x

 

Dan Naturman ~ Stamford, CT = x x

 

Lioz Shem Tov ~ Tel Aviv, Israel = x x x x

 

Dale Jones ~ Nashville, TN = x x x

 

Erin Jackson ~ Washington, DC = x x x x x

 

God's Pottery ~ Brooklen, NY = x x x x x

 

Ron G ~ Atlanta, GA = x

 

Drennon Davis ~ South Lake Tahoe, CA = x

 

Winston Spear ~ Toronto, Ontario = x x

 

Shazia Mirza  ~ London, England = x x x x

 

Paul Foot ~ Buckingsham, England = x x

 

Andi Smith ~ St. Louis, MO = x x

 

The Meehan Brothers ~ San Francisco, CA = x

 

Only five comics made it through to Hollywood and I'm pretty happy that Jeff Dye and God's Pottery are in the finals.   But is anyone as frustrated as I am that not one woman made it through?  Erin Jackson or Lioz Shem Tov belong in the finals.  The remaining three comics to make it through were Adam Hunter, Ron G, and Paul Foot.

 

I love Jeff Dye because this guy did an entire set on one topic rather than jumping from subject to subject like most comics which makes their act sound "performed" or contrived.  If Jeff can do an entire set (that's funny) just talking about the gym, that means he has thousands of acts to pull out of his hat and that,  my friend, is the sign of a true comic. 

 

As for God's Pottery, these two characters (if they are characters) that these comics have created are very memorable, unique, and fresh.  These guys could be the next Smothers Brothers (for those of you old enough to remember who they are).   Next week the remaining sixteen comics will compete before heading to Hollywood. 

 

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

For more Last Comic Standing Links visit Sirlinksalot.net