STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Doug Benson

August 30th, 2011

Angie Frissore

Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.

This week, Angie puts a spotlight on Doug Benson and his latest release, Potty Mouth. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

Comedian and stoner idol Doug Benson will release his fourth album, Potty Mouth on Aug. 30. Recorded on April 20 (4/20, the national pothead holiday), Potty Mouth is a full hour of everything we’ve come to love from Benson, and, as a bonus, includes all six episodes — totally uncensored — of Benson’s Comedy Central series, The Benson Interruption.

Benson, known for his love of weed and penchant for movies, is an utterly likable character – he’s able to connect with his audience on several levels (including reading live Tweets that he’s received from fans during his performances). He’s down to earth and approachable – the kind of guy you’d want to have around while hanging out (and not just so that he brings weed).

From the moment the crowd is greeted with Benson’s trademark, “Hey, everybody!” Benson has them hooked – and although he opens with a sight gag, he immediately makes light of it given that the show is being recorded (and not filmed).

“I hope there’s more visual humor on this album,” Benson jokes. “I love missing out on things.”

There’s something truly unique in Benson’s comedic style. Yes, there’s the slightly squinty, dazed pothead atmosphere to it, but it’s more than that. Benson takes crowd work to a whole new level in his almost conversational comedy. By the time he’s done reading random Tweets he’s gotten from fans, you’ve been made to feel like you’re sitting around with him, mocking mutual friends.

And Benson’s not your stereotypical pothead (well, almost) – he’s sharp as nails and has an immense wealth of knowledge and social awareness, which is what makes him stand out among other pothead comics. As basic and simple as he can make his humor be, he can also take it to a level that gives him an edge of expertise (even if it’s total bullshit).

But when it’s simple and crass, it’s oh-so-good, too.

Reading from a Post-It note, Benson details a sizeable list of excrement-related words that are allowed to be said on television, while the term shit still can’t be said.

“I’m gonna work on that bit and make it better for the second show,” he jokes, before assuring the crowd that it’s just for them.

Benson does make reference to his feature film, Super High Me, which almost seems unnecessary until he leads into a detailed description of his next movie concept – The Greatest Movie Ever Rolled –another film parodying a work by Morgan Spurlock. In the film, Benson does a tour where the shows help put money back into the budget to finish the movie about the tour. Got it? Good.

While anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Benson perform in the past four months will most definitely find almost all of the material on Potty Mouth familiar (Benson really does not stray from the material in his live sets, aside from Tweets), it’s still an hour of hilarity that is immensely enjoyable. And, with all six episodes of The Benson Interruption included on a bonus DVD, Potty Mouth is a must-have.