STAND UP TUESDAYS: Nick Hoff

September 3rd, 2013

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 Nick Hoff’s comedy career. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

This week in Stand Up Tuesdays, we’re featuring the self-released debut DVD from Los Angeles-based comedian Nick Hoff, “Man of the House,”which just might be the closest experience you can have to being at a comedy show without actually leaving your house. Recorded live in Tuscon, Arizona, “Man of the House” offers a charismatic and witty hour of Hoff’s comedy – all while he unknowingly and unfortunately battles random table talk and noise coming from the back of the room, thanks to a forgotten camera mic.

It’s tough to get into Hoff’s set initially, mainly because it’s all but impossible to hear him over a very chatty crowd. The camera, clearly in the back of the room, manages to pick up on any and all sounds around it – which at times are loud enough to drown Hoff out entirely. The camera angles are unflattering as well, almost giving the overall experience a home-video-like feel – and a very accurate sensation of being at comedy show, complete with interrupting audience members.

But, enough with technicalities, let’s talk shop. Hoff has a very natural and relaxed stage presence which is fed nicely by his sheer likability – the comedian originally hails from Nebraska and oozes Midwestern charm. From Taco Bell employees to gay airplanes, Hoff is at his best when he’s acting out the characters in his jokes or playing on physical humor. He’s a fun guy to watch – and he works entirely clean, which isn’t always easy to pull off.

Nick Hoff’s “Man of the House”, while enjoyable from a comedic standpoint, is almost overshadowed by poor cinematography and audio mayhem (I literally wanted nothing more than to reach into my television and punch some people quiet) – which is very unfortunate, given Hoff is a genuinely funny guy. Hopefully we’ll get to see more from him soon, and he will have fired his camera guy. You can get your copy of Nick Hoff’s “Man of the House” via his website today.

Grade: C+