STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Myq Kaplan

May 20th, 2014

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

It’s been a wicked good year so far for comedy specials filmed in Boston, and the subject of this week’s Stand-Up Tuesdays will no doubt become a favorite for me. Comedian Myq Kaplan‘s new special, Small, Dork and Handsome was released today through New Wave Dynamics and is available on CD and to stream on Netflix.

And it’s just wonderful.

Filmed at The Wilbur Theatre in Boston, Small, Dork and Handsome features Kaplan’s brilliant word play ability and his trademark mock wimpy-guy attitude, all delivered at break-neck speed in a fashion I can only compare to watching an expertly-performed gymnastics routine. Each word that Kaplan speaks has a purpose and a place within his set, as the comedian masterfully juxtaposes perfect word combinations within larger jokes to create an entirely holistic set.

If you’ve ever watched a stand up performance and thought, “Hey, I could do that. I’m funny,” one viewing of “Small, Dork and Handsome” is enough to demonstrate the incredible skill and talent that actually goes into crafting a stand up routine. Kaplan never falters, not even when he’s off and running on a seemingly silly tangent. There is always a greater plan in store, and before you know it, Kaplan’s brought you full circle, leaving you almost awestruck.

One of my favorite aspects of Myq Kaplan is how utterly intelligent his material is, while at the same time possessing a delightful silliness to it. In the new special, Kaplan delves into gay parenthood and other socially-relevant topics, while at the same time, posing a hilariously silly question: “Does anyone know what gay horses eat? Horse cock.”

Myq Kaplan’s comedy takes viewers out of the box, if you will. Yes, he jokes about being a geek and not being able to get women, but he does so with a better self-awareness and a lot more creativity than most other comedians. One never gets the sense that Kaplan is complaining or trying to elicit comedic sympathy, but that he is simply laying out the facts to give his audience some context.

There’s so much to be gained from watching or listening to Myq Kaplan’s Small, Dork and Handsome, from alternative Holocaust theories to learning all about fisting. There’s simply something for everyone here, folks. Pick up a copy of Small, Dork and Handsome today – or, if you’re into instant gratification like I am, check it out right now on Netflix. Either way, you’re bound to give Kaplan’s performance high marks on both difficulty and technical content. And no broken ankles to contend with, either.