STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Doug Benson

November 11th, 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 Doug Benson’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, it’s déjà-vu all over again after sitting down to a heaping spoonful of Doug Benson in his new Netflix special, Doug Dynasty – and finding myself wondering where I’ve heard that before. Much of the comedian’s new special consists of material recycled from his last album, though overall the special is still highly (pardon the pun) enjoyable.

First and foremost, I am a Doug Benson fan. I’ve killed enough brain cells in my life to appreciate the stoner humor we’ve come to expect from the comedian, and he never fails to elicit more than a few chuckles from me. But I can’t wrap my head around his decision to re-use older (albeit strong) material for some reason. From imitating propeller noises on small planes to being a ‘dick skipper’, Benson delights his audience with some of his previously-used comedic gold. Perhaps with the distribution of his new special being on Netflix, a subscription-based service that doesn’t require users to ‘purchase’ individual videos, Benson was hoping to reach an expanded audience that may not be familiar with his work. Or, perhaps it was the most stealth pothead move ever: upon realizing I had heard some of the material before, I, of course, immediately delved back through my Benson collection, re-listening to most of his albums. Stoners will never trust their own memories to be correct, so putting that question out there ultimately is a clever way to increase listenership of his previous works.

There’s also the clear evidence of just how stoned Benson was in taping Doug Dynasty, and perhaps relying on older material (though I hate to imply Benson was ‘relying’ on anything) is a fail-safe way to ensure a great taping given the circumstances. Now, in the past, I’ve criticized other acts for recycling stories – but to be fair, many of those acts lack the clear-cut demographical fan base that Benson enjoys, which ups the odds that people may not have yet heard the older jokes. In Benson’s case, we’re dealing with uber-loyal stoners who probably actually have heard these jokes before, and perhaps were hoping for more from the comedian. I can’t speak for them, though.

The moments of Doug Dynasty that were new and fresh, to me at least, were delightful and worth watching – even over and over again. That concept could also explain the repeat material: you’re probably going to watch it more than once, so at some point, it’s all going to be repeat material. Perhaps I’m just spoiled in that I expect a brand-new package when a comedian I’m a fan of comes out with something new – I’ve always been a huge fan of the idea of shelving an hour of material once you’ve taped it.

A random, personal highlight for me in Doug Dynasty is Benson’s reference to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and my favorite Bosstone, Ben Carr, the guy who just dances on stage (well, he does more than that, but that’s what we love him for). I want to be him when I grow up too, Doug.

All in all, Doug Benson’s Doug Dynasty is sure to be a hit with Benson fans (and probably an even bigger hit if you’re not already familiar with his work), and don’t let my hang-ups on recycled material steer you in the wrong direction. I’ve learned all-too well that my own familiarity with the works of many comedians might be a bit more intimate than most, and I should probably get over that. I just can’t help feel a slight twinge of disappointment, though, that my expectations were a bit too high. The plus side, in the end, is that you can stream Doug Dynasty on Netflix, so repeat material or not, you’re not taking quite the financial risk you might otherwise be taking if you had to individually purchase the special.