Photo by Ally Hill ‘15
As a fan of FOX’s “Bob’s Burgers” animated sitcom series, I was eager to discover whether the voice of Gene Belcher, Eugene Mirman, would meet his on-screen humor. The stand-up comedian’s improvisational skills were impressive, but his overall performance left me preferring his TV self.
The night of comedy this past Wednesday featured comedian Mirman, who also plays Yvgeny Mirminsky on the Adult Swim series Delocated, and Leo Allen, who has been featured on Saturday Night Live and Comedy Central.
Mirman skillfully worked impromptu jokes into his performance. Take his opening remarks about Lafayette and the town of Easton. I couldn’t help but snicker as he commented on our school motto, poking fun at how “Cur Non?” is essentially an intelligent Latin way to mask a lackadaisical attitude of “Uh… well, sure, why not?”
Certain running anecdotes, such as Mirmam’s gag about signing up for a Christian Mingle profile, or his run-in with Mexican cops, had me laughing aloud.
Specific aspects of his other jokes, however, brushed upon more sensitive topics that were unjustifiable. Although I can testify a juvenile taste for crude humor, many of Eugene’s were religiously driven and could easily be considered crossing the line of offensive.
None of his remarks were especially brazen, at least to an easy-going, modern student audience. But his on-screen presence is much more tasteful and clever than his real-life act. Mirman’s happy-go-lucky and dry sense of humor that he utilizes on a professionally-scripted show is not only more appealing, but also seems less forced.
Overall, the comedian’s show was satisfactory. For every slow minute of buildup in his performance, there was a moment of hilarity in his punch line, making the deliberate pace at which he told his jokes worth it. As a resident of New York, Eugene often performs in the city and is frequently aired on the Comedy Central network. It is worth comparing his two identities for yourself.