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Aug 15, 2010 Web Exclusive By Hays David

On his latest release, here’s how long it takes for comedian Neil Hamburger to befuddle an audience that was primed to see Tenacious D: “What did Santa Claus give Paris Hilton for Christmas? Well, he raped her!” “And what did Santa Claus give Gerald Ford for Christmas? Historical revisionism!”

Hamburger’s is the kind of act that Andy Kaufman would have wished he’d thought of first. Gregg Turkington portrays Neil Hamburger, a blowhard, old-school comedian who is constantly clearing his throat and regularly berating his increasingly agitated audiences. With punch lines that alternate warped social commentary with shock value, Hamburger’s act is pure performance art. Hot February Night sounds like an early Borscht Belt comic in a cultural time warp, giving in to his mean streak and happily bent on going down in flames.

After only a few minutes of hearing this show, the question that comes to mind is whether Hamburger will exit that stage upright or carried over the heads of an angry mob that has no idea that this “comedian” had no intention of currying favor with standard punch lines. (www.myspace.com/americasfunnyman)

Author rating: 6/10