Though I use TiVo to skip over commercials for the most part, I do see a frame or two from time to time ;). And, if the commercial is especially memorable from that one frame, I sometimes rewind the hard drive (hmm, that sounds a bit awkward) to watch the commercial in full.
Such was the case recently when I stumbled across an ad on Comedy Central for the new show “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn”. The commercials were a bit vague, though I could discern that Colin Quinn would be featured as part of the show ;). But, that was good enough for me — I enjoyed him on SNL so I figured I'd give his new show a try, sight unseen.
So, I set my TiVo to record a season pass (which I could always delete later). And, I watched the first episode this evening. As it turns out, the show features a discussion among four famous people (actors / musicians / comedians) and Colin, very similar to the format of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. Well, more precisely, it’s like Politically Incorrect without the smarminess.
Just as the website’s description reads, the show really is about “the way people really talk off-camera, only the camera is on”. The panel (?) talks frankly, often to the point of hilarity. In fact, when I first started watching the recording and realized the show’s format (from watching the commercials, I thought that it might be a comedy/variety show or something), I was concerned that it might not be so good. But, after watching the first show, I look forward to future episodes :).
“Tough Crowd” airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30pm / 10:30 Central.
Show is hilarious. I hear it has been picked up. Will it continue for new shows for all season? Jim Norton is a funny little sweetie.
Date: 29 June 2004
Summary: Colin is the absolute worst choice for the host of this show
For so long I had watched a similar format of this show which was great called “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher. Bill was articulate, informed and made valid arguments for his opinions yet let the panel speak their minds as well and so the show was balanced, fair and funny. Colin Quinn for “Tough Crowd” just can’t cut it and is quite the opposite of Bill Maher. Colin doesn’t take the time or have the intelligence to stay informed of key political and social issues. Whenever he does “try” to bring up an issue through his babbling of fragmented sentences and incomplete thoughts, the comic panel’s eyes dart back and forth to each other, as they scramble to put together a comment to cover Colin’s butt because he never really asked a question throughout his ramblings in the first place. Colin then gets flustered and either brings up the race card or lashes out at one of the comedians. Colin is as articulate and eloquent as a man with Turrets Syndrome without the expletives. It seems as if Colin has to “cram” 30 minutes before the show to try once more to sound informed. I think Colin graduated “Sum Cum Laude” at “Take it in the Brown” University, hence his habit of “cramming”, which is probably how he got the gig at “Tough Crowd” in the first place. Has anyone seen Bill Maher? We all miss him.