Monday, March 26, 2007

Comedy review: Pauly Shore at the Addison Improv

By Andrew McElwee

Forget what you remember from the 90’s. Pauly Shore is back with a vengeance.

The star of cult hits Encino Man and Jury Duty tore up the stage at the Addison Improv, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.

A word of caution—Pauly Shore’s stand-up is not for the easily offended. But, if you’re able to withstand the barrage of F-bombs and sexual slurs, it’s really a no-holds-barred laugh riot.

Reminiscing about his string of hit films, Shore fondly recalled his off-screen ‘liaisons’ with Kylie Minogue in Bio-Dome, and Andy Dick in In The Army Now. All in jest, of course, but the confused reaction among audience members was priceless.

Shore also shared his thoughts on the mockery of Hollywood. Most notable was his bashing of celebrities Jessica Simpson, who looked like a “stripper who can sing,” and John Mayer, who resembled a substitute teacher.

Other targets of his sarcasm included Nicole Richey and Paris Hilton, the latter of whom needed a “serious reality check”. Naturally, this brought on raucous laughs of approval.

Probably the most memorable, albeit truthful, moment of Pauly’s act involved his guys’ vs. girls’ night out comparison. According to Shore, guys go to clubs intent on scoring, with the end result being a dateless trip to Burger King. Chicks, on the other hand, go for one reason—free drinks.

Ladies in the room nodded in agreement, while the guys took notes feverishly.

Not one to take himself too seriously, Shore was often seen going over to what he called his closet of mediocre jokes. And of course, there were several nods to those unforgettable lines, “Hey, buddy!” and “Meow, meow, meow”.

Contrary to his appearance, Shore’s performance was an amazingly sober one. The comic, now 39, claimed he’s not as much into getting wasted after a show, and actually looks forward to eight hours of sleep.

That would explain the cranberry-flavored club soda he carried onstage. Regardless, his honest, self-deprecating humor clearly connected with audience members.

“I care about it,” said Pauly after the show, concerning his comedy over the years. “I’ve had a great run.”

He also commented on his late-90’s career slump, and how he got through it. Most comics, he explained, fall off into obscurity (or drugs) when they hit a road bump. Not Pauly Shore.

“That was one reason I made the film, Pauly Shore Is Dead."

And if the critical reception at the Improv is any indication, Pauly has a thing for the Dallas crowd.

“They’re real receptive to my shows,” he said. “Definitely in the top ten.”

This story was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community

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