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August 28, 2008
The Fix Presents: FATSMILES @ Joe's Pub - 8.13.08
By: Dan Wilbur
Reggie Watts at Joe's Pub | Photo: Keith Huang
The beginning to FATSMILES had all the markings of an awkward night; people were scattered on all sides of Joe's Pub, they were quiet, and the show started right on time. But roughly five minutes in, host Craig Baldo starts to kill. A few more tables arrive, and the room, though I'm three tables away from anyone, starts to fill up. And then the laughs begin, and they don't let up for the next hour and a half.
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FATSMILES is perhaps New York's first trans-Atlantic comedy night. It's co-sponsored by U.K.-based comedy magazine, The Fix, and Olivia Wingate artists, and aims to showcase emerging-comedic talent in New York and London. Beyond that, FATSMILES is like a secret, private party thrown by comics while the club owner sleeps. The success of the most recent show in New York was due primarily to the comedians, who were all clearly elated to be playing a swanky piano bar.
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The stand-up, however, wasn't the easy-listening elevator music one might expect upon entering a beautiful lounge like Joe's Pub. In fact, the hopeful performance by Jacqueline Novak, whose toes hung over the edge of the stage while she commented on the desperations of dating, was more hilarious flirtation than practiced routine: "I don't want to wear my heart out on my thong, but..." Meanwhile, Todd Levin talked openly about his girlfriend, sighing into a half-grumble: "I'm gonna lose her soon." And Jay Larson, suddenly confronted by an audience member's laughter, shot back: "What do you like?"
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The comedians' loose interaction mixed with their tested material made the room comfortable and expectant. And then Reggie Watts, winner of the 2006 Andy Kaufman Award, closed the night in signature style -- with fake rap songs featuring only graphic-sexual words and beat boxing. However loose or bizarre a room feels at a late night show, there's no way to prepare an audience for the force of Watts, especially if they've never seen him perform. In fact, at one point Watts sounded like he was answering questions on NPR as an inarticulate Cleveland rapper before launching into a made-up, though heartfelt, speech about the service work that the 46 owners of Joe's Pub were doing around the city.
• FATSMILES is still nailing down its schedule, but you can keep tabs on the Myspace page. Elsewhere, Fix Magazine is currently closed for refurbishment.
Posted by keithhuang at August 28, 2008 10:00 AM
Comments
I never would've thought they'd be doing comedy shows in Joe's Pub! JP is such a nice venue, it's a breath of fresh air after being in the dingy, gross venues in which I am used to performing and attending shows.
I didn't realize Olivia Wingate managed all those artists! I just checked the website to see their full client list.. Neat! Were any of the performers that night British?
Posted by: soce at August 28, 2008 11:49 AM
Yeah, they do some great comedy at Joe's.
Posted by: Eliot at August 28, 2008 12:15 PM
Yes, they featured this video for the British artist this time around:
Posted by: Dan Wilbur at August 28, 2008 1:34 PM