by Right from the get-go of Thin Pig, comedian Todd Glass shows how he can weave both old jokes, inside jokes and in-the-moment jokes all at once, making every performance of his a magically unique experience. Even if some of the jokes, such as his opening bit, have been in his repertoire for several years now. Glass does his own intro, then announces he's at "the George Carlin room" at the Tempe Improv, asks "how's the balcony doing?" (he's in the side lounge that's much smaller than the Tempe mainstage and lacks a balcony or room for more than 100), then launches into a familiar comedy trope, asking the audience: "Do I look like Fred Flintstone and Mel Gibson had a baby?" Glass acknowledges soon thereafter, "It's the only joke I wish wouldn't work!"
Glass also is such a comic's comic that, when he slips into "the Jim Gaffigan voice" or something that references another stand-up, he'll poke fun at himself for it. "I feel like Brian Regan!" Glass says while talking about how he mangles the pronunciation of words in "Words." Glass does share a bit of the same everyman's perspective to life and society that Regan does, only Glass is more willing to use, say, more colorful language and break from the script at a moment's notice. When some comics mess up a word in their delivery, they turn it into a running routine. When Glass does it, it's natural — and he also clues audiences in to this stand-up trickery. On Thin Pig, you'll hear Glass mine familiar comedy ground such as relationships and late-night infomercials, and old favorites such as his thoughts on cute puppies and smelly people are also included in the digital-only disc. If you're not already a fan of his, or just curious to know what he's about, I'd suggest dipping your toes into the waters of Todd Glass with tracks 4-5, "Dinner Party" and "Architectural Jokes," in which Glass describes the do's and don'ts of hosting a party in your home, as well as the needs to design a proper bathroom.
Or you could just watch Todd Glass, earlier this week, express his frustration about the marketing efforts for Thin Pig. Either way, you'll get some good laughs out of it:
Related: The Comic's Comic September 2008 interview with Todd Glass.
