LESLIE JONES

 

Leslie Jones of Saturday Night Live and countless movies fame gave the audience of College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Ct. on September 7th a surprise present. To our amazement it was her birthday.

Lets start by setting the scene. This was my wife, Jenn, and I’s anniversary date even though our wedding day passed a few months ago. Instead of spending money on stuff we don’t need we rather do a day trip or an evening out.

The night started with an excellent dinner at New Haven’s Barcelona, a wine and tapas bar (155 Temple Street). The food was superb. Executive chef Dylan Hansen has constructed an interesting selection of small plates and entrees and our server made perfect recommendations to suit our tastes. The Spanish flavors literally jumped off the platters. I do recommend you frequent Barcelona in the near future.

Back to comedy. Leslie Jones‘ opener was New York comic, Lenny Marcus. He was the individual who spilled the beans about Jones‘ birthday and upcoming Netflix special being filmed in a few days.

Marcus’ routine was funny. His jokes were relevant and quite modern. His wife’s and his trips overseas and his Jewish heritage were frequent topics. His comical technique was clever and easily worked the room to his advantage. His orthodox Jews on a plane segment was extremely entertaining. His bit on giant Jesus statues was hilarious. Lenny Marcus is surely a name to remember.

When Leslie Jones hit the stage the room was electric. Jones had recently revealed that she is leaving SNL to pursue her stand up and movie projects.

 

Let me start off with a warning. As Jones plainly explained to a gentleman in the front row “this is not the SNL Leslie Jones so you better f***ing get ready”. Jones‘ stand up is definitely not PG. Her comedy is a mixture of life experiences and attitudes and contemporary issues. Jones uses a combination of extremely blue jokes, crazed body movements and facial distortions to achieve her manic style of comedy. She walks the stage much like a lioness ready to pounce. Her humor is like a nuclear attack and one you never know when it’s about to explode.

She takes her audience down a demented memory lane. Jones describes her 20’s self as a panty less free wheeling self proclaimed “ho” and goes through her exploits with her friends including one where she tries to hook up with Prince at a Grammy after party which was really insane. She proceeds to bring us through the decades detailing how she tries to atone for her earlier sins and wayward ways. At the same time Jones is hysterically explaining the deterioration of her private parts. Throughout the set one feels she is espousing the great philosophical question of not living in the past or looking to the future but living for today.

Leslie Jones is an immense talent. Larger than life in most instances but this night while funny not my cup of tea. It maybe the fact that the last three headlining comics I saw used age as their major point of reference. I may be super sensitive (being 67) but for some reason don’t feel my age has stopped my enjoyment of life. I still drink with the best and party with a younger crowd with the only drawback is takes a bit longer to recuperate.

I just want to say that Art (especially comedy) is very subjective. While Jones didn’t make me belly laugh, the woman behind me and a good portion of the crowd couldn’t stop. My wife seemed to enjoy the bits a little better than me. I’m sure the Jones‘ Netflix special will air soon and then you can let me know if I’m totally off base.

I do have to say that it was very cool singing “Happy Birthday” with a couple of thousand people to Leslie Jones. That’s not something that happens every day.

 

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