Search - Neil Hamburger :: Left for Dead in Malaysia

The charms of standup comedian Neil Hamburger are mostly subtle: the self-proclaimed America's Funnyman takes an Andy Kaufman-meets-Steve Martin approach to humor that usually isn't so funny at all. Or is it? For those who find themselves laughing at rather than with most comedians, Hamburger is worth checking out. His jokes vary from the tired to the horrific, and yet hearing all these clichés woven into one long set, you can't help smiling. On earlier discs we heard the comedian's priceless banter with fans at live shows in Albuquerque, Modesto, and Las Vegas and even an attempt at X-rated comedy. Compared with those discs, Left for Dead in Malaysia is more of a morality play--or is it a play on morality? Gone is the zipper shtick, gone is his manager Art Huckman (offended by Hamburger's ongoing ribbing, he walks out mid-routine), gone is an audience that understands English. But, left alone onstage in front of a club full of Malaysians eager for the karaoke hour, Hamburger performs one of his finest, most introspective sets, with heartburn-felt jokes about ex-wives, fast food, potato chips, and the Spice Girls. Irony-free lovers of standup, beware: you aren't going to get any of this. But for the rest of us, this high-concept, lowbrow take on standup is priceless--and Hamburger's finest moment to date. --Jason Verlinde