Nearly the entire lineup had been seen before under the incarnation of the Royal Comedy Tour, but new material and the insertion of Gary Owen into the lineup gave the revue a refreshing new spin Saturday night for the St. Louis Comedy Festival at Chaifetz Arena.
Several thousand packed in to see Sommore (who also served as the show’s hostess) along with new school comedians Tony Rock and Owen shared the stage with vets Bruce Bruce, Arnez J and Earthquake in an evening that showcased the diversity within the urban comedy arena.
Sommore kicked off the show with hilarious bit that included jabs at spiritual advisor Iyanla Vanzant and the changes one endures as they age into different decades.
In your 50s you don’t want no [expletive],” Sommore said. “And I’m not gonna shout out the 60 and 70s – because y’all will be sleep in twenty minutes anyway.”
Tony Rock kicked off the tour. He’s the baby brother of Chris Rock, but he has a comedy style all his own. Sexually charged and filled with ‘hood references, Rock represents the younger generation of urban comics. And Saturday night he proved he could hold his own against the best of them as he impersonated the long stare and slow walk away that he says are secret weapons of the black woman during arguments.
While Rock was the best as far as being the most polished and perfectly timed among the lineup, it would be Owen that elicited the most laughs and deliver the most memorable of all the performances on the tour.
Owen capitalized on his ethnicity and his connection to the black community by way of his black wife and the observations he’s made over the years of their relationship. He’s made a name for himself reversing on the observations of racial differences that have been popular on the black comedy scene for decades – and The St. Louis Comedy Festival was no different.
“White people claim first cousins. That’s it. Second cousins are on the fence and by the time you get to the third cousin, y’all aren’t even cousins…you’re just friends,” Owen said. “Black people claim them all the way down the line. Thanks to my wife every city I go I have a cousin. I had somebody knock on my hotel room door and say ‘I’m your wife’s 17th cousin on her auntie’s side.’”
Hilarious – yet utterly politically incorrect – bits about his special needs cousin had the audience doubled over.
If there was a weakest link of the evening, it would be St. Louis favorite Bruce Bruce. He missed his cue – and subsequently left fans waiting after being introduced. He didn’t seem to ever get his bearings and relied on recycled material to carry him through the set.
With the exception of updating fans on his recent jaw surgery, Arnez J also relied heavily on material that he presented during his previous visit to St. Louis.
Earthquake fared especially well compared to his last two visits to St. Louis. He seemed far less somber and more in tune with his performance.
