Various Stand-Up Comics – Un-Cabaret – The Un & Only

Un-Cabaret The Un & Only is one of four or so independent release comedy CDs by Beth Lapides’ Un-Cabaret, a not quite stand-up comedy more performance open stage outfit in California.

Like its other not exactly comedy CD but mostly funny releases, The Un & Only has its strengths and weaknesses. Again, the strong points make up for some of the things that bug me.

The Un & Only features some very good stand-up comics like Patton Oswalt, Laura Kightlinger, and Julia Sweeney performing material that is more funny story or anecdote that full-fledged comedy routine. Comedy fans will appreciate the difference. Oswalt is his usually funny self with a good story about being somebody’s long distance wrong number. A personal favorite on this almost comedy CD is Mike McDonald (no not the Canadian Mike McDonald) and his story about being Faye Dunaway’s Comedy Coach. It is a cool and funny behind the scenes story about Dunaway looking for comedic pointers before an audition. Just the fact Dunaway has to audition is amazing.

Other good moments here are Dana Gould and The Money Truck. The two comedy performances by Bob Odenkirk are also pretty good on The Un & Only.

Infamous for his annual State of the Business address at Just For Laughs, Andy Kindler has a somewhat rambling bit that is not as good as his JFL performances. Mixed-Race Child by Kids In The Hall’s Scott Thompson is also disappointing. The often uneven Julia Sweeney has two comedy bits here and they are uneven. Christopher Walken’s Cat is not as cool as it sounds and I Recently Started Having Sex Again is better than it sounds. Although I like Laura Kightlinger, her The Scream Of The Fly is not a memorable bit and just a bit of a boring anecdote.

I like the concept behind Un-Cabaret but I really, really dislike the musical segues between the performance tracks. I am never a fan of these things to begin with but the music bits here are jarring and, to be honest, not really good musically speaking.

Un-Cabaret
The Un & Only
Patton Oswalt, Julia Sweeney, Laura Kightlinger
Andy Kindler, Taylor Negron, Scott Thompson
Independent Release
67 minutes

Track List:  The End of an Era Patton Oswalt, Busted In Miami Taylor Negron, Faye Dunaway’s Comedy Coach Mike McDonald, Christopher Walken’s Cat Julia Sweeney, The Golden Globes Michael Patrick King, How’s Your Late-Night TV Show? Bob Odenkirk, The Money Truck Dana Gould, Hey, Mistah! Andy Kindler, The Happiest Place on Earth Bob Odenkirk, Mixed-Race Child Scott Thompson, I’m Not Stalking You, Andy Dick, The Foreskin Jeff Garlin, I Recently Started Having Sex Again Julia Sweeney, The Comedy Section Tim Bagley, What To Wear (To Talk to Your Ex in Front of 30 Million People) Merrill Markoe, The Scream of the Fly Laura Kightlinger, A New Beginning Beth Lapides.

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