Brian Posehn

Live in: Nerd Rage (Relapse)
by Tim Den

Though most mainstream people might recognize him as “that awkward looking guy from Mr. Show and Just Shoot Me,” comedy buffs and metalheads know Brian Posehn best as the thrash-addicted giant who’s friends with Anthrax and a part of Comedy Central’s Comedians of Comedy. Live in: Nerd Rage captures the man’s stand-up act pretty much perfectly: Chock full of nicknames for penises, ranting about metal, his hot blonde wife, and – of course – being a nerd. To sum up his routine with one sentence would be like saying “yeah, Slayer play with guitars.” Posehn’s able to take these run-of-the-mill subjects and put a unique spin on ’em not just through the eyes of an overgrown high school outcast (wearing headphones, of course), but with the delivery and lingo that’s entirely his own. Believe it or not, I’ve found myself using the words “vajay” and “dickneck” quite often since I caught him on tour this past spring. He makes what would otherwise be frat boy humor endearing by taking detours into the surreal (his dog accidentally eating out his wife), relevant (predicting that, in 50 years, everything Iraqi will be as hip as everything Japanese), and (his best attribute) self-deprecating. Any man who can make you laugh and relate to his often embarrassing stumbles in life is a great comic. The fact that he somehow retains a strong sense of identity through it all is no small feat. Posehn jokes are unmistakably Posehn, be it his weird squeals, clumsy physical appearance, or half-stoner/half-angry metalhead demeanor. In other words, my lame ass review will only be capable of intriguing you into checking him out, not fully translate why exactly Posehn is hilarious. So pick up Live in: Nerd Rage and get acquainted with him before Comedians of Comedy hit your town.
(www.relapse.com)