I have to admit something. I'm a nerd. 7:30 on a Saturday morning and I'm sitting here with my cats thinking that sooner or later someone is going to mistake me for the crazy cat lady and send me off to the puzzle factory. I've found my interests are kind of nerdy. I love reading about history. I love reading about religion. I love reading about science.
Problem is you rarely get to talk about those things with anyone. I mean you go to a party and a discussion about Peter Abelard's debate with Bernard of Clairvaux concerning the Trinity isn't likely to break out. Quantum physics is a date killer. And a lively discussion about the proposed land reforms by Tiberius Graccus during the Roman Republic will leave you alone and lonely by the cheese tray.
So, imagine my surprise the first time I listened to Eddie Izzard. He is quite possibly the most intelligent comic I've ever heard. If not the most intelligent then at least the best read. Not that I consider myself smart but I like listening to smart. And this guy is smart.
Here's quick list of some of the things he talks about and makes me laugh out loud while he's doing it:
Religion:
-creation...God...God's mother...Jesus and the Dinosaurs...Jesus and the last supper...Noah...the concept of good and evil...Armegeddon.
History:
-Rome...Hannibal...Alexander the Great...the Cursades...The Iliad...WW II.
Science:
-Einstein...the big bang theory...Pavlov...the end of the universe.
You don't get that from many comics. You don't get than from any comics. And it's not just "egg head" stuff. Izzard also does material on fish and goats...dogs and cats...bees and wasps. He tires to unravel the mystery of hop scotch (something boys never understood but girls do). He does material on men wearing make up (which he does) and cross dressers (which he is)...2 things I'm not particularly interested in but it's all very funny.
He drops the "f" bomb quite a bit but more as a throw away word. It's never offensive.
Izzard is in my pantheon of favourite comics along with the late Mitch Hedberg, Lewis Black and Chris Rock. Never had a chance to see Mitch but I have seen Black and Rock several times. I've listened to Izzard, watched his videos but never seen him live.
I don't like to use blogs to promote causes, agendas or shows but I'm going to make an exception. Izzard is at Massey Hall on the 30th of April and May 1st. I was going to see him then I wasn't going to see him now I am going to see him. For me he's don't miss. And after the show I might get the opprotunity to talk about...Rome...and creation...and..Einstein and not clear the room while I'd doing it. Maybe even an animated discussion about cross dressing. Not so bad being a nerd.
I had heard the interview Eddie Izzard did with Jian Ghomeshi and had no idea who Eddie was, but was intrigued with him after listening to him speak with Jian. Now, that you have just blogged about him, I had to youtube Eddie to find and listen to some clips of his comedy routines. In one word, hilarious!
Arlene: He is truly one of the funniest people I have ever heard. His delivery, his confidence in what he's doing, his material is as strong and I think stronger than most other comics I've heard. If some one can make history funny I'm going to listen. Thanks.