’Tis the season for silver bells, visions of sugarplums and all that good stuff, but it can also be stressful as hell. Right now, as the pre-holiday rush reaches its fever pitch, might be one of the best times to unwind with a good comedy show. You're spoiled for choice Thursday night, with three solid offerings to choose from. Allow our critics to put you in the know.
* Nashville ex-pat and the Scene's Advice King columnist Chris Crofton makes his first local appearance in a hot minute at The East Room tonight. There'll be lots of off-the-cuff joking as well as a musical performance. Managing editor D. Patrick Rodgers has more:
" ... Crofton doesn’t stick strictly to a set list when performing stand-up, but rather dives headfirst into incisive stream-of-consciousness free-form bits about hipster culture, mainstream culture, politics, social media, activism, dick pics and beyond. His approach is kind of like jazz, but with more swearing. Crofton now resides in Los Angeles, and for this visit he promises to perform stand-up and also play his “unreleased love song album in its entirety.” Crofton is one of the funniest people Nashville has ever had the pleasure of calling a resident, so check him out while you can.
"* At the same time, Ralphie May starts his two-night Christmas stand at Zanies.
Says contributor Sean L. Maloney:
"In our hierarchy of jolly fat dudes, Ralphie May comes in right behind Ol’ Saint Nick and the ghost of Paul Prudhomme, who haunts our pantry and makes all of our food taste extra Prudhomme-y. But in the hierarchy of Christmas traditions, Ralphie’s Christmas run at Zanies ranks right at the fucking top. For starters, it’s an excuse to blow off the in-laws. That’s the best present anyone could give. Second, the dude keeps getting funnier.
... "* And then over at The Five Spot, the Broads and Brews showcase offers belly laughs and live music and it benefits a good cause.
Take it away, me:
"The show offers a platform for local female comedians to flex their funny bones without getting shouted down by insecure dudes ...
There’s even a drawing for prizes including a one-year membership to the Belcourt. But if none of that ultimately grabs you, note this: The show is a benefit for the Southern Poverty Law Center, a clear strong voice actively pushing back against the so-called alt-right, a re-branded group of white nationalists who’ve been emboldened by the election of Donald Trump."Go on, laugh in the face of seasonal freak-outs!
