If there's one thing you took away from Ari Shaffir's late set at the Comedy Bar, it's that he hates the TSA. He really hates them, and being a touring comic, he deals with TSA agents a lot. Shaffir capitalizes on every opportunity to mess with the security agents, whether it's thrusting his crotch toward an agent's hand during a pat down, or making-up illnesses to avoid taking off his shoes. It goes without saying, but it takes a while for Shaffir to get to his gate every time he flies. Exclaim! does not recommend or condone messing with TSA agents, but Shaffir definitely does.
His set wasn't just complaining about the TSA. Shaffir brought his brand of storytelling comedy to this JFL42 preview series. His hour and 15 minute set flew by, even catching Shaffir off guard, realizing that he had no more jokes left to tell. His jokes vary in length, but the ones that really leave an impression are the longer ones, where he really gets into describing every detail of an experience. Like when trying to use the bathroom in China. Apparently in some places in China, there is no toilet, but a hole to squat over. Having never encountered this, Shaffir went on to describe the strategy of pants placement while squatting and pooping, and in the end, giving the crowd the best travel tip if one decided to vacation in mainland China. Always have tissues on you.
Shaffir's stories are ones a lot of us can relate to, and that's what really gets the laughs. We know the frustrations, we know the pain, and we laugh. It's not the poop that gets the laugh, it's the situation around it, the details, the emphasis on realizing that there is no toilet paper in the squat washroom stall. The crowd at Comedy Bar were in stitches.
His set wasn't just complaining about the TSA. Shaffir brought his brand of storytelling comedy to this JFL42 preview series. His hour and 15 minute set flew by, even catching Shaffir off guard, realizing that he had no more jokes left to tell. His jokes vary in length, but the ones that really leave an impression are the longer ones, where he really gets into describing every detail of an experience. Like when trying to use the bathroom in China. Apparently in some places in China, there is no toilet, but a hole to squat over. Having never encountered this, Shaffir went on to describe the strategy of pants placement while squatting and pooping, and in the end, giving the crowd the best travel tip if one decided to vacation in mainland China. Always have tissues on you.
Shaffir's stories are ones a lot of us can relate to, and that's what really gets the laughs. We know the frustrations, we know the pain, and we laugh. It's not the poop that gets the laugh, it's the situation around it, the details, the emphasis on realizing that there is no toilet paper in the squat washroom stall. The crowd at Comedy Bar were in stitches.
