Michael Colyar, who will perform at this weekend's Mega Comedy Jam, has no shortage of confidence in his comedic skills. "They're gonna be mad," he says about the audience, "because they're gonna say in the end, 'How come he wasn't the headliner?' " The traveling show, which also features emcee and Def Comedy Jam vet Joe Torry, Arnez J. and Mike Brooks, will officially kick off here in Houston. Maybe Colyar's self-esteem was boosted by his supporting role in a new independent flick called Family Reunion. The former Def Jam regular plays Pimpy, a pimp who sends his, shall we say, employees to fetch potato salad for the reunion dinner. "There's a scene in there," says the Chicago-born comic, "when I'm heading into the family reunion, and the girls are in the car with me. I'm in the limo, I'm all stretched and pimped out. And I got this huge bowl of potato salad in my lap. And I'm just smiling this big smile of satisfaction -- oh, it's funny shit!"
Catch the man in his element at this weekend's Mega Comedy Jam, which goes down at 8 p.m. Friday, June 20. H-Town's Arena Theatre, 7326 Southwest Freeway. For information, call 713-629-3700. $40 to $45. -- Craig D. Lindsey
THU 6/19
Lawyer Jokes
No Bull at the Houston Bar Association's Night Court
Lawyers. Ally McBeal aside, it's hard to imagine them singing or dancing.
But at Night Court 2003: The Law of the Jungle, members of the Houston
Bar Association will take the stage, shedding their monkey suits for, uh, monkey
suits. The musical comedy revue spoofs the Darwinian practice of law in the
Bayou City, taking the audience from the depths of the tropics, populated by
dangerous gators, to Houston's own concrete jungle, populated by dangerous litigators.
This is an all-lawyer production from roots to canopy, so be sure to bring your
own lawyer to help you figure it out. And keep an eye out for County Commissioner
Sylvia Garcia, who plays the misguided Jungle Information Minister. 8 p.m. Thursday,
June 19, through Saturday, June 21. Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800
Bagby. For more information, call 713-759-1133 or visit www.hba.org.
$16 to $26. -- Keith Plocek
TUE 6/24
The Last Laugh
After weeks of raucous elimination rounds, it's time for the final bout in this
year's Houston's Funniest Person Contest. The crop of contestants will compete
for cash prizes and the chance to follow in the footsteps of Laff Stop darlings
Sam Kinison, Bill Hicks and Brett Butler. (Let's just hope the winners don't
follow the paths of Kinison and Hicks too closely.) Several national
talent scouts will be on hand to help judge the competition, and overall audience
appeal is a big factor in their decision. Guffaws from the gallery are encouraged.
8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24. Laff Stop, 1952 West Gray. For more information, call
713-524-2333 or visit www.laffstop.com.
$5. -- Keith Plocek
SAT 6/21
Oral Naughtiness
Storyteller Brian Herod wants to shatter the storytelling-is-for-kids stereotype.
This Saturday, he presents "Stories from the Edge," an evening of naughtiness
by storytelling standards. The funnier, edgier, sexier or more disturbing the
material, the happier Herod will be. So treat yourself, and let Grandma tell
the kids their bedtime stories. 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21. The Artery, 5901 Jackson.
For information, call 713-480-6303. $7-$10. -- Troy Schulze
