Review: John Mulaney and Friends at The Bell House

June 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Comedian and writer John Mulaney gathered a comedy dream team in Gowanus, Brooklyn on June 6 for a great cause: The Innocence Project. The group works to exonerate wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system, and if you have ever listened to some of his stand-up, you would know about his love of the seminal television program Law & Order. That didn't mean that the evening was going to be about criminal justice-themed humor, but it did mean everyone was in store for some hilarious comedy in the name of a good cause.

It was a rainy night in Brooklyn, but that didn't stop a capacity crowd from showing up for two separate shows. The early show featured Jim Gaffigan as one of four comics, and that's who I expected to also perform during the late show. As we all piled into the Main Event Hall and proceeded up to the bar, we were graced with the presence of deranged millionaire John Hodgman serving drinks behind bar. I thought to myself, if Hodgman is being used just as a bartender, we're in for a great show.

The late show lineup featured Mulaney, Paul F. Tompkins, Mike Birbiglia and Aziz Ansari. All four offered distinct stand-up styles, but all touched on similar topics concerning relationships. Mulaney started things off by discussing his recent engagement with a clever skewering of the popular idiom, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" He scattered in several other hilarious tidbits as well, including a retelling of an awful standup experience deep down south.

Mulaney has such a unique but appealing style as a comedian, and it's no surprise his star is rising so quickly.

Paul F. Tompkins came up next and, unlike Mulaney, was able to tell stories about his wife. The debonaire Tompkins, dressed in a black blazer complimented with a bright yellow vest, is more of a storyteller than a stand-up. He told two humorous tales that Thursday night: the first about the night he proposed to his wife, and the second about her obsession with the LA spot the Magic Castle. His tales move slowly and don't have the fast-paced quick hits of a lot of stand-ups, but for comedy lovers like myself, Tompkins is a treat. I was really happy I got to experience his comedy.

For the full review and photo gallery, head to CHARGED.fm the Magazine:

http://www.charged.fm/blog/post/4199/review-john-mulaney-...