Post by tigermaskxxxvii on Jun 3, 2017 0:00:56 GMT -5
He actually played my college in Spring of 2004 and even then he had a good cult following amongst the college set. I had seen some of his stand up on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and had a "Comedy Central Presents...." special which didn't really leave much of an impression on me so I was surprised how much buzz this was causing on campus (although some were pissed on general principle because he was brought in as part of the annual spring concert and didn't like that a comedian was playing it instead of a band). So despite not being a big fan I bought a ticket and went (only cost $5). Again, his observational humor wrapped in a hyperactive delivery and dude bro persona didn't really connect with me. But the crowd lost their shit for him. Especially when he did a bit about the Price is Right. They erupted in cheers when he just mentioned the show by name. Never mind doing actual material about it.
I sat next to a (now ex) friend of mine during the show and he was in our college's student government and had an inside track on knowing how much the Student Union Activities Board had paid him. Supposedly he was paid $20,000 for that gig and apparently that was a reduced rate since he also performing at a college in Boston and at the Comedy Connection (a comedy club that was in Boston's Faneuil Hall at the time) that week and since my college (Framingham State) was short commute to Boston we were able to get him for that price break. We are a division three state college, so his regular price would have been a bit too rich for our blood. Funny thing is, a comedian who performed at the monthly comedy show in a smaller venue on campus was getting her check after her set and when my (former) friend was talking to her about what acts we had coming to the school and he mentioned Dane Cook. To which she replied that the two started out together and asked how much he was getting paid for the gig and after mentioning his rate for the show, handed her the check for her set, $1,200. Which is nothing to shit on, but considering he was making what a lot of people make in a year for one night of work....
I can see how a backlash could have formed against him even before the plagiarism accusations started. His whole on stage persona can be pretty grating to me (and don't get me started on the "SuFi" thing) even without lingering doubts about the ownership of his material. But the accusations was the final nail in the coffin. My whole thing with Dane is when comes to stand up comedy, I put a premium on the actual material and if someone can make me laugh when reading their act transcribed as much as I can by watching them perform it, then I like them. I just don't think Dane Cook could pass that litmus test.
I sat next to a (now ex) friend of mine during the show and he was in our college's student government and had an inside track on knowing how much the Student Union Activities Board had paid him. Supposedly he was paid $20,000 for that gig and apparently that was a reduced rate since he also performing at a college in Boston and at the Comedy Connection (a comedy club that was in Boston's Faneuil Hall at the time) that week and since my college (Framingham State) was short commute to Boston we were able to get him for that price break. We are a division three state college, so his regular price would have been a bit too rich for our blood. Funny thing is, a comedian who performed at the monthly comedy show in a smaller venue on campus was getting her check after her set and when my (former) friend was talking to her about what acts we had coming to the school and he mentioned Dane Cook. To which she replied that the two started out together and asked how much he was getting paid for the gig and after mentioning his rate for the show, handed her the check for her set, $1,200. Which is nothing to shit on, but considering he was making what a lot of people make in a year for one night of work....
I can see how a backlash could have formed against him even before the plagiarism accusations started. His whole on stage persona can be pretty grating to me (and don't get me started on the "SuFi" thing) even without lingering doubts about the ownership of his material. But the accusations was the final nail in the coffin. My whole thing with Dane is when comes to stand up comedy, I put a premium on the actual material and if someone can make me laugh when reading their act transcribed as much as I can by watching them perform it, then I like them. I just don't think Dane Cook could pass that litmus test.
