Before playing Darryl Philbin in The Office, Doug Judy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Matheson in Pineapple Express, Craig Robinson earned a master’s degree in education and was an elementary school music teacher in his hometown of Chicago. Now, he’s based out of LA and is a certified heavy-hitter on the stand-up circuit. He also performs with his band, The Nasty Delicious. Most recently, Robinson starred alongside Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key and Wesley Snipes in the 2019 biopic Dolemite is My Name. Robinson comes to San Jose for three nights this weekend.

Craig Robinson
Fri-Sun, Various Times,  $35+
The San Jose Improv

CHRIS PORTER SUMS up his latest standup special by highlighting what it lacks: “No politics, no religion, no racism,” Porter says of A Man From Kansas. Throughout his new special, Porter steers clear of overt partisanship, while still lampooning the tribal rituals that serve as flashpoints in the broader culture wars. “Hipster food,” people complacent with—or even proud of their ignorance—and toxic masculinity all draw his ire.

In A Man From Kansas we find Porter critical, matter-of-fact and annoyed. He pokes fun at social and cultural happenings in everyday life, but he rarely, if ever, mentions politics or religion—controversial themes which many contemporary comics employ. Still, his tactful criticisms do skirt hot button issues.

In one bit, Porter laments the trend of yuppies’ tendency to overthink comfort food. Porter is irked by the ubiquity of cheeseburgers topped with garlic aioli, arugula and havarti, and the dearth of no-frills diner fare in Los Angeles: “I just want breakfast, you know what I’m saying? I don’t want a Radiohead album.”

Later on, Porter critiques self-important ignoramuses and their penchant for shouting dumb ideas at anyone who will listen. Calling out flat-earthers and chemtrail believers, Porter goes off on those who have turned the internet into an echo chamber of idiocy and crackpot theories. “Google is not an answer engine; it’s a search engine,” Porter yells. “It doesn’t tell you when you’re being a dumbass. It just connects you with 80,000 other dumbasses who think the same dumbass shit as you do.”

Born and raised in Shawnee, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, Porter cut his teeth on the Midwest standup circuit before moving out to Los Angeles. He’s appeared on Season 4 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Tommy Chong’s Comedy@420 and has a trio of hour-long specials to his name. His blunt observational humor and clever, self-deprecating anecdotes certainly make for a winning combination, but Porter credits his success in large part to his aversion to direct political commentary.

“It’s just so polarized today,” Porter says, explaining his policy. “Nowadays, it’s hard to have a good conversation about these things. I dont think its our job as comedians to always provide a political angle. There’s so much other stuff to talk about that’s funny and that isn’t divisive.”

However, Porter’s acts still dance around tough topics. One particularly thorny issue he tackles in A Man From Kansas is toxic masculinity. Far too many men, he says, are unable to express emotions outside of happiness, anger and confusion, which often overlap. Porter also takes aim at “douchebags in positions of power,” who abuse their station to abuse and degrade women. He implores men to step their game up and rebuild what he refers to as “the man-brand” by treating women with respect.

Oh… And one more thing: “Please, for the love of God, stop sending people pictures of your dick,” he cracks. 

Porter, who’s been performing for 20 years, is getting ready to embark on yet another tour, which will bring him to the Bay Area for a four-night residency at the San Jose Improv. He’s looking forward to the road, as it is the place where he generates the majority of his material. After the release of a special, he’ll start from scratch, looking for new topics to tease out. Once he’s hit upon something he feels is resonating, he’ll sit down with a paper and pen, and map out the many possible directions the joke might go.

Still, keeping his performances fresh means leaving plenty of breathing room for his developing material. This is why, Porter says he enjoys playing places like San Jose.

“I’ve found that audiences on the coasts tend to be more open for you to explore” compared to audiences in other parts of the country, Porter says. “They’re cool with you not being funny for a second as you’re trying to find a new joke or premise. A lot of audiences out here are kind of hip to that. Folks in the Midwest tend to want to just hear the hits.”

Chris Porter
Thu-Sun, Various Times, $20+
The Improv, San Jose
improv.com/sanjose

Preacher Lawson is not at a loss for material. His family had already moved 20 times before he turned 10. He eventually landed in Orlando, where he channeled his active sense of humor and infectious energy into standup comedy. Lawson caught a big break on the 12th season of America’s Got Talent. Since then, he’s had no trouble with selling out—literally and figuratively. The show has given him a national following, which he has used to pay his mother back for the car he crashed and bring his two brothers out to L.A. to enjoy the good life.

Preacher Lawson
Fri, 7:30pm, $22
San Jose Improv, San Jose

Some may remember Brooks Wheelan primarily for his super short stint on Saturday Night Live. But he’s been a pretty good sport about getting let go from one of the biggest gigs in comedy. He’s even incorporated his termination into his standup routine, following the example of other SNL alums dismissed before their time, like Norm MacDonald. He continues to tour and has booked plenty of gigs since leaving the show after the 2013-14 season. He’s acted in HBO’s Girls, and his 2015 comedy album, This is Cool, Right?, reached No. 1 on iTunes. He performs at The Improv through Sunday. (DI)

Brooks Wheelan
Jun 8-10, 7:30 pm, $20
San Jose Improv, San Jose

Veteran West Coast comedian Jamie Kennedy will help the San Jose Improv close out 2017. Kennedy first rose to prominence starring in the popular Scream movie series. From there he starred in his eponymous prank show, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. Kennedy is also known for his offbeat, goofy role in the love-to-hate comedy Malibu’s Most Wanted. As for standup, Kennedy has filmed numerous specials, including Unwashed: The Stand-Up Special. He also directed and produced Heckler, a documentary that analyzes the means and motivations of hecklers at live comedy performances.

Jamie Kennedy
Fri, 7:30pm, $25+
The Improv, San Jose

Half Baked star and SNL alumnus Jim Breuer is returning to San Jose with his Family Warrior tour. He brings his years of standup experience and, of course, dad jokes. In addition to rubber faced impressions, Breuer’s sets often draw upon familial relations—experiences he’s had with his daughters, his parents and the funny situations that invariably arise when trying to raise a family. This performance will mark Breuer’s first time back in San Jose since the joint launch of his new podcast The Metal in Me and his band Jim Breuer and the Loud and Rowdy.

Jim Breuer
Fri, 7:30pm, $25
San Jose Improv, San Jose

Like many fledgling comics struggling to make a name for themselves in stand-up, Pablo Francisco worked the open mic scene hard. But not all would-be comedians have been fortunate enough to have the kind of secret weapon that Francisco stumbled upon one evening at a gentleman’s club.

It was there that Francisco met Candy Cantaloupes, a sweet and busty porn star, with whom he forged a platonic friendship—with benefits. Although Francisco says he never hooked up with Candy, she did ask the manager of the Improv comedy club in Brea, Calif., out on a date.

“She cancelled the night before (the date), but the manager was so nice to me after that,” Francisco says. “They started letting me open up for big acts. It’s a strange door, but it’s a good one.”

Francisco would likely have done just fine without Candy’s help. In a word, he’s a natural, and he is bringing his eccentric blend of unflinching, observational humor, spot-on impressions, and manic contortions to the San Jose Improv to ring in 2015 (he played on New Year’s Eve and performs tonight, Jan. 2, and tomorrow night, Jan. 3).

According to Francisco, he discovered his talent by mistake. “I got my start in comedy by accident,” he explains. “It was a hobby that turned into a career. I got fired from Domino’s pizza. After that, I saw the comedy club down the street.”

Francisco performed each Wednesday at the Improv comedy club in Tempe, Ariz., gradually building his set until a “What are you going to do with your life?” lecture from his father prompted him to test his stuff at a larger club.

“I went there and they just told me ‘Hey man, we think you can do this business’ and I was really blown away by it,” he says.

After a little help from his adult film star friend, Francisco further expanded his audience through the then-nascent power of online streaming media. “When YouTube came out, oh my God!” he exclaims. “Talk about life-changing.”

One his early online bits showcases Francisco’s fervent impersonation of an Indian karaoke king. In the same video, he drips sweat while unraveling the sexual implications of mariachi, country and R&B music with the passion of a Pentecostal preacher in front of a raucous crowd.

The video blew up, giving him worldwide exposure. After a couple days, his manager called him with shocking news: “You’re not going to believe this, but that YouTube thing sold 10,000 tickets in Sweden—in seven minutes.”

Francisco explains his popularity by impersonating a real Swedish fan that came up to him and said, “Television goes off at 9, 10 o’clock and no one has nothing to do so they go to the YouTube and watch comedians and so far you are the biggest one.”

He mimics an Australian who told him, “we can watch you any time we want, mate. We only got Oprah, Doctor Phil, and YouTube.” Then snapping back into his grateful, actual self, he says, “But that’s only over there.”

Francisco hasn’t achieved the same level of fame stateside, but he’s not complaining. “I’m in between—it’s a beautiful spot to be,” he says. “You make the money, but you can still go eat or shopping.”

As his career has progressed, Francisco has begun using his comedy for deeper purposes. “I don’t go out there and say ‘Hey, I’m Pablo, save the soldiers!’ But the money has helped people I’ve known who have been in bad positions,” he says.

In addition to visiting injured soldiers, he has volunteered with people with special needs and paid for a girlfriend’s cancer treatment. “That’s what it’s all about in a way,” Francisco says.

His newest material reflects his growing maturity. “We decided to write another hour of comedy, but this time do it differently,” he says. “Add video to it, add a little more electricity, make a show out of it, make it different, and then we’ll go back to same old formula. It’s a little like Steve Martin playing banjo, I guess.”

He has also been using his comedy increasingly to scrutinize the hypocrisy and poisonous nature of much of popular culture. During our interview he launches into an impression of Dog the Bounty Hunter: “We’re gonna go in there. We’re gonna get these guys and kick their ass! OK, Jesus? Thank you, Jesus. Amen.” He says with a laugh, “It’s contradictory stuff. … I think people need to wake up a little bit more, and I think comedy is the best way of doing that.”

Pablo Francisco will ring in the New Year, performing at the San Jose Improv on Dec. 31. More info.

If you’re a comedian, anger management is a career hazard. Some of the best comics have stayed in the blistering red – guys like Louis CK, George Carlin, and Bill Hicks made names for themselves as masters of the rant. Bill Burr is no different. In June, we hope and pray that the comedian will be fuming mad during his three appearances at the San Jose Improv beginning June 15th.

“Do you know how many times a week people say to me ‘why are you yelling?’ And I never feel like I am. I’m passionate about my opinions and I want you to hear all of them before you get to talk again – that’s not anger,” he explains on his last special, the aptly titled “Let It Go.”

He’s not happy about it, of course: “I don’t want to die as this guy, the ‘angry guy,’ that’s the worst dude to die as. Because people gotta try and think of happy shit to say about you at your funeral. ‘He, uh, he always paid his bills on time, you gotta give him that. Goddamn! You gave this guy a bill and he paid it! This guy was a bill paying son of a bitch. He, uh, ironed his shirts….ah, I got nothin’.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fortunately he’s ignored his own advice. Last week on his weekly Monday Morning show, a podcast that quickly devolves from calm to calamitous, Burr released one hell of a rant.

“Can nerds go back to being beaten?,” he asks. Taking aim specifically at ‘alternative comics’ and a certain beloved television show (“Fuck The Office”), he claims “dorks” and “hipsters” have “taken the horror out of attempting to be a comedian – no heckling, no drunks, no obnoxious behavior, no aggressiveness – every fucking reason that it takes balls to be a comedian, you’ve removed from that situation and created this fucking comedy womb.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

So maybe that’s why he’s upset – he’s had to be.

Catch Burr at one of his five shows at the San Jose Improv starting June 15. Tickets are on sale here.