Sunday, June 24th, 2007; Quimby’s
Written by: Sarah Coffey

Not your typical quiet Sunday afternoon reading, Comedy by the Numbers (McSweeney’s, $14) was more of a knockdown drag-out funny fest (especially when Bob Odenkirk took the stage). Authors Eric Hoffman and Gary Rudoren wrote the book, with Odenkirk and his wife Naomi acting as cheerleaders and editors. Odenkirk drew a large crowd to the Quimby’s reading, which was really more of a skit-comedy show divided loosely into three sections:

1. “Professor” Hoffman and “Doctor” Rudoren introduced the book and its everyday applications, including “Fart Noises” and “Funny Names for your Pet” (e.g. Toodles, Little Asshole the Goldfish, Lil’ Miss Eats Everything).

2. Midway into the presentation, “college comic” Dick Mathers made his way through the crowd, played by Odenkirk with maniacal vim.

3. Hoffman and Rudoren wrapped up the show with a demonstration of “one-downsmanship” (the opposite of one-upsmanship), topping one another’s stories of childhood trauma and ending with Rudoren’s claim that “My parents made me memorize the constitution, shot me up full of heroin, and sent me out trick-or-treating as Lenny Bruce.”

The first half of the reading closely mirrored the book itself, with Hoffman and Rudoren supporting their thesis that “true creativity comes from simple formulas and the memorization of data” by reading through their numbered prescriptions for comedy in no particular order. The funniest tips took the politically incorrect approach, with gems like:

#57 – Humor Funny to Gays (long pause)
“The authors are not gay, but consider themselves brave enough to include this brand of comedy based on the likelihood that you or someone you know is gay.”

#56 – Hippies
“Always approach real hippies with caution, especially when seeing them in museums, in head shops, or in your apartment selling you drugs.”

#63 – Jews and Their Idiosyncrasies
“All Jews everywhere are exactly like Woody Allen (pause), famed filmmaker and alleged pedophile.” “Non-Jews will laugh at Jewish characters out of deep-seated jealousy and Jews like to laugh at themselves out of self-hate. That’s 100% of your audience. “

After announcing that Bob Odenkirk was unable to attend the reading, Hoffman and Rudoren introduced “Dick Mathers, Hot College Comic of the Years 2005, 2006, and 2007 as designated by Hot College Magazine, formerly Rolling Stone.” Odenkirk ran through the crowd, his fists pumping, yelling “Master of the Double Fist” and “I’m makin’ money so many different ways!”

On stage, Odenkirk’s arms were in constant motion as he shouted searing one-liners including:

• “Is everyone in this town gay?”
• “How come gay guys are like women?”
• “What’s with women?”
• “Why do they always pay in nickels?”

Through the fist pumping and woman bashing, Odenkirk slowed down and a voiceover track filled the space with Dick Mather’s interior monologue…

• Do chicks really do what I just said they do, or is that just something my girlfriend did once?
• What the hell is wrong with my mind? Is it broken?
• I should just do my impersonation of my dad!

Suddenly, the fists started pumping again and Dick Mathers was back in the zone, impersonating his dad with an undercurrent of barely repressed rage…

• “I’m Dad! I’m bigger than God!”
• “He’s always taking his shoes off and shaking them out!”

Back to the interior monologue….

• They love me! They have no idea that my dad died years ago and that he raped me every year on my birthday!

The audience hyperventilated at the shenanigans, proving the endearing charm of one of Odenkirk’s favorite characters, the clueless college comedian. After the show a few fans gushed compliments to Odenkirk, and we overheard him say, “It’s a blast making fun of Dane Cook.”

#68 – “Making Fun of Some Else’s Flaws.” The book works!

Sarah Coffey has written book, art, and design reviews for Venus, apartmenttherapy.com, The Modernist, and the late, great Punk Planet.