On Saturday night, a small but faithful crowd gathered to hear the standup comedy of Jim Norton. Norton, a regular on Comedy Central's "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn," is on tour to promote his new self-titled CD.
Norton's disclaimer on the disc warns that it contains "mean spirited humor and some filthy language." If his CD is anything like his standup, that is putting it quite mildly.
Norton began his show making general comments about events of the last year, ranging from Arnold Schwarzenegger's election to the Siegfried and Roy attack to the national blackout.
It didn't take long for Norton to begin ripping on different social groups. He began with those afflicted with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, then went on to insult the obese, many different ethnicities, the physically disabled (more pointedly, Christopher Reeve), the Polish and even the diabetic.
Sprinkle in some typically offensive sexual humor, some stabs about prostitution, some swear words and some Michael Jackson jokes, and that was Norton's act.
He mockingly says people always declare "you shouldn't judge someone," but according to Norton, "Yeah, you should."
Why? Because Norton is sick of people whom he coins "pseudo-compassionate" - those offended by comedy pointed at judgments.
"Intellectually, you know it's not funny, and you shouldn't laugh," Norton said. But according to Norton, he can't help himself, and that's a right he reserves.
Norton said resents Hollywood actors' and actresses' freedom.
"Actors' and actresses' work is deemed poetic, yet comedians are considered insensitive," he said.
Norton uses Tom Hanks' role of Forrest Gump as an example. Many laughed at Hanks' representation of a mentally retarded man, yet when he made a comment on the same topic, he was deemed a jerk.
Just when his argument was beginning to sound convincing, Norton concluded that anyone who doesn't agree with his stance should "slip in a pool of AIDS and crack your teeth on a urinal."
Although he spent some time defending himself, he did not forget to include something shocking to ease the tension of a more serious topic.
Not that Norton even needed to defend himself. Most of the crowd was filled with die-hard Norton fans pledging allegiance to his work.
"I think he's great," said sophomore biology major Patrick McShane. "I've been a fan for a couple of years now, ever since "the Opie and Anthony Show," and coming out to see him was definitely worth it."
"The Opie and Anthony Show" was a syndicated radio telecast that was cancelled in 2002 after a contest ended with a couple having intercourse in New York City's St. Patrick's Cathedral. Norton was a frequent guest on the show.
According to Norton, the show should be back on the air shortly, and if the show goes commercial, Buffalo will be one of the first markets it targets.
Everything aside, Norton does comedy simply because he "likes attention." While he often makes others the brunt of his jokes, he does not forget to poke fun at himself, describing himself as a "meaty-breasted little nothing."
Incorporating self-judgment reminds all of his fans that maybe everyone should take one for the team for the sake of a smile and laugh.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
