Lewis Black may not be able to shake his spastic angry finger at you through the speakers, but his characteristic wit and in-your-face attitude on his new CD "The Carnegie Hall Performance" is just like watching a performance of the irate comedian live.
"Lewis Black: The Carnegie Hall Performance" is a simply titled double-album chock full of all the expected maniacal, political and diabolical ideas from the comedian and playwright who is perhaps most famous for his Back in Black segment on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."
The first track may give listeners the wrong impression, as Black goes on for a while about how Carnegie is an inappropriate venue for a puissant like himself because respectable composers like Leonard Bernstein have performed there.
"As a comic what do you do after this? Next Saturday I'm at the Fort Lauderdale Performing Arts Center," Black says. "Dr. Fuck Phil says, 'establish goals.' "
Black then sarcastically adds, "Mr. Black will be playing the Malan opera house." The introduction is particular to the venue, but Black still gets some laughs with vivid descriptions and his trademark neurotic energy.
Being raised in a Jewish family, Black has horrifying memories of the holiday Yom Kippur.
"Only the Jews could come up with a holiday that is depressing on a level that you can't begin to imagine," Black says. "I was five the first time my parents took me to Yom Kippur, which means 'day of atonement.' Whoo, happy holidays!"
Black has that unsympathetic self-deprecating sense of humor that makes the material sound natural.
"The only people who have taken it a step further are the Muslims who actually get the chains and beat the shit out of themselves," says Black, adding, "I'm surprised the Jews didn't think of that. But we don't work well with tools, and we'd rather go after ourselves mentally."
Black then continued onto Catholics.
"You get in the little booth with the guy, 'I was in the Maestro's room and I was touching myself.' Then he goes, 'That'll be great, do five Hail Mary's and a side order of fries.' "
Black also treads less offensive territory while managing to rip on holidays like Halloween.
"It's a holiday for children. Because children want to dress up all the time, but you have to go 'No! This is the night, now shut the fuck up!' "
His rationale is indisputable as he continues on the subject.
"You are an adult. You can put on a costume whenever you want. You don't need permission anymore. If you wake up next Tuesday, and you feel like being Batman, go for it."
Though the performance was recorded Sept. 2005, most of the issues are just as relevant as they were eight months ago. Black criticizes airlines, citing that the head of the FAA did not announce until July 22 that flying would be very difficult during the summer.
It seems he has problems with many organizations.
"I learned a lot about FEMA. I always thought it was that bone here in your ass."
The nearly 100 minutes of spastic, brink-of-insanity rants is a lethal dose. Black's still pissed off, he still has things to say, and damn it, you're going to listen!
