Jake Johannsen: This'll Take About an Hour

I first saw Jake on a young comedians special. Then came this. The funniest comedy special ever. Rank it up there (just above) Robin Williams at the Met, Eddie Murphy Delirious, Richard Jeni -Platypus Man, and Bill Cosby-Himself. (Also Andrew "Dice" Clay's first special,and the late Sam Kinisons HBO specials, but I understand that they are not for everyone). "This will take about an hour" starts out funny and soon becomes side splitting. Your drawn into Jake's story telling, and odd delivery as he weaves a web that traps you in hysterics. My friends and I have watched this so many times our copies are quickly wearing out. I talked to Jake at a couple of his shows and asked if there were any plans to release it on video/DVD. Nothing for sure yet. I was surprised to see this special make TV guides 100 funniest moments on TV, but definitely agreed it deserved to be there. Check Jake out live if you get the chance.

How fantastic was this?! I laughed, I cried. It became a part of me! I have been looking for a video or DVD of this for quite some time, so that I can relive the magic whenever I wish. Anyone out there have a copy, please email me! Jake takes the annoying things in life (like waiting for the phone repair man) and makes them HYSTERICAL! I have never seen such a paranoid freak before, but I dare you to try NOT to love him! I saw this for the first time with someone who was very close to me and so it will always be special to me. Because of Jake, I know the importance of ALWAYS leaving the toilet seat DOWN! Jake is highly recommended by me to all who are in need of a good laugh or good advice on handling the airport employees.

I had a copy of this that I watched dozens of times before losing it in a fire in 1998, but from what I remember, Jake's 1-hour routine is probably the best-timed, best-written, and best-executed comedy ever put on television or film. This ranks up there with the classic Pryor films, and Steve Martin's Wild and Crazy Guy concert at Red Rocks (and even tops them at parts). What sets this apart is that when Pryor and Martin perform, you know that they've been practicing each part of their acts and they line their bits up with standard set-up/embellishment/punchline formats. Johannsen has done that, too, but truly convinces me that he is digressing for the first time, as it's happening. He begins telling you about an experience, which can be funny, but invariably leads to a much bigger, or funnier chain of events, just as a conversation would go with someone you just met (only much funnier). Another plus is what Jake avoids. I don't recall much reliance on sound-effects, facial mugging, lame impersonations, repeated lines/catchphrases used to prompt audience responses, or other signs of desperation that way too man people use in routines these days. Jake just tells the lines, maybe makes a relevant gesture while applause and laughter are going on, then moves on. Additionally, too many comedians have that quick line, followed by an "uhhhhhh" while the audience catches up followed by the next joke. Jake knows when to shut up, let the laughter and applause happen, and then simply continue his thoughts afterwords. His transitions are great. Before you know it, you've moved from hearing about his plane ride, to locking his keys in a running car, to waiting for the telephone repair guy. The flow is excellent.

The only downside I can determine (more for Jake, than for the special) is that he is a comic based on style and delivery, not just content. What's funniest about his routine is not necessarily the punchline, but all the small asides within the anecdotes and lines. After seeing him perform, it is unlikely that people will go around repeating his lines since the material is basically one long string of funny stuff, not part and parcel jokes. People can grab a few one-liners, or a catchphrase from another comedian's (like George Carlin, Dice, Kinison, etc.) routine and repeat them, creating word-of-mouth advertising for a comedian, leading them to get curious about the act and create a following. With Jake, you can't pass-on the funny parts quickly, or with any hope of giving full detail. You can only pass on the style, but that's hard to do. Getting people interested in Jake's performances requires getting them to see one in its entirety to build up from there. That could be why so few people know who he is, relevant to lesser comedians like Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld, and the like.

If you ever get the chance to see this, take it. And pray that Jake has a revival and can do more specials in the future.

Released in the comedy boom of the late 80's/early 90's amidst a slew of other stand-up specials, this was always one of my favorites. I watched it over and over again in college. Johannsen is what they call a "comic's comic" which just means "other comics love him but he never caught on with the general public." An overview of his material sounds mundane: airplane travel, telephone repair, family road trips, unrequited love. There's nothing much "edgy" about this special (about a dozen f-bombs, but none of them gratuitous). But his construction, timing and inflection are impeccable. He's a man who fully grasps the craftsmanship of comedy, and this show still makes me laugh after multiple viewings.

This guy is a kind of nervous visual version of what you'd imagine Gary Larson to be like. But his subtle, offbeat, often sotto voce humor really tickles my funnybone. It's almost like it's accidentally funny, but you know he's a real professional and that it takes lots of practice and hard work. If you can find this TV special (HBO doesn't seem to have it any more) you'll enjoy it. TV Guide listed this as one of the 100 Funniest things TV has ever done, and they're right.