Culture Surfing

It seems almost everyone in these parts has a favorite memory of the Georgia Theatre, the iconic Athens, Ga., landmark that burned to the ground last Friday morning. For me, it was David Byrne’s 2001 solo show. Never has running in place been so fun.

In honor of all the good times had, and in the hope of good times to come, Georgia Theatre benefits are popping up all over. The Whigs, Dead Confederate and the New Familiars played a benefit show last Tuesday at Athens’ Melting Point and Venice is Sinking is donating all proceeds from its in-progress third album to the Theatre. In a similar vein, Atlanta comedy club the Laughing Skull Lounge is hosting a fundraiser comprised of a series of performances by Marshall Chiles and 10-ish comedians doing 5-7-minute bits each. Shows start tonight, June 25 and run through Sun., June 28. Show times: Thurs.-Sat., 8 and 10 p.m.; Sun., 7 and 9 p.m. Prices: Thursday and Sunday: $15; Friday and Saturday: $20.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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To the casual TV watcher and comedy fan, comedian Doug Benson may seem like little more than a pothead making a career out of smoking weed and joking about it. But the truth is, there’s much more to him than that. Benson, the star of The Marijuana-Logues and Super High Me, a regular VH1 contributor and national-headlining comedian, is a gifted writer, talented performer and sincere legalization activist. That being said, he is kind of a pothead. Benson performs at the Laughing Skull Lounge June 4-7.

You’ve officially made a successful career out of smoking pot and making fun of pop culture. What’s it like living the dream?
You know, I can’t complain. It’s not bad at all. It’s kind of ironic though that Michael Phelps lost millions for smoking pot, and it’s making me hundreds.

Do you actually perform stoned?
Yeah, most of the time. At this point people just assume I’m high all the time anyway, so they’d be disappointed if I weren’t.

How often do people come up to you after the show and offer you weed?
Pretty much after every show, and now sometimes even while I’m just walking on the street, people come up and ask to smoke me out.

Continue reading “Speakeasy with Doug Benson”

(Photo by Seth Olenick)

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FEEL IT IN YOUR BONES: Andy Kindler

Originality matters in comedy, from the joke being told to the stage it’s told from. In that vein, Atlanta’s newest comedy venue, the Laughing Skull Lounge, brings a rare personal feel to the often-intimidating world of stand-up. Located in the back of the Midtown Vortex Bar & Grill on Peachtree Street, Laughing Skull has a maximum capacity of 74 seats. It bills itself as “the smallest full-time comedy venue in the world” and has recently applied to the Guinness Book of World Records for that exact title.

Local comedian Marshall Chiles, who ran the recently shutdown Funny Farm, owns and operates Laughing Skull. He’s especially excited about the creative opportunities the new room offers. “It’s about the art of comedy. This room isn’t for mainstream comics who do the normal clubs, it’s for real, progressive comedians. Our contract with the Vortex actually states that we’re not allowed to do homogenous, family-friendly comedy.”

Continue reading “Laughing Skull Lounge stands up for intown comedy”

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Donnell Rawlings turned a natural ability to be funny into a craft that pays the bills. He’s served in the armed forces, coined a pop-culture catchphrase (”Chappelle’s Show’s” “I’m rich, bitch!”) and appeared in several hit shows, but he’s not done yet. He performs at the Vortex’s Laughing Skull Lounge March 12-15. Here, Rawlings speaks about what got him into the industry, and what his plans are going forward.

I read that your comedy career started with you heckling a comedian who then challenged you to take the stage. Is that really how it all began?
Well sort of, but it wasn’t a comedian who challenged me — all the comedians were scared of me. I was going to this club in D.C. and heckling the comics so finally the manager of the club challenged me to get on stage. I came back two weeks later with a 30-minute routine that quickly became about a one-minute routine once I got up there.

Continue reading “Speakeasy with Donnell Rawlings”

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