Last week I hit up the Verizon store on 81st and Broadway to replace a lost charger. In the front of the store there was this big, circular desk - a designated customer service area or something - and it was surrounded by a crowd of unhappy people. I bypassed the throng and walked over to where I thought my charger would be.
A half minute later a saleswoman comes up to me, taps my shoulder and rudely asks, "Did you take a number?" "No," I said, "I didn't realize this was a butcher's shop."
"What? Look, you need to take a number."
"I bet. Anyway, I'm looking for a phone charger."
"There's one right over here. It's $29.99."
"Hmm. Do you have the same product, but for half the price?"
"What? No, that's all we have. Actually, for an additional $20, you can get the charger and a phone holster."
"Wow, that's like the complete opposite of what I want."
Demetri, I'm am hoping - praying - that your show finds its way. As you know, Comedy Central never filled the void left by Dave Chappelle. And their last attempt, the wretched Sarah Silverman Program, ended in fiasco. You've got your work cut out for you - Godspeed.
A half minute later a saleswoman comes up to me, taps my shoulder and rudely asks, "Did you take a number?" "No," I said, "I didn't realize this was a butcher's shop."
"What? Look, you need to take a number."
"I bet. Anyway, I'm looking for a phone charger."
"There's one right over here. It's $29.99."
"Hmm. Do you have the same product, but for half the price?"
"What? No, that's all we have. Actually, for an additional $20, you can get the charger and a phone holster."
"Wow, that's like the complete opposite of what I want."
The reason I recount this story is because it reminded me of an old Demetri Martin joke (minute 1:11; pardon the crappy graphics), which is a nice segue to my next topic: Demetri's new show, Important Things. Comedy Central calls it a "stream-of-consciousness sketch and variety show." I call it a white man's Chappelle Show, with a heavier emphasis on stand-up (and yellow labels). For those unfamiliar with the comic, Demetri is the world's only funny, non-douchebag hipster.
So far the show's been pretty hit or miss. While a few glimmers of brilliance (yes, that one hits particularly close to home) demonstrate Demetri's talent and give the show promise, they have been offset by some lousy sketches, which are only aggravated by the forced, uncomfortable laughter of an audience that seems confused as to why the stuff on the screen is only marginally funny. Fortunately, the second episode was a steady improvement over the first.
Demetri, I'm am hoping - praying - that your show finds its way. As you know, Comedy Central never filled the void left by Dave Chappelle. And their last attempt, the wretched Sarah Silverman Program, ended in fiasco. You've got your work cut out for you - Godspeed.
(Full disclosure: I met Demetri last year at the Yaffa Cafe on St. Marks Place. He shook my hand and said he was really tired.)
[Have any AMDAL readers seen the show? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Rumor has it there's a comments hyperlink below each post. It's the button you ignore right as you get bored and leave the site. Give it a click.]
