By Sarah Owen
Auggie Smith was on a roll. One-two punching a full house at Skyline Comedy Cafe during a short guest set, he was on rapid fire, hurling one politically incorrect and honest rant after another out into the crowd.
Then someone handed him a note.
“This was before cell phones and everything,” Auggie recalls. “They bring up this note saying a guy had to call home, and I make this big production about it … ‘I can’t believe they interrupted this show for a stupid note …’ Then we found out the guy’s son had been in Iraq and was paralyzed. I’m sure he was thinking,‘it was nice that the comic made fun of that, just for
me.’”
A local favorite, Auggie returns to Appleton this week to headline Skyline March 18 to 21.
Nearly 20 years after he first stepped on stage the day he
graduated high school (also before cell phones), Auggie’s innovative rants and willingness to spout about anything politically incorrect, pop-culture and current-event related have garnered him national appeal – and spots on shows like Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and the famous Bob and Tom Show.
Before he hits Appleton this week, Skyline went Behind The Mic to bring you the comedy dirt:
Skyline: You’ve been to Skyline quite a few times over the years, so you must be pretty familiar with your Appleton crowds.
Auggie: Heck yeah … I’m very familiar with Skyline Comedy Café. My mama lived in Appleton, so I’d go see her when I was working the Midwest.
Skyline: Now, I know every comic has a different reason for getting into comedy. But one thing I’ve always thought must be cool is, you sort of get to get away with what kids do – you can say anything. Can you, or are there some things you stay away from?
Auggie: Well, the whole point of it is, comedy is extremely personal … If you had a parent who died in a drunk driving accident, you’re not going to think jokes about drunk driving
are very funny. But the rest of the crowd may. The whole thing about it is, as a comic you can say anything you want as long as it’s interesting and entertaining, and knowing you’re going to be upsetting some people if you’re talking about any topics that matter at all.
Skyline: Right.
Auggie: What I’d say to the crowd is, understand that the comic isn’t writing jokes just to upset you. He hasn’t researched your life and all the buttons to push with you … And another thing about it is, though, maybe 10 years ago the “responsive boo” seemed to come through the crowd.
Skyline: Ah, yes. Always love that.
Auggie: Yeah, and that is completely unacceptable in comedy. Laugh, or don’t laugh. But don’t boo. It morally judges the comic and everybody that laughs. It’s a visceral response, and people decided it was OK to do years ago. In takes of (George) Carlin and (Richard) Pryor back in the ’80s, no one did that. It’s not a response in comedy; I hate it. It’s one thing out of a crowd I will not tolerate.
Skyline: On a lighter note, for people who haven’t caught your show before, what are they in store for? What kind of stuff out there now is getting your attention?
Auggie: The fact that the whole world’s going to hell is something…But, there’s this show on National Geographic, the channel, called “Dogs With Jobs.” And I just think, that’s gotta be a fun show for unemployed America to come home and watch. Being laid off your job, coming home from competing with a hundred other people wanting the same job and seeing this, and going “at least dogs of America aren’t unemployed…”
Skyline: Nice. And in terms of comedy in general, what’s your impression of new comics coming out on the scene?
Auggie: Comedy is like a lot of art forms – it keeps getting better, keeps feeding on itself. Right now the stand-ups of America are the best they’ve ever been. If you look back at the legendary ones, and I don’t mean to blaspheme, for the time they were good. But there’s no way they would stack up today. I mean, if Bill Cosby got up and told a three-minute story with a punch at the end like he used to, the crowd would never stand it. So it just keeps getting better and better. It’s such a fun art form to watch now. Like Demetri Martin? He’s a god, he’s a genius. And there are a million of others like him. Brian Reagan has mass appeal. Nobody’s going to see him and not enjoy what he’s doing.
Skyline: Absolutely … Auggie, is there anything else you want people to know before you hit Skyline this week?
Auggie: I’ll tell you what happened. I started doing the Bob and Tom Show, which is very big in your area, five years ago. It changed my whole career. Going in and doing Skyline years before that, I got a little bit of a following. People who’d seen me, word of mouth. But ever since that show, it’s just changed dramatically for me … So get on out! I’m on the radio, but my live show is a bit more raw than that. I’ve always thought of myself as much more of a live act. Even on TV it doesn’t come off that well. Live – that’s what I’m good for.
Fans can catch Auggie Smith live Wednesday through Saturday this week at Skyline Comedy Café, 1004 Olde Oneida St. in Appleton, and get a taste for other Skyline headliners right here each week.
$6 Wed | $8 Thur | $10 Fri | $12 Sat
*SPECIAL EVENT – no coupons or passes accepted.
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