Avid readers, you might have noticed the absence of raw laughter on Shockya. “American Reunion” probably made you chuckle, if you kept your focus on Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott and Eugene Levy, and did not let Chris Klein’s receding hairline, Tara Reid’s lack of acting skills or Jennifer Coolidge’s plastic surgery addiction divert your attention. With Shockya’s new dedication to frequently informing you about the latest comedy releases, these dry spots in comedy films will no longer disappoint you as much. CD and DVD releases from stand-up comedians will fill the absence of unreliable humor in these movies.
Here to kick off the Shockya commitment to continuous laughter is comedian and frequent “Chelsea Lately” guest, Jo Koy with his CD/DVD “Lights Out”, which dropped April 3rd via Comedy Central.The extended and uncensored DVD replaces the absence of the apple pie and far too few scenes with Shannon Elizabeth and Natasha Lyonne in “American Reunion”.
Following his 2009 debut, “Don’t Make Him Angry”, “Lights Out” marks Koy’s second Comedy Central special. The comedian has also appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Last Call with Carson Daly,” “BET’s Comic View” and “Jamie Foxx Presents: Laffapalooza.”
Koy’s most recent release, “Lights Out” includes a one hour stand-up special, which Comedy Central filmed at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA, plus an additional 15 minutes of material not included in that broadcast. The bonus content is comprised of the first feature entitled, “All Access”, which contains backstage footage of his performance. The second, “DJ Josephine”, consists of Koy as a special guest on his mother’s AM radio show.
From the start of “Lights Out”, it becomes apparent as to what a day in the life of Koy revolves around, being a Filipino, grandson, son and father. Typically staying within these topics, Koy immediately resonates with his audience on both an emotional and physical level. Yes, not every listener is of the Filipino ethnicity, but that comment was meant to emphasize the ethnic equality Koy indirectly promotes with “Lights Out”.
Koy’s family stories have a Filipino kick to them, but the overall premise is common in a family no matter its origin. The topic of mothers nagging their children is universal; Koy just gives his an Asian touch. With the tracks, “You Got Ruppied”, “How My Mom Did It” “If I Lost Something” and “Church”, Koy’s Asian dialect when imitating his mother, aka DJ Josephine, is effortlessly consistent and adds to the hilarity of family-oriented jokes.
What is most likely not applicable across society is a child who calls his private part a Ting-Ting. Sorry Koy, but your son is probably flying solo on that one. The stand-out joke begins in the track, “History of Ting-Ting” and continues in “Filipino Moms and Their Sons”. In fear of giving away or tainting this favorite, we’ll only elaborate with an afterthought. You better not pass over these tracks on “Lights Out”. They deserve your utmost attention.
With the Ting-Ting pushed aside, Koy also dabbled in jokes discussing the weather and a sleep disorder. While these subjects add variety to the album, Koy is a family man at heart and “Lights Out” will not let you forget that.