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Stand-Up Comic Makes Science Funny
Hugh Pickens writes "The San Fransisco Chronicle is running a story about Brian Malow, a stand-up comedian who has showcased his science-centric stand-up humor for more than a decade in comedy clubs, at conventions and for corporate clients across the country. Fortunately, club patrons don't need a degree in quantum mechanics to appreciate one-liners like 'I used to be an astronomer, but I got stuck on the day shift,' 'I just started reading, "The Origin of Species." Don't tell me how it ends!' or that he 'attended a magnet school for bipolar students.' While his show is very rational and based on hard science, Malow cleverly infuses it with an abstract or surreal comic twist."
Hugh Pickens continues: "Like observing that whenever his mother would lose weight, his father would gain weight, and then linking the two by a fundamental law of nature. 'It was like the Conservation of Mass within our family,' says Malow, adding that 'fat can neither be created nor destroyed.' Last year Malow performed for colleagues at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. 'We found his humor delightfully nerdy, and he fitted right in,' said Kevin Grazier, who is a planetary scientist and author. 'It's one thing to make people laugh when they're sitting in a darkened club room, with a few drinks in them. It takes real talent to be funny in the afternoon, in a work environment.' Malow's interest in science and nature also extends to his passion for insects, with Web site InsectPaparazzi, and he has even discovered a species of fly. 'Of course, I found it in Golden Gate Park,' he says. 'So it may have just been a tourist.'"
"How much for a drink?"
The bartender replied, "For you, no charge."
I think Big Bang Theory does a good job of science jokes.
I searched for clips of him on YouTube.
Here's a really funny ~7minute video with highlights from a couple of his shows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn8uzB0eypk&feature=related
The man is a genius.
-"Those who fought today will die tommorow."-
'I just started reading, "The Origin of Species." Don't tell me how it ends!
Turns out the zebra did it.
Q: Why did the mathematician have complex numbers on his telephone?
So he could call all his imaginary friends.
Whenever I've gotten a speeding ticket, I've thought about arguing with the Judge that the cop was lying on the ticket. He noted both where I was and how fast I was going, and since he can only measure one of those things, he's clearly lying about the other.
-"Those who fought today will die tommorow."-
I'd credit Bill Nye with being one of the first to make science funny. Maybe he wasn't as good as this guy, but I always appreciated the dry humor as a kid.
Science rules!
This story reminds me of Tom Lehrer, an MIT professor of mathematics that had a penchant for song-writing and performing. And he was really quite hilarious.
e.g. the famous "chemical elements" song :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYW50F42ss8
A: Wait, I can explain Everything! It's not what it looks like!
-- Subvert the dominant paradigm. Repeat as desired. http://ownlifeful.com/
'We found his humor delightfully nerdy, and he fitted right in,' said Kevin Grazier, who is a planetary scientist and author. Ugh, really? It's hard to keep feeling superior to the artsies when other scientists are using words like 'fitted' in this context.
In Kevin's defense, he says he was misquoted. Seeing that appalled him, too. So you can still respect scientists.
Correction: I didn't discover a new species of fly - but I did take a picture that may be the first known occurrence of a particular species in this part of the world (the Nearctic): http://bugguide.net/node/view/21487 (but it's a species known in other parts of the world)
You're pretty fly for a science guy