The Fools Behind Uncensored Tomfoolery
“Drink your drinks and eat your eats, it’s party time! Party time!” sings the Helsinki-born folk-goth Ville Kiviniemi, – a.k.a. The Mattoid -- ushering in another episode of the Internet talk/comedy program Uncensored Tomfoolery on March 11. “Laugh your laughs and heat your heats, it’s party time! Party time!”
Hosted by local comics Matt Markman and Brandt Tobler, Tomfoolery more closely evokes the song’s later lyrics: “Crap your craps and f*ck your f*cks, it’s party time!” The jocular, boundary-nudging pair discovered the absurd yet tonally spot-on ditty via their beloved Doug Stanhope, a free-thinking fellow comic who did his time in the Vegas open-mic scene before chucking most of the hassles associated with the comedy “business” and cultivating a devoted following as a sort of vagabond comic-philosopher.
Stanhope also headlined the fourth of the duo’s underground Backyard Comedy Shows in front of 250 people the chilly evening of February 9, after which Tobler was informed by his landlord that no other shows would be allowed on the property. He is currently searching for an alternate outdoor location, preferably away from any semblance of civilization.
In the meantime, Tobler and Markman have continued performing around the city and focusing on such radio stunts as getting an authentic 40-year-old virgin from New York laid on a future visit to the city and convincing Lauren, the bisexual girlfriend of Tobler’s pal Casey, to record an on-air promo over the phone with the latter’s penis in her mouth. Nine shows in and they have yet to implement any firm structure, though there are such reoccurring moments as Markman mentioning something he read in the news, which Tobler then turns into a story involving drinking, sh*tting or one of his buddies “banging some chick.” During breaks Markman will play clips from the comedic likes of Russ Meneve, Robert Kelly and Mitch Fatel. Tobler will refer to the “blowin’ up” chat room or the roughly “40,000” (his exaggerated estimate) listeners around the country, encouraging them to call in. Though fellow comics like Nathan Lund and Brandon “Gooch” Hahn have checked in, it typically falls upon Casey or another Cheyenne friend to drunk-dial the show and liven things up. Tonight’s topics include Tobler’s Taco Bell-inflamed stomach, Vegas sandwich shops, fake food products, Markman’s parental-unapproved MySpace page, drinking as teenagers, drinking as adults, a new live comedy show in town run by Joe Lowers, fake food products again, Madonna, urine epidemics in schools, why women aren’t funny and an actual prepared segment in which Markman and Casey engage in a battle of wits.
Tobler, bearded and possessing a penchant for thrift-store fashions, is lighting-quick and likeable, if slightly insane (dude has been known to carry $40,000 in cash in his pockets – multiple times). Markman, meanwhile, is the shaved-head Straight(er) Man who adores both his girlfriend and pedophile jokes. As cohorts they most closely resemble Sifl and Olly, two sock puppets who hosted a delightfully absurd late-'90s MTV program with a rock ‘n’ roll edge, off-kilter rhythm and a cast of bizarre sidekicks – cuddly on the surface yet slightly fearsome. They won’t be taking on Stern anytime soon, but they’ve got potential.
Catch Uncensored Tomfoolery Tuesdays from 9-10 p.m. at www.lvrocks.com.