‘Last Comic Standing’ finalist to discuss relationships, race

After six seasons on MTV’s “Road Rules,” a stint as a “Last Comic Standing” finalist and appearing on VH1’s “Reality Bites Back,” comedian Theo Von will perform at the Funny Bone Bloomington Comedy Club this week.

Brad Wilhelm will be the emcee, with feature performer Brian M. Frange and a guest spot by junior Josh Cocks. Von will perform 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Funny Bone Bloomington Comedy Club.Tickets are $12 general admission,  and $6 with student ID.

Von described his style as “a little crass, a little edgy ... a little racy.”

“There are parts that are like, ‘Wow, that’s awkward, but that’s fun, too,’” he said.
Von said he will joke about women, race relations, his family and whatever else strikes his fancy.

It will be Von’s second time at the Funny Bone and he will also appear on the “Bob and Tom Show” Friday morning. Audience members can also expect a few Bloomington jokes, as Von said he localizes his material.

Cocks, a Funny Bone regular, said he’s not nervous about performing this weekend.

“I’m undoubtedly the most talented comic in Bloomington,” he said with a perfectly straight face. “I am stunningly attractive, I choose my words carefully and people know that if they hang around me long enough they’ll get into exclusive parties.”

Admitting this is a bit cocky, he declared that “Cocky Cocks” would be the name of his first comedy album and possibly the second. However, IU alumnus Frange contradicted Cocks’s claim.

“We all know that’s not true, because Tom Brady is the funniest,” Frange said, referring to Brady’s win at the first annual Bloomington Comedy Festival last summer, also held at the Funny Bone.

Cocks also joked that he is so good in part because he just steals material from other comics as well as creating his own material.

“I have a new bit about how I keep losing all my money to try to win McDonald’s Monopoly,” he said, referring to the fast food giant’s lottery contest.

Frange said one trait he sees in many professionals is “being as much themselves onstage as humanly possible.”

“I think it’s one of the most difficult things to do onstage is develop that persona,” he said.

Although Frange said “it’s good to be able to go up onstage and explain myself,” he added that he tends not to concentrate on any one topic because he is not that developed as a comedian yet.

“You know that Dave Chapelle is going to talk about racism and the police,” he said as an example. “I can’t really focus on any one thing ... I’m still kind of learning what I should really care about.”

But audience members can expect a few topic-driven rants, like Frange’s “inability to cope with social situations,” in which he said he makes other people feel uncomfortable.

Having performed at the Funny Bone almost since it opened, Frange worked with Von the last time he was in town, and said because Von is also a reality star, many people have the misconception that he’s a novelty act.

“I was so impressed and surprised,” he said. “He totally broke that stereotype in my mind.”