Don't expect watching this HBO special to be easy. It's full of spasms, puns, prop comedy, crowd-work, and fart jokes. On top of all that, Howie Mandel's delivery makes Mitch Fatell sound like Jeremy Irons.The special came out in 1983. Bob(cat) Goldthwait was on the rise around then. Their deliveries are fascinating artifacts of the time. But before we blame the era, just keep in mind a few other acts that were big at the time.
What's most fascinating about the video, is the crowd. You have some obvious fans who give entrance applause to some of Mandel's characters. (You might recognize the character Bobby, who made it to cartoonland.) And they keep up their energy and give constant approval. Whatever hunks of meat he throws their way, they gobble up hungrily. But if you look carefully, you'll see a few people in the crowd who look annoyed by the whole act.
I first saw this when I was about 11 years old. And his later Carnegie Hall special, with pretty much the same material, inspired me to write some of my own material and practice it in front of a mirror. I was only 12 or 13, but even at that young age I should have known better. I'm pretty much convinced that I was inspired by the evidence that all it takes is a squeaky voice. And at 12, I still had that. I think I even tried copying Mandel's strange hand twist. Which he does from start to finish. Through. The entire. Special.
The show really isn't pretty. So why am I recommending it? Never forget. Don't ever forget.
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