Pajamas Media » Glenn Beck Takes the Stage

Glenn Beck Takes the Stage

The wildly popular Beck has begun a six city stand-up comedy tour.

June 5, 2009 - by Christian Toto

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Glenn Beck is doing the job documented comedians refuse to do: making people laugh about liberalism.

Beck, the radio titan and Fox News commentator, kicked off his six-city “Common Sense” comedy tour June 1 at Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

It’s an odd venue for the populist broadcaster — a man who talks up tater tots one minute, then belittles opera the next — but fitting for someone with his power base. Beck is the first one to laugh at his third chin and Bowflex-free physique, but the broadcaster is as polarizing as he is potent in today’s media world.

But — can he bring the funny?

Well yes, but for only half of his two-hour performance.

Beck didn’t work his way through comedy clubs en route to this tony stage. He is first a broadcaster. However, he does bring all the bells and whistles of a stand-up. He does voices, some quite well. He bounds across the stage with considerable polish, and expertly modulates his tone to bring home a punch line. At times, his rants about our absurd culture channel George Carlin, even though Beck’s politics couldn’t be more different. But he always returns to his “take the country back” mantra, a message he delivers with unusual conviction.

Beck began the sold-out show in a black t-shirt reading “1791″ (he explains it during the show) and blue jeans. He proceeded to rail against universal health care, explaining how the private sector always outdoes the public. Just think of schools, pools, and toilets, he cracked.

He read from a recent article in Pravda, which picked apart Obama’s administration more critically than any American newspaper. He pilloried the nanny state, reciting some of the more amusing warning labels on current consumer products. It’s material begging to be targeted, but it took a radio talk show host like Beck to explore it — not the comedy establishment.

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Christian Toto is a freelance writer and film critic for The Washington Times. His work has appeared in People magazine, MovieMaker Magazine, The Denver Post, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Scripps Howard News Service. He also contributes movie radio commentary to three stations as well as the nationally syndicated Dennis Miller Show and runs the blog What Would Toto Watch?

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49 Comments

1. Myno:

Just got back from the show. It was simply wonderful. It doesn’t matter if it’s a comedy show with serious parts or a serious lecture with comedic parts… it works.

Jun 5, 2009 - 2:17 am 2. scooby:

Beck is doing a very good investigation report on that Acorn bunch who helped BHO get elected. They should be exposed for what they really are. Hoodlums.

Jun 5, 2009 - 2:47 am 3. Boris:

I admit that Beck is sometimes hilarious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMSUD9v7_4E

Jun 5, 2009 - 3:11 am 4. Bob:

I caught Glenn’s show via closed circuit broadcast at a local theater last night. He was funny and entertaining for the entire show, and there was applause from the theater audience at the end (and from a few people during the broadcast). He’s not the new Seinfeld, but he’s good. As Rush has illustrated for 20 years, it’s easier to bring folks around to the conservative view with humor. The theme of the show is the loss of common sense. With multi-trillion dollar budget deficits and lost more spending schemes on the way (think national health care), who can argue with that premise?

Jun 5, 2009 - 3:58 am 5. The Shadow:

I thought his regualar show was high comedy. I know I go there for by daily laugh – better than the Three Stooges.

Jun 5, 2009 - 6:31 am 6. rance:

The Shadow sounds jealous.

So Shadow, which one are you? Curly, Mo, or Larry?

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:04 am 7. Middleman:

Does he do any impression of that pig-headed Irish blowhard, Sean Hannity?

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:17 am 8. Войска ПВО:

6. rance writes:

“The Shadow sounds jealous. So Shadow, which one are you? Curly, Mo, or Larry?”

..uh, rance, I think he was referring to Obama, Pelosi, and Reid.

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:36 am 9. Войска ПВО:

By thw way, ever notice how the Trolls come out and post on rlatively unsubstantial articles, leaving the intellectual commentary on other posts to the grown-ups?

It’s great that there’s Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity around to pull their chain.

I’m thinking of that scene in BeetleJuice where Keaton’s head spins around and almost flies off.

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:39 am 10. Middleman:

Intellectual commentary? That’s the joke of the day me thinks.

Jun 5, 2009 - 8:10 am 11. rocketeer:

@7 Middleman – Wow, name calling. That’s so unlike the average room-temperature IQ lefty. We’re all blown away by your intellect. I’ll never post again…

Jun 5, 2009 - 8:19 am 12. Christian Toto:

Love the idea of right leaners commenting on left leaning sites … and vice versa (like what’s happening here)

That practice can keep both sides honest.

But to show up on this site and name call and dumb down the conversation helps no one.

Jun 5, 2009 - 8:58 am 13. Well Educated Cad:

They can’t help it- it’s all they can do since they have no facts to argue with.

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:02 am 14. Middleman:

Bring some facts please. Obama is a socialist that wasn’t born in Hawaii is conspiracy, not fact.

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:18 am 15. Delia:

I have to admit that I love tuning in to the Glenn Beck show every 2:00 pm West Coast time on Fox News. He makes fun of himself, he makes great points, he’s got that ‘teddy bear’ quality and did I mention he cracks me up? -But, he has a joking and humble way of telling the truth and I find that refreshing. O’Reilly has good points too but he comes off so pompous and full of himself that I find him more nauseating and certainly not anything worthy of my time.

Also, it doesn’t hurt to be handsome. Those big, baby blue eyes get me right in the klinker. lol

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:34 am 16. AThinkingPerson:

LOVE GLENN BECK! The Shadow is just jealous because the liberals only comedians are the ever popular venom spewing Janeane Garofalo and that red-headed nutbag on The View. Can anyone blame his jealous tendencies?

Re #14 Middleman: Sorry bub, the Democrats have yet to offer up a certified birth certificate. It’s up to YOU to prove the facts not us. Prove the validity of Dear Leader. Can’t be done. Oh, you’re going to scream…”It has been seen..!!” Yeah right. By whom? No one.

So, you can scream conspiracy all you want but it adds nothing to your argument because you can’t offer up any facts to disprove our theory.

Are you always so gullible Middleman or just when it serves your purpose?

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:37 am 17. Delia:

12. Christian Toto,

Oh I do the ‘right’ slant on left leaning blogs thing from time to time. I eek it out gently though, rather than ‘outing’ myself. It’s called subliminal messages. LOL!

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:37 am 18. JasonS:

I’ve tried engaging the regulars at Daily Kos and Huffington Post with reasoned debate. It’s a frustrating task. You can write a thoughtful comment with a bunch of valid points and they’ll either completely ignore it or mutter something about “FAUX News” (always capitalize the FAUX to emphasize what a clever joke it is)…..

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:28 am 19. Free Hat:

AThinkingPerson: “LOVE GLENN BECK! The Shadow is just jealous because the liberals only comedians are the ever popular venom spewing Janeane Garofalo and that red-headed nutbag on The View. Can anyone blame his jealous tendencies?

Man, it’s as if stupid pills are the only food in your house. Here’s a link to the certified birth certificate:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/obama-birth.html

That should be enough. That’s not enough for you? Well guess what: too bad. You’re just some nut with an axe to grind, and surely, if the White House had to respond personally to the retarded claims of every delusional nutcase like yourself, the government wouldn’t get a damn bit of work done.

And The View was right – Glenn Beck is a lying sack of dog mess. And a big blubbering crybaby.

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:45 am 20. Pastor of Muppets:

Beck is about as funny as watching paint dry.

But I forget you neo-cons find great humor in racism. And it can only be because of racism that his ilk and the Faux News team goes after a forthright grassroots organization like ACORN.

Go ahead have your giggles and grins with Beck’s Jr. High antics.

BAWAAAAAAAH!!!!

There racists, feel better?

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:45 am 21. Tristan:

A huge thank you to Glenn Beck for having the guts to stand up to big government. Like many Americans I’m a little confused that the fourth and fifth amendment of the constitution offers just enough protection to keep criminals from getting questioned and prosecuted yet not quite enough to protect me from politicians who want to inventory and confiscate my income and assets for whatever purpose they can dream up.

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:48 am 22. Dave:

Did he make fun of Obama concealing his original birth certificate?

Jun 5, 2009 - 11:00 am 23. The Shadow:

Dopeyperson – Aye your still looking for the birth certificate. You are too funny. You should replace the Keith Oberman imitator

Jun 5, 2009 - 11:18 am 24. Pat J:

I’d rather go to funerals for laughs than sit through two hours of this idiot’s ramblings. The guy is mentally unstable.

Jun 5, 2009 - 11:27 am 25. tommyd:

Only 24 post in yet as always we can count on the leftist to show up and call people names…never fails.

They are devoid of any resemblance of independent intelligent thought.

Jun 5, 2009 - 12:13 pm 26. Middleman:

If I was getting paid what Glenn Beck was being paid, I’d ’stand up to big government’ too. Turning rebellion into money. Just like Gore turns green into gold.

Delia,
Got a crush on Beck do you? That’s like having a vanilla ice cream fetish isn’t it?

Jun 5, 2009 - 12:23 pm 27. Donna V.:

Hey, Muppie have you basked in the delicious appreciation of your leader Obambi today? Mr. Biggus Dickus? C’mon, Muppie, ‘fess up. We know you got a wall covered with pictures of his handsome black visage, just like my cousin Mary Jo had a wall covered with Tiger Beat photos of David Cassidy and The Bay City Rollers back in 1978. I’m sure she “basked” too.

Jun 5, 2009 - 12:47 pm 28. Pat J:

25. tommyd:
————-
It’s only insulting if it isn’t true. What with all this crying? Beck really is a lying sack of dog mess.

Jun 5, 2009 - 1:03 pm 29. AThinkingPerson:

Re #19 Free Hat: Re: The “original birth certificate”? Yeah right. It’s a computerized copy idiot. Did you even follow the LA Times link? Did you even look at it? Have you looked at your own birth certificate? Have you noticed that the COMPUTERIZED COPY that the LA Times offered up as proof is not the ORIGINAL and that state that fact in the article YOU LINKED TO? Idiot.

Yet more proof you could sell a liberal ocean front property in Nebraska.

Jun 5, 2009 - 2:15 pm 30. AThinkingPerson:

Re The Shadow: Did I hear yet more grunting? Thinking so.

Jun 5, 2009 - 2:16 pm 31. Delia:

26. Middleman:

“Delia,
Got a crush on Beck do you? That’s like having a vanilla ice cream fetish isn’t it?”
~

LOL! I haven’t had a ‘crush’ on someone since I was thirteen. Married 22 years to a big, hulking, olive skinned Italian man TYVM. Is there something wrong with me admiring a handsome man?

Jun 5, 2009 - 2:31 pm 32. imxio:

Glenn is the best. He’s turned me onto so many history/non-fiction/educational books in the last 2 years, I can’t remember the last time I had time to read a novel.

Wait…maybe I should be mad at him!

Because of him, I know so much more about our history, our culture, our Constitution, our founding and the IDEA that is America—not because he TOLD me—but because he encouraged me to “do the research” myself.

It’s an eye-opener, that’s for sure.

Nay-sayers can insult and rant all they want, we know what we know.

Jun 5, 2009 - 3:26 pm 33. Pastor of Muppets:

Man, it’s as if stupid pills are the only food in your house. Here’s a link to the certified birth certificate:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/obama-birth.html

And The View was right – Glenn Beck is a lying sack of dog mess. And a big blubbering crybaby.

Jun 5, 2009 - 4:48 pm 34. JulianG3:

Hey Middleman:
1. Why has BHO’s campaign spent more than $1MM to suppress legal demands that he produce the original birth certificate? If he has nothing to hide why doesn’t he just release it?
2. Why won’t he release his grades? How did his finance his Harvard Law School? Was he selected for HLR based on grades or was he affirmative action?
3. Why did NYT supress the Obama/ACORN connection before the election? ACORN is a bunch of intimidating thugs.

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:36 pm 35. Ms. Attitude:

Glenn Beck knows what he’s talking about. I enjoy watching him.

Boris @3, thanks for the link, I forgot how stupid those folks at MSNBC were…can you imagine devoting that much of your show to a competing channel. MSNBC loves FAUX news….LOL

POM, Pat J, and friends…you guys should get a show like morning joe…maybe you could bring up their ratings…nah, never mind, you’d be just as boring, watching you lust after the President and his wife…all the while with your head in the sand, not giving a crap about your country.

Jun 5, 2009 - 7:58 pm 36. Ms. Attitude:

POM, I saw a picture of a UFO online before too…his BC reminds me of that, both are more than likely false.

So, if the cost of a certified birth certificate costs under $20 to get why has Obama spent thousands in court cost to keep from showing it?

I at first thought it was a theory but his fighting it only makes me think theres something to it.

Can you explain this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH4GX3Otf14&feature=related

The Kenyan Ambassador states he was born in Kenya.

Jun 5, 2009 - 8:12 pm 37. Pat J:

“Is there something wrong with me admiring a handsome man?”

Eww! At least you don’t think Limpnuts is handsome.

32. imxio:

All I have tosay about that is where do you buy your crack? Or are you being sarcastic?

Jun 5, 2009 - 8:18 pm 38. WhyamInotsurprised?:

#19 FreeFart – I looked at the “document” you linked us to on the Dear Leaders birth certificate. I found it quite interesting that in the lower left corner it state “(Rev. 11/01) LASER.”

Ha ha ha! What a joke! Revised in 2001? Laser? The Laser printer wasn’t even commercially widely available until the 1980’s.

So he was born in 1961. No signatures. A computerized fake, as #29 AThinkingPerson points out.

I bet if we were to find a copy of the document used by the State of Hawaii at the time of The Dear Leaders claimed birth, it would look nothing like this computer form. I’m sure Hawaii does not have a legitimate copy because The One was not born there, is a liar, a fraud, and should be impeached for such.

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:21 pm 39. WhyamInotsurprised?:

#33 Masterbater of Pets –

“… if the White House had to respond personally to the retarded claims of every delusional nutcase like yourself, the government wouldn’t get a damn bit of work done.”

Hey Homey! Watup! I guess you bought the whole Obama-enchilada, hook, line, and sinker (a fishing phrase maybe not widely known in da hood). You must work for the government because you accuse them of actually doing some work. Figures.

Jun 5, 2009 - 9:30 pm 40. WhyamInotsurprised?:

I find it interesting that Alan Keyes efforts to get the US Supreme Court to review this issue was rejected. Maybe the petition was made properly, however, the issue is a valid concern. I would hate that the Court rejected this simply for a procedural issue.

Check this out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23580873@N05/3201196892/

and
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/07/atlas-exclusive.html

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:08 pm 41. WhyamInotsurprised?:

This one is probably closer to the truth … chuckles!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/obamamuslim/3046226125/sizes/m/

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:12 pm 42. Ms. Attitude:

Lets not forget that Pat J thinks that hate f***ks are fun. He can’t be taken seriously!

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:20 pm 43. sheesh:

38, 39, 40, 41 . . . whyamisuchadick

Your theft is blatant. Your execution is amateurish.

Jun 5, 2009 - 10:33 pm 44. syn:

Unlike Kingdom Hollywood, neither Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity are in the process of stealing freedom from the arms of Lady Liberty.

Jun 6, 2009 - 4:17 am 45. WhyamInotsurprised?:

#43 Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh – aka “Shit for Brains”

Come on man, what about the birth certificate, the fake one? Why won’t Our Dear Leader post his bonafides for the public to see?

Where is the original? Maybe Kenya didn’t have the paper then, just toilet wipes and that got used up by accident. No signatures, and a reproduced version that is questionable.

He is like you … a conniving, lying, sack of excrement!

Jun 6, 2009 - 8:21 am 46. sheesh:

45 whyamisolame . . . This oughta confuse you for a few days . . . paragon of the right wing lunacy . . . stalwart defender of intellectual dishonesty . . . he would do well here at PJM.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/05/rick-sanchez-rips-bill-or_n_211971.html

Jun 6, 2009 - 2:10 pm 47. The Shadow:

WhyamInotsurprised? – 7 1/2 years from now when Obama is finally retiring, you will still be fixated on his birth certificate. Have you ever seen a psychiatrist for your problem? Are there other thing you fixate on? You haven’t seen any aliens lately have you?

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:30 pm 48. The Shadow:

Dopeyperson _ It is revealing you know whom I was referring to

Jun 7, 2009 - 4:32 pm 49. Pat J:

“Lets not forget that Pat J thinks that hate f***ks are fun. He can’t be taken seriously!”

I don’t hate you. Get over it!

Jun 8, 2009 - 2:08 pm

Glenn Beck Takes the Stage

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