Something to Chew On

As season 2 of Bob’s Burgers was premiering on Fox last Sunday, several cast members – Eugene Mirman (Gene), Dan Mintz (Tina), Kristen Schaal (Louise), Larry Murphy (Teddy), and Kurt Braunohler – took the stage for the first of back to back SXComedy shows. It wasn’t a panel. Because as Mirman asked the audience, “Who would want to hear that?”

It’s a fair question. Mirman used the show’s intro to investigate.

“Go to any sweet panels?” He asked the audience at Esther's Follies. “Learn the future of the Web 3.4? Is there a new thing? What’s the new thing this year?” A fan responded: “Proximity apps.” Mirman didn’t seem interested. He wasn’t alone.

Having covered what the show wasn’t, he clarified what it is. “Stand-up,” he said. “We’re doing stand-up.” Mirman served as emcee as each of the cast members performed stand-up and skits and shared anecdotes. Mirman also showed two clips from the new season.

Braunohler, who has several episodes in the new season and his own show coming out on IFC called Bunk, performed next. He shared anecdotes about the time he and Mirman spent in England together, and an unrelated instance in which he learned the exact sound that turns vaginas to sandpaper. After Braunohler, Murphy took the stage. He seemed nervous (wink!), as if struggling through his first ever stand-up routine. Luckily he found a notebook, presumably left on stage by a previous comic. Something about it told Murphy its rightful owner was Chinese. Mintz went next, delivering a series of short, deadpan jokes that ranged from fairly innocent observations about digital watches to less innocent discussions on how a hunter should use the entire animal. “Like I killed a polar bear,” Mintz said. “I used its jaw to make a knife and the rest to have sex with.”

Before introducing Schaal, the last comic, Mirman asked the audience about Mintz’s set. “Did you close your eyes and picture Tina?”

Schaal took the stage last. After a little spoken word, she engaged the audience. “Why are you wearing sunglasses inside?” Schaal asked a man in the front row. “Are you tripping balls?”

Throughout the show, Mirman stood just off-stage — endearingly watching each performer and audibly laughing with the other cast members. All the comics killed, which may have been the why Mirman thought it necessary to assure the exiting audience that the 10:30 show was the same. Smart move. Everyone would’ve come back.