In anticipation of Jeselnik's performance in Denver this Saturday, we've assembled some of our favorite assaults throughout the years. If you are easily offended, these next five clips are definitely intended for you.
See also: - Anthony Jeselnik on his jerk persona, Comedy Central roasts, and why he likes hecklers - Louis C.K. debuts new HBO special, continues frightening us all with his vivid logic - Kim Jong-Un supports gay marriage: Did SNL steal this from The Onion?
5. Anthony Jeselnik on pedophilia A lot of comics tend to shy away from telling long stories while on stage: If the bit starts to die a minute in, those next four minutes are going to be pretty awkward. But here Jeselnik gently holds the audience by the chin, taking his time and speaking slowly. You're sure you know where this bit is headed, and then -- wham! -- a right turn makes all that tension worthwhile.
4. Anthony Jeselnik on how Charlie Sheen got on TV In the summer of 2011, everyone was glued in voyeuristic horror to the public meltdown of Charlie "Tiger Blood" Sheen. And when the anti-Semitic wife-beater graced the stage of the Comedy Central Roast the following September, there was no tougher comic than strong-jawed Jeselnik to tear Sheen apart and bring out some of that feline blood. And yet Jeselnik delivers his best material when he redirects his act and targets the universally beloved Michael J. Fox.
3. Anthony Jeselnik on missing children Nothing frightens parents more than the idea of their child being abducted -- and Anthony Jeselnik knows this. So it's no wonder that he was eager to open that "What if?" door, revealing a tender vulnerability where he could pour in some hilarious hate on race relations and pedophilia. Interviewing a missing-kid detective in a playground ball pit, Jeselnik gleans the best tips for anyone considering a future in child thievery and reveals that the best cover for a kidnapper would be someone with a career finding 'napped kids.
2. Anthony Jeselnik on religion Anyone can make a colorful religious joke and end up carpet-bombing a large swath of the audience. And during the setup for this story, that seems to be the road Jeselnik is traveling. After identifying himself as an atheist, Jeselnik admits, "I don't have a good story behind it -- I'm just reasonable," then launches into a story his "girlfriend" related to him that, once again, turns a corner with its smash ending.
1. Anthony Jeselnik on death You would think that performing intentionally offensive material for a roomful of cancer patients would be a bad idea. But you would be wrong. After succeeding at making an oncologist squirm with his characteristic make-light-of-heavy-subject baiting, Jeselnik does some crowd work at a cancer support group, downplaying the members' plight and making sarcastic prophecies about their (possibly) imminent deaths. And they kind of seem to love him for it.
Antony Jeselnik will perform at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27 at the University of Denver, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 East Iliff Avenue. Tickets are $22.50. Click here for more information.
For more comedy commentary, follow me on Twitter at @JosiahMHesse.
Follow @WestwordCulture
