By Peter Lindblad
Cute dates should be a red flag. Women should be on the lookout for men who take them for ice cream or walks in the park – anything romantic like that – according to New York City’s Ian Lara. It’s a sign what’s really happening is a “poor date.” Lara brought his own receipts to prove he knows whereof he speaks.
Without giving too much away, that’s just one of seemingly a thousand bits comedian Ian Lara had in store for the early-show audience at the Milwaukee Improv in Brookfield on Saturday, never letting up on the momentum he built right from the start in an uproarious set that stayed on the tracks until almost derailing when someone broke a glass at a table. Showing incredible mental agility, after riffing and doing crowd work on that for about five minutes or so, the genuinely concerned Lara seamlessly steered his routine back on course.
In self-deprecating fashion, Lara joked about the sold-out show in Milwaukee that he was going to tell everyone about on Instagram, even though there were some empty seats. Every one of them should have been filled.
Relationships and dating were the main topics, as Lara talked about how women love a man in uniform, but there are only four that really matter. Weird stories men will tell their friends was also on the menu, along with gay birthdays, randy old men on the make in group chats, and his own teenage circumcision, which led to the greatest comeback ever told. Let Lara tell it.
A superb storyteller, a keen observer of gender differences, and easy to like, the fast-talking Lara was polished, quick on his feet, and knew how to squeeze every little funny bit from an inexhaustible line of premises. It almost seemed like Lara didn’t want the night to end, and neither did the crowd.
When Lara, a rising star with a killer HBO special called “Ian Lara: Romantic Comedy” to his credit, comes around, be sure to run and don’t walk to the box office.
Here are some shows this week that you should get to.
The Laughing Tap – Milwaukee (https://laughingtap.com/)
Brad Wenzel (Aug. 16-17) – There’s dry, and then there’s Brad Wenzel dry, slipping in one liners and absurd quips with the ease of a pickpocket. Three stand-up appearances on “CONAN,” plus his debut comedy album “Sweet Nothings” – on Third Man Records, rocker Jack White’s label – suggest that the weirdly wonderful Wenzel is a joy to behold. Paste magazine said his 2023 “joke. joke. joke.” special was one of the 20 best comedy specials released that year. He’s been doing this since he was 17, and he’s been on “Bob & Tom” and was one of the “New Faces” at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival. Let the non-sequiturs commence. https://bradcomedy.com/
Comedy on State – Madison (https://www.madisoncomedy.com/)
Ali Siddiq (Aug. 16-17) – On the straight and narrow now, Siddiq has spent time behind bars, which gives him a uniquely funny perspective on what it is to be human. He’s got scary-funny stories for days and eye-opening experiences to share, as detailed on specials like 2022’s “The Domino Effect” and “Unprotected Sets.” In 2013, he was named Comedy Central’s “#1 Comic to Watch.” It’s been onward and upward ever since. Want to catch a master storyteller at work? Check out his “Mexicans Got on Boots” talk, which relives a prison riot on Comedy Central’s “This is Not Happening.” It got 14 million views. And Comedy Central gave him carte blanche to perform live for inmates in a Texas jail, where everything came full circle. That’s faith, and he’s rewarded it. https://alisiddiq.com/
Skyline Comedy Club – Appleton (https://www.skylinecomedy.com/)
Tyler Fischer (Aug. 16-17) – Appearing a day after “Is This Thing On?” favorite Rob Brackenridge, Fischer is a funny triple threat: actor, stand-up comic, and viral content creator. He does stellar impressions. Even The New York Times has taken notice, once naming Fischer as “The Best New Impressionist.” That presumably means best impressionist anywhere. Fischer’s “La La Land” parody “Lady Ballers” was a scream, and he’s guest starred on Netflix’s”STARTUP,” TV Land’s “YOUNGER” and NBC’s “Chicago Med.” You might have seen him doing stand-up on “America’s Got Talent.” Oh, yes. He’s got talent all right. https://www.tylerfischer.com/