Bodden to appear at Roar Comedy Club at MGM Springfield

May 1, 2019 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – Comedian Alonzo Bodden writes and records podcasts, performs stand-ups, has hosted TV shows and acted in movies. What’s his favorite creative activity? Stand-up.

Bodden, also well known for his many appearances on National Public Radio’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” explained to Reminder Publishing that stand-up is “the most creative, freeing thing I could do.”

Bodden will be appearing at the Roar Comedy Club at MGM Springfield May 2-4.

He has had a diverse career as an entertainer. He won the third season as “Last Comic Standing,” hosted Speed Channel’s “101 Cars You Must Drive” and “America’s Worst Driver” on Travel Channel and appeared in films that include “Scary Movie 4,” “The Girl Next Door,” and “Bringing Down the House” starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.

“I’m not a great actor,” he said with a laugh. “I’m usually either a bouncer, a security guard or a criminal.”

Bodden said he s a “big car and motorcycle nut” and enjoyed hosting the two automotive-based TV shows.

“I’m really good at non-scripted [shows],” he added.

It helps his appearances on “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me’ that he is “a bit of news junkie.” He explained the panelists go into the show cold and the only thing they can prepare in advance is a bogus news story to try to confuse a contestant.

Bodden got his start as a comic in 1993 at the end of the comedy boom where almost every medium to large city had at least one comedy club. He explained there might be fewer comedy clubs, but there are more shows presented in venues that are not comedy clubs.

“It’s definitely tougher than in the late ‘80s,” he said.

He continued, “It’s like any other artistic pursuit, you can’t do it for the money.”

Like many other successful stand-ups he has tried to leverage his success on stage in order to land a sit-com on TV.

“We’re in the lottery business ad that’s winning the lottery,” he said. He noted a starring sit-com “is not that easy to get one.” So far, he has been in four different shows that have only lasted one season.”

“But I’ll keep trying” he said.

Bodden also records a podcast called “Who’s Paying Attention?” that is available at https://allthingscomedy.com/podcast/whos-paying-attention. What he likes about the podcast is that he can prepare some notes about news events and other things and then deliver a “stream of consciousness.”

He added, “A podcast allows me to go deeper [into a topic] … what’s behind the joke. It’s just me talking. Sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s scary.”

Bodden likes to work out new material onstage, which he said allows him to hone the material.

“It’s unlike music and rehearsing in a studio,” he said and added that he uses different words and fewer words in order to reach a punch line sooner.

Paying attention to current events he said, “I believe we can do better. Comedy comes from frustration.”

He noted that in 2019 “we’re still fighting some fights. Voter rights are still an issue.”

Bodden said, “The jester is the only guy who made fun of the king. We need to keep politicians honest.”

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