Last Comic Standing Semi Finals Straight Up Recap

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Last night on Last Comic Standing the semi finals were underway, and if you missed it, here’s our weekly Last Comic Standing Straight Up Recap Semi Finals Edition.  Fourteen of the twenty-eight semifinalists worked on their sets with celebrity mentors Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer, and got some tips on tightening up their act.  We thought all of the comics really brought their A-Game to the stage this round, but the judges seemed less enthused with some of the performers, and they seemed to have no trouble narrowing the fourteen performers down to five.

The fourteen performances kicked off with a powerhouse set by veteran comic Jimmy Shubert, who seems like a well deserved judge favorite so far, and he moved on to the Final Five.  We thought Mike Vecchione’s set was great, but the judges weren’t as thrilled with this performance compared to his first in the invitationals.  Karlous Miller made the celebrity mentors a little bit nervous when he said he doesn’t rehearse,  (cause that’s how he rolls) leaving Amy Schumer to suggest that he might want to change his tactic so that he can roll in a nicer car.  His attempt at a lesbian joke also didn’t go over big in front of the two mentors, but none of that stopped him from crushing with the judges on the big stage, and he moves on to a spot in the Finals.

Other highlights of the evening included the continuing flirt fest between Aida Rodriguez and judge Keenan Ivory Wayans.  After her invitationals performance back in week one, Keenan told her she needed to tone down her sexuality so he could focus on her comedy.  This time he complimented (?) Rodriguez on succeeding in turning it down, and she gave him a taste of his own line, right back.  In your face Keenan!  Didn’t stop Aida from getting her spot in the big 5.  Monroe Martin III killed it again, with another great set, and he also moves on with a spot in the finals.  But once again, it was Joe Machi, with his humble nature, and sweet small town attitude, and a hard left on stage that grabbed everyone’s attention with a 9-11 breadstick joke.  Machi and his breadsticks move on to the finals.

DeAnne “Tell it to My Balls” Smith brought out a uke on stage, but couldn’t seem to recreate her magic with the judges this time.  Nick Guerra, Yamaneika Saunders, Mike Gaffney, Tommy Reman, Chloe Hillard, Mark Normand and Tracy Ashley all had strong performances, but just couldn’t compete with the final 5.

So at the end of the first round of the semi finals, here are your five finalists, so far:  Jimmy Shubert, Karlous Miller, Aida Rodriguez, Monroe Martin III, and Joe Machi.

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Next week, the remaining fourteen semifinalists will be competing for a chance to perform in the finals.  Here are some tips for those fourteen comics, based on what aired last night.

  • Tip #1 Make sure your mentoring session is shown on TV – or else you’re not moving on.
  • Tip #2 Feel free to disregard any advice given you by Keenan Ivory Wayans about your looks. 
  • Tip #3 Delete all “Alaskan Lesbian” jokes from your act.
  • Tip #4 That weird silence you hear when you’re doing your act for just Amy and Wanda, is the sound of mentoring. 
  • Tip #5 When the mentors stand up, that means you’re leaving. Right, Karlous?

Watch some of the highlights from last night’s Last Comic Standing Semi Finals

 

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