28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 11-17, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com FACE TO FACE Only Lewis Black can shout blistering truths revealing the sorry state we’re in and cause us to laugh raucously. The veteran stand-up performer— over 35 years on the road—has turned angry social and political commentary into a comic career including television shows, specials, best-selling books, a podcast, fundraisers and an acclaimed role as the voice of Anger in the film Inside Out. But the traveling part of that career comes to an end starting on Jan. 18 in Monterey, when Black launches his Goodbye Yeller Brick Road Tour, a string of 37 appearances that wraps up in Stockholm, Sweden at the end of May—and this after performing 59 shows in 2023, while doing all the other stuff (somehow he’s written more than 40 plays through the years). The end of touring doesn’t spell the end of Black’s comedic rants. He remains a fixture on The Daily Show, will continue his RantCast and returns to give voice to Anger in the upcoming Inside Out 2, among other projects. Weekly: How’s it going? Black: Everything’s going to be fine. [Pause] How is it possible we can come out of a pandemic and feel worse? Did you ever think there’d be a time when Reagan and W. would look good to you by comparison? Back then, we were arguing ideas. We didn’t realize we’d be arguing reality. There’s a huge difference. When you have your own reality, it becomes your turf. It’s more vicious. The world keeps giving you material. Why stop now? Because I don’t like going back to another century. I’m not going backwards. I’m not going to talk about this shit anymore. I’m not going to talk about voting rights—there’s a Constitution! I’m not going to talk about separation of church and state. It’s in the Constitution! Go fuck yourselves! People tell me all the time, “You have so much material.” That’s not good news. What are you going to do? I want to write a book. I want to write a play—either one. At University of North Carolina they have everything that I’ve said and everything that’s been said about me. I want to go through all of that. I want to explain what I’ve been trying to say for the last 35 years. You have an archive? That’s cool. I’m proud of that. It makes me feel that I’m not just some psychotic. So how do you deal with watching television news? What I do now is I just sit there and take it. It’s as if I’m in an ocean and the waves are 12 feet high. That’s what watching news is like—waves hitting me one after another, and then there’s an Ozempic commercial. You could cut the news and just show the ads and you’d have something to worry about. You still make it funny. I hope so. It does, however, feel like a sad state when we have to rely on comedians to point out facts. It kind of is. It started with The Daily Show. Somebody had to point out that there are certain things going on. You’re not taking sides—they are lies. It’s always been about what they do. It’s not about Rick Santorum, it’s about the words that come out of his mouth. It’s pretty simple. You know, in Florida you can’t read about gays in school. Meanwhile across the street you have two guys raising three kids. The ballgame’s over, you morons. We don’t know history. No president has ever had an effect on inflation. If you think this president or that president did it, you’re wrong. You don’t understand economics. My joke—which is true—is that the only time they taught economics at Chapel Hill was at 8am. No one can learn economics at 8am with one bloodshot eye open. And yet they have the arrogance to say, “This is what I think.” You know what would shut people up? Take all the tax breaks they give to the rich and divide it up. “I’m going to give you $5,000 a year to shut the fuck up.” People would apply for it. So that’s your solution? I think so. I hadn’t thought of it until today. Maybe it should be the Shut the Fuck Up Tour. What should people expect from your show? Just fun-loving stuff, what I’m known for—Christian comedy. No, they can expect that if they’d like to take a step back from insanity, I can help. I have answers. If you don’t want to hear them, fuck it! It’s a lot like a revival. Lewis Black 8pm Thursday, Jan. 18. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $35-$99. 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com. Fade to Black Lewis Black’s final tour begins in Monterey, but while the road trip ends, the rants will continue. By Dave Faries Comedian Lewis Black took a break between the final stop of his 2023 schedule and the beginning of his final tour. “I have a month off and then I get to come yell at you guys,” he says. “It’s going to be fun.” JOEY L. ACLU 831.200.9700 • www.gocatrescue.org Beau Are you looking for a friendly, paws-on cat? Then 12-year-old Beau –AKA BoeBoe—is your guy. 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