What can I say about this man? Look at him! If you couldn’t tell just by looking at the picture I chose to introduce him with, you’ll soon find out how goofy he is! There is nothing like a Lavell Crawford skit, nothing compares to his light-hearted perspectives on controversial events or his amazing ability to tell a story. He truly is one of a kind, unique in his style, and a very enjoyable comedian to kill an hour listening to.
(As always, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED)
Lavell specializes in a storytelling/observational comedy. Its easy to love his stories about his childhood or his mama. But what I love most about Lavell, and all black comics for that matter, is their white and black guy comparisons. A common theme in black comic routines is that they will compare white people with black people. Normally its about certain stereotypes talked about in society, some more negative then others. But what I love about this idea of comedy Is that its just harmless teasing then it is bigotry. I wont get into a big debate about the whole why are black comics allowed to say these types of jokes and white comics cannot, but I think that it is nice to laugh about stereotypes. Exaggerating stereotypes is a great way to shine light on the ridiculousness of said sterotypes, and it helps break down the barrier between what is true and what is not.
(Once again, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED)
It wont take long until you fall in love with this man. His stage presence is unrivaled. There is no other comic in the world that is as electric as Lavell Crawford. His voice inflections coupled with face manipulations and body movements makes his shows spectacular. His personality is a bit immature but he still pulls through with his genius jokes. His delivery can be slow and childlike, enunciating every word he says, or he simply kill an entire audience with a good one liner. He does this to aid in his comedic style in being a more laid back and lighthearted comic, who likes to scratch at the surface of controversy and make jokes in an effort to help ease to tension that his audience might feel toward the issue.
(One last time, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED)
My favorite part about Lavell Crawford is his ability to joke about and make light out of events that many to be offensive or controversial. Unlike last weeks comic, he does not put others down, but rather he puts a positive spin on these issues. It takes a special individual to do what he does. I don’t think he does what he does to try and ignore the issue itself, nor does he take away from the seriousness of the situation. Instead, Lavell provides an escape for his audience. People can feel bad and understand the seriousness of a situation, understanding that its not okay to joke about certain things. However, it is always nice to instead joke about those things that make us sad and uncomfortable. Maybe it provides a way for us to realize that our problems are not as bad as they may seem, and allow us to cope with the not so nice things about our world.
February 20, 2020 at 12:50 am
That picture made me laugh as soon as I saw it! And I agree with what you said about joking about stereotypes: jokes highlight the ridiculous nature of them. I really enjoyed learning about Lavell Crawford since I never heard of him before.
February 20, 2020 at 2:16 pm
In a world where the political climate can get pretty tense, one can appreciate a more light-hearted type of humor that plays on our everyday life. It’s good that Lavell is able to take the good from the bad and let people feel at ease in what otherwise would be stressful situations.
February 20, 2020 at 2:19 pm
He definitely seems goofy from that first picture you included! I’m sure he must include facial expressions as a big part of comedy since they’re so dramatic. It seems like Lavell Crawford is one of your top picks and I’m curious to try him out later when I’m not in class!
February 20, 2020 at 2:22 pm
I also instantly laughed at his picture, I really enjoy reading. your blogs every week because honestly, I don’t see much standup in my day to day unless it’s sent to me, which is rare. So thank you for introducing us to a new one every week. And Lavell Crawford was completely hilarious.
February 20, 2020 at 2:25 pm
For all that I lauded last week’s blog for drawing a distinction between comedy and genuine insults, this post is refreshing in that it visits a relatively innocuous, comparatively wholesome version of hilarity. It’s nice to see that there are still greats on both ends of the spectrum in today’s society.