HR-57 Gets Funny
Since when does HR-57, Washington’s Center for the Preservation of Jazz & Blues, also care about the preservation of giggles? The historic venue is arranged like an interactive music archive, with live jam sessions multiple times a week. All ages come to experience the Ellingtons and Armstrongs of past and present, but now the non-profit cultural center is trying its hand at another national treasure — comedy. The HR-57 organization — yes, notice the "dot org" part of the website — will sponsor a weekly Comedy Tuesday with Riot Act Entertainment starting tonight.
The show kicks off with two big names. Huge names, actually. Comedy Central-kinda names. For only ten bucks. The first is the funniest guy you’ve never heard of: Tony Woods. The club compares him to soccer, "extremely popular throughout the world," but somehow America hasn’t caught onto his brilliance yet. He has been branded Chappelle’s twin in looks, style and delivery. And apparently talks about pot with the same frequency.
Joining him is thirty-seven year old Virginian Dave George, who automatically gets street cred for his spot on the Wikipedia page of the late Independence Air. As their "FLYi Guy," his pre-recorded jokes were played at Gate A3 of Dulles Airport in lieu of cheesy elevator music. The former baggage handler — talk about moving up in the ranks — told bargain travelers his crack-ups, covering everything from his lavatory cleaning duty to personal tips on "doing" the pilots. Even the Post made him famous for a few minutes.
Erin "Action" Jackson is the emcee for HR-57’s debut Comedy Tuesday. On her official Web site, she gives her comedic observations of the city, like the bum at Washington Circle with his wireless net. She also shells out valuable tips on how to combat gum stuck to black slacks — don't use nail polish remover.
HR-57 is named after, of course, House Resolution 57, in which Congress honored jazz as a "rare and valuable national American treasure." Ethiopian food and panda bears have joined jazz and blues as part of these treasures that define D.C.’s cultural self, and over the last decade, local stand-up has slowly joined those ranks. Maybe somewhere in Congress right now, one-hundred senators are crowded around a table, drafting a resolution to make comedy the next official "American treasure."
Photo by Flickr user furcafe.