Welcome to another “Why So Serious?” — a column where we ask stand-up comedians five randomly chosen questions, and don’t expect anything resembling straight answers.
For this “Why So Serious?” we selected comic and cable TV veteran , who headlines the Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Lamprey got his start on a number of MTV and VH1 shows (“Damage Control,” “Motormouth”) but he’s best known for the show “Three Sheets” on the Fine Living Network, in which he’s traveled to over 50 countries to explore their (you guessed it) fine and varied drinking traditions. Yep, he gets PAID to booze it up in places such as Tanzania, New Zealand, Iceland, Tahiti, Greece, London and Lithuania. Not a bad way to make a living.
The show, currently in its fourth season, has a live component in Lamprey’s “Sing the Booze” tour, a one-man show that combines stand-up, music and tales from “Three Sheets.”
There aren’t a lot of comedians who also happen to be food and travel gurus. Where do all those topics intersect for you — besides, of course, in the realm of alcohol?
Drinks are a great equalizer. People open up when they’ve had a drink. Of course, people sometimes open up too much (like my buddy, Steve McKenna), but that makes for great television!
What’s something you do on the road to stay sane?
There are no surprises. I drink a lot of coffee… The road is an unstable environment. It’s fun, but it’s never the same one day to the next. We go to sleep in one city, the bus drives on, and then opens the door to a different homeless greeting every morning. We live on the road — literally. I sleep at 60 mph.
Compare Denver to one type of animal, one type of food item and one type of bodily function.
That’s tough… I love Denver, and a pleasant bodily function doesn’t come to mind. Bodily functions tend not to be — at least not the ones we encounter on the road. Steve McKenna is a cesspool of seeping gases. I made Steve McKenna eat two pounds of rocky mountain oysters for the episode that we shot there for “Drinking Made Easy” on HDNet. That covers the food comparison. As far as an animal, I’d say that Denver is definitely a bronco; graceful, majestic, but also has a wild side.
Who are your comedy idols ?
Eddie Murphy, Louis C.K. and Dane Cook. I can hear the guffaws at people’s reaction to my throwing Dane’s name into the mix. But he’s talented, funny and a marketing genius. I’d step into his shoes any day.
Do you have a joke that you used to love but now can’t stand to tell?
I have a story about Steve McKenna that I used to tell. But, instead of laughter, people just seem disturbed. It started on a cold day in Cortland, N.Y., where we both went to college. There was a snowstorm, so the college was closed. We couldn’t make it to class, but the bars were bursting at the seams. Steve was one of the first people there. He bellied-up to the bar and got himself prime position, as everyone else was fighting for drinks, and waiting up to 20 minutes for a beer. Steve then “accidentally” crapped his pants. But, as he didn’t want to lose his spot at the bar, he just stayed there, as he commented on how much the guy next to him stank. That’s the last time I tell that story… Ugh.
Tickets to Zane Lamprey’s Tuesday “Sing the Booze” show at the are $25.
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John Wenzel is an executive editor of and an award-winning A&E reporter for The Denver Post. His book was recently published by Speck Press. He also maintains a of completely random song titles and band names.
