Eric Bogosian: Wake Up And Smell The Coffee
Eric Bogosian shines in his freshly-brewed Wake Up And Smell The Coffee, a "dazzlingly funny new solo show," hailed as "a glorious cacophony of voices" and "the most thematically satisfying of Bogosian's shows!"
A profoundly insightful and wickedly provocative performer, Obie Award winner Eric Bogosian (Talk Radio) has never shied away from the disturbing truths in life. Frequently compared to comedic social commentators Lenny Bruce and Spalding Gray, Bogosian keeps his finger on the pulse of our collective fears while satirizing contemporary American values.
Based upon his critically acclaimed stage show, Wake Up And Smell The Coffee is Bogosian at his funniest, smartest, and angriest. Taking us on a ferocious ride through a cavalcade of colorful characters in his mind, Bogosian skewers pop culture, conformity, religious hypocrisy and human nature itself with a razor-sharp wit. Whether he's playing Satan as a modern-day salesman, a Hollywood producer capitalizing on an airplane disaster, a spiritual guru with questionable motives, or mocking himself as an obsequious actor auditioning for a part, Bogosian tackles today's relevant, post-9/11 themes with uncompromising honesty.
Member Reviews
Not that interesting - JayA
I had higher hopes. I love this sort of thing, with Spalding Gray as the master, but I found this to be lacking in real insight or interest. I remember checking the time at a few points, which is never a good sign. I didn't hate watching it, but at the end I kind of wished I'd watched something else instead... The depth and revelations I was hoping for just weren't there. I think next time I'd probably just watch Talk Radio again instead...Pretty dark... - Cricri7
Not everyone is going to love, or even like, this one man show by Eric Bogosian. He pokes fun at everything from terrorism to organized religion. If you are conservative and church going, you will probably hate this intensely and stop it after a couple of minutes. However, if you can appreciate dark humor, it may be up your alley.No Insights Here - LOPI
"Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" is a one man show (not stand up comedy) in the stream of consciousness vein. Bogosian constructs and dismantles a series of straw men that are supposed to satirize today's american society. There is nothing new there, nor are there any squirm-inducing moments where cognitive dissonance may hit the audience. A perfect example is the straw man rant about arab terrorism (this was filmed pre 9/11), with the PC dismantler of the straw man of course being Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing. It of course ignores the fact that, even pre 9/11, arab-speaking muslims had been responsible for almost all the terrorist activity aimed at the United States and a presumption of guilt is not an unreasonable response. There is no reason to feel smug about not behaving that way.
Member Reviews
Read All...
Not that interesting - JayA
I had higher hopes. I love this sort of thing, with Spalding Gray as the master, but I found this to be lacking in real insight or interest. I remember checking the time at a few points, which is never a good sign. I didn't hate watching it, but at the end ...Pretty dark... - Cricri7
Not everyone is going to love, or even like, this one man show by Eric Bogosian. He pokes fun at everything from terrorism to organized religion. If you are conservative and church going, you will probably hate this intensely and stop it after a couple of ...No Insights Here - LOPI
"Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" is a one man show (not stand up comedy) in the stream of consciousness vein. Bogosian constructs and dismantles a series of straw men that are supposed to satirize today's american society. There is nothing new there, nor are ...