By D.J. Garrison / Sun contributor
Brace yourself, Fairfield Glade! There’s a storm of comedy coming in from the late night talk show circuit in Los Angeles. The Jim Mouth Comedy Show will hit Legends at Druid Hills Saturday night, Nov. 7.
What, you may ask, is Jim Mouth? That turns out to be difficult to explain. Let me go back about 35 years to set the mood. I’ll never forget the first time I met Jim. I had run an ad in the newspapers in Detroit for a drummer for my band. One of the respondents pulled up in my driveway on a “Captain America” replica chopper motorcycle wearing a helmet completely covered on long, shaggy black fur with enormous steer horns protruding from each side, with a blacked out face shield hiding his identity. As he just sat there, on his bike, twirling drumsticks, I didn’t know whether to invite him in, or lock the doors and call the police. I’m glad that I chose the former. This story has relevance because, to understand the incredible comedic talents of Jim Mouth, the entertainer, you must first see the manic level of attention-getting behavior hooked to a wry sense of constantly pushing the envelope, that make the man who he is. Needless to say, he got the job.
Years have passed since we toured the entire country together as a comedic musical duo, but we have stayed in touch, and I have followed his successes on such TV shows as The Tonight Show, The Jerry Springer Show (back when they actually had entertainment), and FOX’s Guinness Book show (yes, Jim has more Guinness Book records than you can shake a stick at, but that’s a different story that you can ask me about). I’ve seen him perform with Tony Orlando, John Davidson, and Jay Leno, to name a few. His shows have spanned the globe and delighted audiences from as far away, and diverse, as Japan and Turkey.
Although a mainstay in the Los Angeles club scene, Jim is not just a “stand up” comedian. He uses a vast array of wigs, costumes, masks, and mannequin puppets to create musical vignettes. Although the show may not be for the “kiddies,” or the uptight, it is never obscene or vulgar. Unlike a lot of comedians today, Jim does not have to use four letter words to be cutting edge funny. It does take sharp, alert grownups, though, to catch his constant references to famous musical performances, films, or even album covers. Hint: remember the famous picture of Frank Sinatra standing in the glow of an overhead streetlamp? Jim does.
Call the Conference Center of Fairfield Glade, at 707-2068, for more details, and plan on getting to know the guy that I have called my friend for the past 35 years, before you only get to see him on your TV screen. Also, go visit his Web site at www.jimmouth.com for an advanced peek.
