The Therapist

Put A Helmet In Your Christmas Stocking

Those who've trolled my diminutive blogroll will notice that I've linked to a new blog belonging to a comedian named Brad Stine. Brad falls directly into the category of conservative Christian comedian--in fact, instead of waiting for other media types to try to use the label as a pejorative, he's appropriated the title directly on his website, as well as on his latest DVD/CD offering, A Conservative Unleashed. His first release, Put A Helmet On(his colloquial way of saying "quit being a poltically correct weakling") is exeedingly funny, and has met with resounding success.

Mr. Stine is currently on tour with the Promise Keepers. Christian Comedy met with some indifferent crossroads over the years, as the theoretical scepter was held for years by one "ex-satanist high priest," Mike Warnke. His lucid, and sometimes dark testimony was a majority of the public impetus to promote him. warnke maintained this stratospheric position--right up until Satan held a press conference and said he'd never met the guy.

Today, Christian comedy's most recognizable face is Mark Lowry, a very funny man with many talents(Ever heard the song Mary Did You Know? Look at it's authorship the next time you see the sheet music.). Lowry's style is a mix of the self-depricating analyst to the slapstick and goofy. Mike Warnke's style was certain mixes of the same, with serious overtones taking over as the show progressed.

Stine has ventured into new, and sometimes irreverent territory. Imagine Dennis Leary with a touch of Dennis Miller, along with an unabashed conservative platform, and you've got Brad Stine. Stine admits that he breaks many of the conventions typially associated with Christian comedy, but that's fine by him.

Brad's Blog and message board provide a unique opportunity to interact with a very, in-demand act. His inaugural blog discusses how a simple joke about the stereotypical nature of people, to think that when a funny man comes to church, he must have a puppet in tow. But the grief came not from people who've denied having these lazy and myopic assumptions, but from the puppet people themselves, who misinterpreted the line as a dig at ventriloquists. Brad deals with this very deftly, and in a very funny manner to boot.

posted by Doofus @ 8:43 AM