Animal Furnace

Hannibal Buress has an unmistakable cadence. It is a relaxed, conversational deadpan that lets him break down the smallest details of daily life until they become absurd. Animal Furnace relies entirely on that measured delivery to take apart rap lyrics, analyze the behavior of credit card thieves, and question the mechanics of handlebar mustaches in Williamsburg.

Filmed at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City, the 60-minute set caught Buress right as his profile was rising. He had recently wrapped up writing stints on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, won Best Club Comic at the Comedy Awards, and was hosting a popular weekly show at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory. The taping opens with a bit about the venue’s own security guard trying to stop him from entering the building. Buress then evaluates Young Jeezy’s architectural claims, questions Odd Future’s lyrical growth, and points out the specific indignity of a thief using his stolen debit card at Chuck E. Cheese.