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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Comedy Central Presents

Greg Proops

Comedy Central · 1999 · 22 min

A sarcastic, highly verbal look at how Americans behave away from home.

Greg Proops brings a confident, slightly smug erudition to a televised set built heavily on cross-cultural friction. Dressed sharply and speaking with a theatrical affectation, he zeroes in on how Americans behave when they travel. He details the attitudes of overworked Americans, the absurdity of a fancy Mexican restaurant in New York City, and the actual reasons the Pilgrims left England.

Filmed for the second season of Comedy Central Presents in 1999, the show caught Proops right as the British run of Whose Line Is It Anyway? was wrapping up. The appearance serves as a clear statement of his identity as a solo stand-up outside the ensemble improv format.

He spends much of his time comparing Americans to Canadians, and Californians to New Yorkers, filtering standard observational premises through a highly verbal, deeply sarcastic lens.

The set list

5 bits

  1. The real reason the Pilgrims left England

    Contemplating historical motives in a satirical stand-up breakdown.

  2. Overworked Americans

    Observational critique of American work culture.

  3. New York City's fanciest Mexican restaurant

    Exploring the contradictions and dining experience of high-end Mexican cuisine in NYC.

  4. Stark differences between the U.S. and Canada

    Contrasting cultural and social dynamics between neighboring nations.

  5. Californians versus New Yorkers

    A light-hearted examination of regional American personality contrasts.

How it plays

Tone
Witty, light-hearted, irreverent, and offbeat.
On stage
Sporting Buddy Holly-esque looks, utilizing quick wit, sharp commentary, and off-the-cuff humor.
Pace
Fast-paced delivery with a high level of stage energy.
About
Overworked Americans, Differences between the U.S. and Canada, Differences between Californians and New Yorkers, Americans overseas, Racism, Origins of music

Backstory

Part of Comedy Central's half-hour stand-up showcase series taped in New York City, featuring customized set designs tailored to each performer's material and personality.

Details

Released
Runtime
22 min
Where
Comedy Central
Director
Paul Miller
Topics
Before
Back in the UK (1997)
After
The Resistance (2018)

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