Comedy Central Presents: Todd Glass

Todd Glass uses his television block to dismantle the mechanics of telling jokes. Rather than simply running through standard observations, he actively mocks the conventions of the medium, taking a harsh look at the predictable setups of classic stand-up routines. He points out the artificiality of the performance while simultaneously delivering one.

Filmed at the Hudson Theatre in New York City, the 2001 broadcast caught him just as he released his debut comedy album, Vintage Todd Glass and Other Crap. He was already a fixture on the club and late-night circuit, recognized as a polished performer with a bent for inventive material. The set mixes his structural complaints with more traditional topics, including the futility of reasoning with children, strange methods for disciplining college students, and his experiences getting high at the mall.