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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

The Nicest Boy in Barcelona

Danny Lobell

Stand Up! Records · Album · 2017 · 60 min

An ancestral homecoming fueled by Costco sandwiches and historical paranoia.

Listen on Stand Up! Records(opens in a new tab)

Danny Lobell took a trip to Spain to perform stand-up in the country that exiled his Sephardic Jewish ancestors during the 1492 Inquisition. The resulting audio album, recorded live at Barcelona’s Tinta Roja Theater, is a blend of cultural history and personal neurosis. Lobell approaches his heritage with a mixture of amusement and paranoia, joking about why time machines are inherently bad for Jewish people and how he evaluates his girlfriends’ families based on whether they have an attic large enough to hide him.

Released by Stand Up! Records in 2017, the album arrived at a busy period in Lobell’s career. That same year, the Los Angeles-based comedian made his debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his autobiographical show Broke as a Joke. Known also as a pioneer of early comedy podcasting with Comical Radio and Modern Day Philosophers, Lobell uses his conversational delivery to make heavy generational trauma feel like a lighthearted family argument.

Rather than sticking to historical grievances, the set moves through childhood memories and absurd hypotheticals. Lobell reflects on a Costco scheme to distribute free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to confused shoppers, the logistics of bouncy-castle nursing homes, and his own experiences with recovery programs. Reviewers noted the album as a significant step forward from his 2013 debut, praising his ability to weave observational humor without forcing the punchlines.

The set list

7 bits

  1. Having 'Doctor' added to his name on a credit card.

    Examines the absurd perks and repercussions of pretending to be a medical professional.

  2. Working in a nursing home and trying to start an elderly revolution in a waxed hallway.

    Recounts personal memories of employment with dark and silly institutional mischief.

  3. A deceased friend who played a memorable prank on him.

    Biographical storytelling exploring friendship, practical jokes, and grief.

  4. Why Jews and time machines do not mix.

    Reflects on Jewish history and why historical time travel would be inherently dangerous for Jewish people.

  5. Religions as 'aggressive book clubs'.

    Offers an unconventional outside perspective on religious scripture and fervor.

  6. Shopping at Costco.

    Features an earworm comedic jingle revolving around wholesale shopping.

  7. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Pretending to have an addiction to attend AA meetings to meet women. closer

    Confesses to failed romantic attempts in 12-step rooms that backfire.

How it plays

Tone
Good-natured, fun, and conversational, with occasional dark undertones when touching on historical topics like religion and Jewish history.
On stage
An observant, good-natured storyteller, self-styled 'fake doctor', 'civil rights inactivist', and 'mouth trumpeter'.
About
Biographical pranks, Jewish identity and history, Healthcare and nursing homes, Odd jobs, Substance recovery meetings

What the critics said

Praised as a fun, good-natured, and solid biographical storytelling album; critics noted Lobell's mastery of conversational observational humor, though some observed that his punchy narrative premises occasionally fizzle out at the very end.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: allmusic.com, dannylobell.com, theseriouscomedysite.com, vulture.com, en.wikipedia.org.

Backstory

Recorded live abroad in Barcelona, touching on Lobell's Sephardic Jewish roots, marriage, personal history, and odd past adventures.

Details

Released
Taped
2015, Tinta Roja Theater, Barcelona
Runtime
60 min
Where
Stand Up! Records (album)
Topics

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