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Brick Wall Comedy

Fart Safari

Doug Mellard

Stand Up! Records · Album · 2015 · 48 min

An energetic, fast-paced set of absurd observations and bizarre life hacks.

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Doug Mellard decided to name his debut stand-up album after a flatulent excursion, but there are actually no flatulence jokes to be found on the recording. Instead, the Texas native delivers an energetic, fast-paced set built on absurd hypotheticals and hyper-specific personal anecdotes. Mellard keeps the crowd off-balance by jumping from odd life hacks, like eating glitter to make his night on the town a bit more sparkly, to uncomfortable childhood confessions, such as asking his mother if she remembers when he convinced himself he had “masturbation-AIDS.”

Recorded over two nights in October 2014 at the New Movement Theater in Austin, Texas, the album captures Mellard returning to the scene of his early career. After winning the Funniest Person in Austin contest in 2006 and appearing on multiple seasons of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Mellard had relocated to Los Angeles, making this live set a homecoming of sorts. Released by Stand Up! Records in August 2015, the 48-minute performance features 11 tracks including “Racist BBQ,” “Shat Mat,” and “Nursing Home.” Mellard blends Mitch Hedberg-style non sequiturs with high-energy rants, questioning why anyone named a racehorse Seabiscuit and pondering whether the early 2000s heroin epidemic was truly worth it given the lack of great accompanying music.

The set list

7 bits

  1. Remembering the time he thought he had 'masturbation-AIDS'

    Asking his mother tough questions about childhood hypochondria.

  2. Better horse names than 'Seabiscuit'

    Questioning traditional racehorse naming conventions.

  3. Finding a more genteel mascot than the cavalier

    Humorous examination of polite mascot concepts.

  4. Questioning whether a heroin epidemic is worth it without great music

    Connecting drug epidemics to artistic and musical output.

  5. Whether all fearful paranoids are secret ninjas

    Surreal theorizing about paranoid reactions and martial arts reflexes.

  6. Eating copious amounts of glitter before a big night out

    Framed as an absurd lifehacking tip.

  7. Panhandling while performing a comedy set

    Practical lifehacking advice on multitasking during a standup performance.

How it plays

Tone
Surrealistic, irreverent, and absurd.
On stage
Described as a high-energy performer and 'a true pro' with a penchant for making his own fun, blending observational comedy with surrealistic absurdity.
Pace
High-energy and fast-paced.
About
Lifehacks, Absurd 'what if' scenarios, Medical anxiety, Sports and mascots, Drugs and music

What the critics said

Critics noted that the seemingly crude title of the 'Fart Safari' series belies Mellard's sophistication and skill as a comic, praising his combination of observational humor, vivid 'what if' scenarios, and surrealist approach.

In the room: Keeps the audience guessing and laughing in equal measure.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: standuprecords.com, last.fm, bodytapeintl.com, comedywham.com, amazon.com, en.wikipedia.org.

Backstory

Mellard returned to Austin—where he originally attended college and won the 2006 Funniest Person in Austin contest—to record the live album at The New Movement.

Details

Released
Taped
The New Movement, Austin
Runtime
48 min
Where
Stand Up! Records (album)
Topics
After
Fart Safari 2: Fart Harder (2018)

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