Premium Blend: David Alan Grier (S5E12)

David Alan Grier acts as the theatrical emcee for this 2001 installment of Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, corralling a varied slate of emerging talent. The broadcast provides a direct look at club comics securing their television footing at the turn of the century.

Australian-born Jim Short works through the cultural confusion of his faded accent, while Liam McEneaney makes an early national appearance before his tenure on VH1 panel shows. Michael Jr. performs the easygoing, family-friendly material that eventually made him a heavy hitter in the Christian comedy circuit. Amy Barnes finishes the showcase with a set built around her past life playing the tuba in a marching band.