Women And Children First

Rex Havens works from a straightforward premise: in the war between the sexes, men lost decades ago and simply forgot to sign the surrender papers. He treats marriage, weddings, and domestic life with the dry resignation of someone who realized fighting back was bad strategy. The centerpiece is his breakdown of modern weddings, specifically the delusion harbored by grooms who believe the event has anything to do with them.

Filmed at the Dry Bar Comedy club in Provo, Utah, the 46-minute set was released in March 2018 and directed by Isaac Halasima. Havens spent decades working corporate events, cruise lines, and clubs after leaving a career as a college professor, developing a clean routine built for wide rooms.

He spends much of the hour contrasting male simplicity with female complexity, picking apart women’s shoe subcategories, makeup shades, and clothing sizes. Another extended bit takes on the auto industry, mocking car names designed to evoke moods, space travel, or physical fitness.