By Clyde Noel

Russell

Now that elections are over, did you ever think politics and current events could actually be as funny as Mark Russell presented them at Flint Center? For three nights last week, political satirist Russell kept the audience laughing and applauding consistently while he blended hilarious one-liners with funny lyrics set to familiar tunes.

Russell is one of the more frequent guests to perform at the Celebrity Forum. Coincidentally, he was there Nov. 10, 2000, right after that year’s elections. At that time he said, “If the president-elect calls, would someone please get his name? … Bush loves the Electoral College, but he thinks it ought to have a new stadium.”

Exactly four years later he said, “George Bush won. If you thought he swaggered before, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.” And, “Youth was for Kerry, but where were they? They were on their cell phones.”

The Flint Center stage was simply set, with only a piano draped in a patriotic blue cloth covered with white stars. The setting was perfect for Russell’s comedic style of political commentary, which pokes fun at everything including Martha Stewart’s term in prison, “where the license plates are prettier now.”

Pounding on his grand piano, Russell delivers sharp song parodies. After talking about California having a blind spot when it comes to immigration, he sang, “Amazing Place - America.”

Picking on Dan Rather, he sang the Johnny Cash song “I Walked the Line.”

“I steal other people’s music and add my own words and I haven’t been caught yet,” Russell commented.

Best known for his PBS comedy specials, Russell kept the crowd in stitches with his political humor. Covering any topic in today’s world, he kept coming back to the political present.

“Voters in California passed a $3 billion measure for stem cell research,” he said. “It was backed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. If you’re going to be a liberal Republican, you had better have biceps the size of cantaloupes.”

He called the conservative political action group the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth “Friends of Bush for Baloney.”

Referring to Vice President Dick Cheney and his debate with John Edwards, he mentioned Cheney is saying he was meeting Edwards for the first time. “I think he forgot that he met him several times before, and that’s a good reason for stem cell research,” Russell said.

“The Clintons have a busy schedule. Bill is preparing to open his presidential library, and Hillary is off to rent a house in Iowa and New Hampshire.”

“With technology today you can go to eBay and purchase a congressman.”

“I have relatives in San Francisco. She is a nun. She used to be a priest.”

“What do you get when you give up smoking? You get another five years in a nursing home. So smoke.”

Many of the quips were too bawdy and ribald to repeat in the Town Crier, but the audience loved them and the laughs continued.

Russell’s ability to quickly compose funny songs and commentaries on the timeliest events is a big factor in his long-running success.

Getting the audience to sing between his one-liners, Russell had the Flint Center audience in rhapsody and eager for more as they sang Disney’s theme song “It’s a Small World.”

Russell started his unique brand of comedy in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., and he writes his own material. Most can be read on his Web site, which is updated on a regular basis. If you want a good laugh, logon to www.markrussell.net.