Los Angeles Times: 1/25/07
Wednesday: Thank you
A newcomer on the scene, "You're Welcome," at the Meta Theatre on Melrose, began earlier this month under the guidance of comic Nadia Bacon and stand-up fan Sean Ingram. The latter is better known as "Jouster," a moderator on the increasingly prominent site A Special Thing (www.aspecialthing.com), dedicated to shining a light on underground and alternative comedy. A Special Thing's name is in the air at many of the week's shows, but "You're Welcome" is the 24-year-old Ingram's first venture into production.
"I go to a lot of shows and always thought the talent was here, but the shows sometimes weren't good, like maybe they were poorly attended or had poor acoustics," Ingram explains. With Bacon's contacts, putting on a show of their own was the next natural step.
Though mostly promoted through A Special Thing and MySpace, "You're Welcome's" debut fills up quickly with vintage-clad twentysomethings, so many that an extra row of seats has to be added at the front of the stage. The promise of free beer can't have hurt, but the reverent audience is serious about its comedy.
Though younger acts such as guerrilla sketch troupe Hendershaw give the crowd plenty to laugh about, it's Largo vets Jimmy Pardo and Paul F. Tompkins who steal the show. Acting as the night's host, Pardo pulls much of his material from the audience, lecturing a woman in the front for text-messaging during his set one minute, ardently appreciating a nearby man's sweater vest the next. By the time headliner Tompkins takes the stage, the crowd is ready to follow anywhere he leads.
At the start of Tompkins' set, he and Pardo pause to interview each other on the stage's well-worn couch, goofing off and comparing notes, seemingly oblivious to the hysterical crowd. After a few minutes, Tompkins finally catches himself: "Does this interest anyone?" he asks. The entire room erupts with applause.
