Joel Hodgson Stand Up Special

[torgo714]

I'm not a fan of prop comics but this was to damn funny. I spoke with Joel for a few minutes a at a signing for Cinematic Titanic and I brought up Agent J and Danny O' Danny and just loved it. What a great guy.I also loved Joel on SNL He definitely had his own style.

I sure do miss the Candy though. RIP big John, thanks for the laughs.

[DerekBayRoberts1]

Wouldv'e made a great comic duo with Mike Nelson.

[scabberson]

Like Emo Phillips doing prop comedy.

[Akidcalledgrim]

Anyone else notice Joel right at the beginning head bopping to the jazzy theme?

[Plotspider]

Ironically, when you turn your laptop to the side, the batman stunt actually does work. 

[VerilyTY]

@Plotspider Look up "irony". It doesn't mean what you think it means.

[Plotspider]

@VerilyTY Oh, you mean the word where something happens unexpectedly? Yeah, I teach that. I know exactly what it means. I didn't expect it to work like it did, because Joel did not anticipate the ability to turn one's television to the side (or in this case, laptop). That's what made the joke funny originally when this first aired. Do you really think he expected people to turn their television sets over? Maybe you should look in your dictionary.

[putdownan8dude]

(makes ok sign with hand) IT STINKS!

[FerdiJoe]

@putdownan8dude

This guy gets it!

[SpukiTheLoveKitten75]

I WANNA RUN MY FINGERS THROUGH HIS HAIR AND BATHE HIM IN KISSES....HE'S SO KYOOOOOTTT!!!! D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww......baby pretty sleepy cutie-boy!!!

Joelie! =3

[turbodaze]

John Candy, O how I miss him!

[FlashMarker]

I've been a fan of his since before MST3K, this is why. He is just so damned cute. Love Joel.

[claireh425]

every time i see this i roll on the floor with laughter

[SIMONCOW311]

Is he stoned?

[BoBsPfhorever77]

Is there something wrong with Joel? He's funny, but his speech is pretty incoherent.

[BoBsPfhorever77]

@0:16 John Candy hosted this??

[PirateLordRogan]

I also like it how he took every chance he could to bash Jeff Dunham both here and throughout MST3K. He and everyone on MST thought Dunham was a fluke of a comedian, and given the fact I'd never seen this before and was expecting it to be a cricket fest, like whenever I watch typical prop comedy or more specifically Dunham, I was pleasantly surprised. Laughed my ass off at the AGENT J jokes.

[PirateLordRogan]

He's like a mix of a funny version of Carrot Top and Andy Kaufman.

[tuttt99]

I had a HUGE crush on hm back in the 90's!!!

[barkpeeler2000]

omg i cannot tell you how in love with this man i was when i was 16

[lilginger8642010]

Haha..the invisible man bit :P

[mrbobevans]

Joel is a Reds fan. Now I just like him even more.

[RockyBalboa211]

Joel is adorkable! :D 

[asdodge19]

It was a style of comedy that was very popular on the comedy circuit but did not catch on with the masses... guys like Rob Nelson, Joel Hodgson, even Emo Philips and Geechy Guy startered in this vein... the most successful was Steven Wright. The off-kilter, slow- "stoned" approach where the actor/comedian seems to fail or be inept. The AMzing Jonathon (magician comedian) uses the same concepts in his routine.

[jgonzz10028]

The canned laughter is annoying..

[PinkFuzzball3000]

*bathes Joelie in kisses*

[DuperHappy]

I turned my laptop to its side during the batman part, and it worked so well, but then they switched camera angles and it ruined it. Why they do that?

[masipag999]

Excellent

[jellybellies132]

is he retarded?

[Caddotta]

@jellybellies132

[Caddotta]

@jellybellies132  Duh derrrr

[DrakeTimbershaft]

I first saw this routine of his on SNL in '83 or '84. Little did I know he would invade my imagination again a few years later in the form of MST3K. !Viva Hodgson!

[grimmorrigan]

hey...Tom Servo's new head! Finally the origin.

[sjaatime]

"I'm a tree"

[EliteCake]

I always though prop comics sucked because of Carrot Top, but only now do I realize that Carrot Top sucks because of Carrot Top.

[BaronVonGodzilla]

Jesus, how cool it must feel for Joel at this point to know that John Candy introduced him. RIP.

[cinna71]

its ok they know me there HAHAHA

[scorpioman1000]

im looking for a comic i saw on tv in the 80sand he put his head through a cut out and had 2 little army man figures on ether side of him dose any one know his name

[SpukiTheLoveKitten75]

@scorpioman1000 I think I know what you're talking about & I have the same question.

[jbrown1169]

The 1983 Young Comedians Special was actually a pretty good one. I used to watch them every year, and usually only 1 maybe two would go on to do anything, sometimes none. But this year they had Joel Hodgson, Bill Maher, The Amazing Jonathan, Paula Poundstone, and somebody else I'm forgetting. I'm not saying they're all good, but they all went on to have some success. Some of these comedians you would see for the first and last time on these specials.

[TheIrredeemable]

Joel always gave me the impression that he was baked, but that just seems to be part of his act.

Iconic and funky.

[JimGrim90]

Heh, clever stuff. I like.

[4bibimimi]

I always liked the party horn on the leaf blower. Long Live the Invention Exchange!!

[baybuh]

What happened to the casserole gun?

[4bibimimi]

@baybuh Still cleaning up after THAT one....yecch.

[PaulVonHindenberg]

What song was used at the start?

[4bibimimi]

@PaulVonHindenberg 'Can't Turn You Loose' originally by Otis Redding. Treat yourself: watch?v=pOXq_vLCjco

[PaulVonHindenberg]

@4bibimimi

Thanks!

[HiItsSmeee]

Joel's my dream prom date in that tux!

[Windkept]

Is it just me or does his delivery sound a bit like the voice simulator program that comes with most computers?

Anyway, this was far from bad, but still a little lackluster. Didn't really do it for me. Ah, well-- he was hilarious on MST3K so I guess I can forgive that of him.

[dnlbraden]

Thank God Mike took over for mst3k. It might've been a good idea by joel to create it, but he just isn't funny. I did'nt laugh once throughout any of this

[dtwhitney]

@dnlbraden It's just a very different kind of humor. Joel has his own special charm.

[GreenGearMood]

@dnlbraden You're a bumb.

A BUMB.

[dnlbraden]

@GreenGearMood ok, I'm a bum. I can live with that. at least I know how to spell a simple work like 'bum' there captain illiterate

[GreenGearMood]

@dnlbraden Look dumbass. You need to appreciate when that shit is done on purpose.

[dnlbraden]

@GreenGearMood you misspelled dum on purpose? what possible purpose would that serve in an effort to belittle me cause i don't think Joel is anywhere close to being funny? Hey, if you like guys that are unfunny....great. You need to deal with ur anger issues though. congrats on spelling dumbass correctly by the way. high five little buddy!!

[BaronVonGodzilla]

@dnlbraden

Just because you don't find it funny doesn't mean Joel is unfunny, it just means your sense of humor is broken.

[dnlbraden]

@BaronVonGodzilla Oh I bet your right. Yeah, he's probably really funny and I just don't know what I'm talking about. I mean obviously he's gone on to become very famous, successful, and able to take his brilliant style of comedy and make millions of people laugh, not to mention all the money he's bringing in because of it. (Rolls eyes) Yea, my sense of humor is broken, Mike did'nt take the MST3K brand and make it more successful by turning it into Rifftrax. What was I thinking!!

[Shogunelite]

@dnlbraden I think MST3K's riffs are hilarious into making an unwatchable movie hilarious to point and laugh at more. That being said I think Joel is pretty funny in his own right as is Mike and Rifftrax for what they're doing. To each their own is all I'm saying.

[lilunderscorejunebug]

"I'm a tree." That and the invisible man impression made me laugh for an hour.

[pgunn01]

Reminds me of Steven Wright

[bloodmuffin1]

for the 'walking up the building stunt' press CTRL+ALT+ --> and it will shift your entire screen set up the way it needs to be. to get it back to the original way press CTRL+ALT+^

[ErnieandBert1]

@bloodmuffin1 It dosen't work for me.

[GreenGearMood]

Ho shiz. JOHN CANDY. 8D

[Blacklemon67]

"it gets better" XD love it

[barkpeeler2000]

i think carrot top must have watched this and said "hey i'll do the same thing except instead of being mellow, i'll be a total spaz! they'll love it!" i hate carrot top.

[barkpeeler2000]

joel was so cute, i think i was 14 and i had a huge crush on him

[barkpeeler2000]

i hate carrot top. carrot top probably watched this and said, "hey, i gotta do that, except instead of being mellowed-out i'll be an absolute total spaz! they'll love me!" i hate him.

[mskittychic79]

I agree you guys, cute as a button. :)

[NightgauntGer]

I miss John Candy.

[MikeyTheMikeSprite]

Joel is massively cute.

[yogurtman33]

He's so cute it's painful.

[2the10thdegree]

@yogurtman33 I think I've seen this video like 5 times and every time I've thumb-ed up your comment ;)

[MsMeepyLinaBean75]

@yogurtman33 I agree A BAJILLION TIMES OVER!

JOEL = LOVE!

[xxxxLarxenexxxx]

Joel is so cute, funny and awesome. He always seems so exhausted, wehter it's an act or real :3

[ErnieandBert1]

I remember seeing this a couple years ago, before I was into MST3K.

[punksweetss]

aw so I think I understand how the INVENTION EXCHANGE came to be, Joel loved props

[textthing]

I love his creatively silly devices.

[Whammy51]

He should've used his "Agent Joel" on mst3k. That would've been cool.

[yourmybestfriend101]

I love this man! but people are saying that hes high in this, i always just thought that, that was just how he talked. What do you think?

[ShannoBanano]

Yeah, i agree, i think the lethargic thing was part of his act. And i don't want to think my Joel was high. haha

[Alfrunk]

Yeah cause no talented people ever got high

[iscream22]

Yeah because the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bill Hicks, Rolling Stones, Aldous Huxley, Sigmund Freud, Steve Jobs, our past 3 presidents would never ever do anything like that

[Alfrunk]

Do you know what sarcasm is?

[iscream22]

Yeah dude, i was playing off your sarcasm, im a mst nerd of course i know what sarcasm is

[FlamingSackOfPizza]

By night... Agent Joel.

[mao87]

oh darn, he's wearing normal shoes. In the other youtube clip of his standup, he's wearing checkered sneakers with the tux, hahaha

[kevalynska]

Yea!!! Joel rocks!!!!

[WorshipInTruth]

A nice.

[TalkingDevoB52]

Well go post on a Mike stand up site then dick, oh wait he was a WAITER

[TalkingDevoB52]

Douche, thanks for taking your post down. That card trick gets me EVERY time.

[themange59]

Why are you calling me names? I basically said thanks to Joel for creating MST3K i can see why people think he's funny, but I don't think he's funny. And yeah, Mike was a waiter until he started WRITING all the funny things Joel would say on MST3K. I wasn't attacking Joel or his fans, please calm down.

[TalkingDevoB52]

So go write something on a Mike site then moron, we think Joel IS funny. And actually you just pissed me off even more, I know EVERYTHING about MST and Mike is the 'head writer' which has confused MANY people like yourself, this means (according to the cast and crew including Mike, Joel, Kevin, Trace, Mallon, etc.) that Mike would make sure the other writers were getting everything done NOT that he wrote most of the jokes

[themange59]

there you go with the name calling again, sure sign of a weak argument. I'm sure you only ever post positive things on the internet. I like Joel on MST3K, I gave him props for creating MST3K, I just looked this up because I heard he did stand up before he did MST3K. I don't like his stand up. So because I prefer Mike on MST3K I shouldn't be able to post my thoughts on ANYTHING Joel does or has ever done? great logic there man, GL in life if what I said pissed you off, you're going to need it.

[TalkingDevoB52]

And yet you say nothing at all about my point. I was upset by your comment "Mike was a waiter until he started writing all the funny things Joel would say" which is certainly untrue the entire crew wrote those jokes and I happen to think Joel is pretty damn funny. Thanks for the advice and good luck yourself

[themange59]

Mike did stand up too, just because it's not on youtube doesn't mean he didn't.

And like with any group of people leaders (or in this case head writers) get more credit than non head writers. I know every writer contributes, but the "head" is the one with the final say. I mean, I can't (and neither can you) attribute every joke to a certain writer of who came up with it. Mike was the head, he didn't write everything, but he was in charge.

Thanks for stop calling me names.

[TalkingDevoB52]

Obviously you can't read or are just ignoring what I say and you're obviously not worth any more of my time, GOODBYE, as in dont write back.

[themange59]

I can read, and I talked about what you said. I understand the writing process of trooplike shows. Do you?

So instead of calling me names you just ignore what I say and say "you're wrong" bravo man, you're a real thinker.

Telling me to not write back (just like calling me names) is a sure sign you know you don't have any real point other than to just be a douchebag, congrats.

[iceguy0077]

@themange59

In the beginning, the show had nothing to do with him. I despise what he brought to the show, lazy bluntness

[TalkingDevoB52]

@iceguy0077

Thank you so very much, I'm so happy I'm not the only one out there

[creatornat]

Hahaha! Why is 4:15 still funny? I mean, it really must be the delivery and it coming from Joel. I wish he still did standup. Incidentally, one of those dummy head's was worn in a later mst3k by Tom Servo, as a 'new look'. :)

[Lokihsu]

He is sublime. i love it. I wish i came up with this act!

[villemar]

Agent J ftw

[KendraSwan]

He always looks and sounds so tired! He's adorable though!

[newrulz2005]

Another fine Wisconsin boy. Joel is hilarious.

[assemblyassembly]

He's from Minnesota, mate

[ElizabethGStone]

No, newrulz is right. He was born in Stevens Point.

[newrulz2005]

Well then Steven Point Wisconsn must have moved because, Hodgson was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin in 1960.

[KurieiFoxfire]

Arguments old, and this isn't the place for it dude. Move on.

[smsteve888]

honestly, they're both funny in their own way, and we've come to accept it

[dragonfly961]

OMG so adorable. Made me LOL.

[4bibimimi]

Like Steven Wright as prop comic.

[MsMeepyLinaBean75]

@4bibimimi .....as a young REALLY CUTE prop comic!

JOELIE!

[jimbopotemkin]

When cousins, identical cousins, are connected by the spine!

[CincinnatusSPQR]

the invisible man gag was great!

[ReaperAP]

He's just so adorable with his comedy. I'm so glad that they started making a new movie show...cinematic titanic. Totally awesome!!! I was startin to miss MST3K then found that.

[graysonkilmer]

found what? new movie show....(?)

[itwontbez]

Hey, Joel didn't include the "Ebony & Ivory" part of the Danny O' Danny double-headed ventriloquist. (I only know that because he included it on one of his SNL sets). Still, this is a great example of Joel's comedic talents. He really put other "notable" prop comics like Carrot-Top and Gallagher to shame!

[Zando24]

lol, Joel is mah hero

[Latigoliath]

This was amazing!

[alexgernand]

spy?

[SoftBank47]

"It's the world's first Braille bumper sticker. It says 'if you can read this, you're too close.'"

[dtek40k]

lol, he's so deadpan

[fairiedragon999]

Reminds me of Ben Stein

[Skepdisc]

Blasphemous as it may be, if I were trying to convince someone of Joel's comedic genius, I'd show them *this* clip before MST3K. His material & creativity are really in top form (and volume) here!

[Zando24]

well its understandable because he has the spotlight to himself, unlike in MST3K

[BTLemming]

Speaking as a HUGE MST3K fan, I have to agree with you. I remember seeing this on TV when I was a kid, and the Invisible Man at Home joke always stuck with me. I even made my own version of it.

[TheRedComa]

Joel has Napoleon Dynamite beat by 15 years...

[tommyrock69]

@TheRedComa

When people ask me, "Why no love for 'Napoleon?'" I say, "Because I saw it done 20 years earlier with Joel Hodgeson!"

They're kids. They still don't get it. It's like bringing Red Skelton's clown act back...

Don't anybody get any ideas!

Great post

[smartass38]

I remember the clown comming out of the jack in the box hanging from a noose,mabie on SNL,with a note that said,'i can't take that song any longer'. fuckin hilarious!

[johnnydaytona]

That was a bit by the Amazing Jonathan many years later though. It was in his HBO special.

[senfmann2]

Oh man is he stoned. Funny, and very very stoned.

[LynchFan002]

Joel is so adorkable :3

[neckbeardthemovie]

This is how prop comedy should work. Suck it, Carrot Top!

[IsaacWolf]

...and at night... *shick!* Agent J....

[FaithLestrange]

I want that radio that turns into a rifle. That was sweet.

[OsakaBomb]

You and me both.

[couchfort]

hahahaha, all the agent j gadgets were the best!

[Wartler]

I thought that was pretty good, only he could have delivered it with just a teeny bit more energy. But, was it just me, or does it seem like some of the laugher might have been edited in?

[Trilaan]

That was part of Joel's schtick, he always portrays himself like he's barely awake.

[HollyHammondLovesMST]

I FUCKING LOVE JOEL!!

[InvaderJim42]

Hmm, his voice sounds a little hoarse... not like the Joel I'm familiar with from the early episodes of MST.

[Ornafulsamee135]

"It you can read this you are too close"

[Rockbandslidepostsch]

that was cute

[OsakaBomb]

Joel (and MST3K in general) really makes me glad I'm from the Twin Cities.

[dlnorton3001]

Oh man! I used to have that radio/gun toy when I was a kid in the early 70's..!! You could even load it with caps!! It was so cool!!

[suzbailey23]

I WANT A POCKET MOHAWK!!!!!

[textthing]

Me too. He should patent and sell it. Like the space helmet for astronauts who are losing their hair, this invention is for part-time alternative lifestyle types.

[hammrocks]

He is so cute. Go Agent J!

[chussell]

better than carrot top

[contrecoup]

Oh Joel, how are you so adorable.

[Krymestone]

agent j!

[chasingwords]

I've always worshiped the man for creating MST3K (aka the best show there ever was), but I love him even more after seeing his stand up. I think it's great. The last bit with the puppet is hysterical! And I love the Agent J routine.

[dahwave]

This is a classic. He did the same skit on SNL too. I would love to see that one. Does anyone have a link to it. In one SNL sketch he put on a bodysuit covered with cans that pop open and spingy snakes flew out. Genius.

[voguevixen]

I think that's the version I've seen too...didn't he also have a PEZ dispenser and say "you guys do PEZ?" and offer it to the audience like it was drugs? LOL!

[musefan5]

i love this guy, but he sounds fucking high.

[Shred2Death]

o jesus, im glad i didnt know he was a prop act before i saw mst3k, because then i never would have seen the show.

granted, his standup was a little bit funny, but i cant say it wasnt hack. BUT!!! he did put some originality into it, but understand that the crowd didnt have to be there for the show, there is no such thing as atmosphere with props, its just a rehearsal.

[Betty908]

yep - Joel has such talent! I think his work is the basis for a lot of todays humor. He is great!

[tomservosbitch]

i especially love joel's "headbanging" in the very beginning!

i notice he shows those moves sometimes in

mst3k.  :)

[pedicabdr1ver]

he totally starts losing at when he does the bit with the baseball hat

[killerjohnny2]

Joel is amazing. I love him.

[jvreeland87]

I adore Joel. :)

[Headbanger14]

LOL Joel is so deadpan but he is funny. Kudos to him for creating MST3K!

[Vinya]

oh Joel <3

[insanedemonspaz]

He's like Carrot Top, only better!

[Skorn811]

I think that's due to staying up all night working on the props IMO

[Skorn811]

God I miss John Candy he was a great actor

[pedicabdr1ver]

i love the fact that he starts to crack up during the baseball hat bit

[bah11]

dude that card thing was hysterical

[davy2funky]

that was actually really not funny, but i'm still glad i saw it... love that mst3k!

[herzogsbuick]

hilarious! much obliged