Just Do It

Jamie Lissow

by Mark Maurer

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Published: Jul 16, 2008

Thu., July 17, 8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., July 18-19, 8 and 10:30 p.m.; $10-$25, Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St., 215-496-9001, heliumcomedy.com

Jamie Lissow has been spending his days and nights preparing for his upcoming Comedy Central special. Additionally, the law school dropout turned comedian for the college crowd will be appearing several times this month on Red Eye, Fox News Channel's attempt at a late-night comedy talk show. "I'm also working on my abs, but that's not going very well," he confesses. Lissow hasn't decided whether he'll use his shows at Helium for his upcoming standup album, but don't expect any censoring either way.

City Paper: How did your college experience influence your routine?

Jamie Lissow: I definitely think having a college degree, as useless as it might be, has helped me. I majored in mathematics and I always think of joke writing as a bit of a math equation. I've got to de-formula-ize this joke. I also did a lot of drinking in college, which brought out the performance side of me.

CP: Have you received any important advice from fellow comedians?

JL: My favorite advice came from Gary Gulman from Last Comic Standing. Before I went onstage one time in Las Vegas, I was feeling apprehensive because the crowd didn't seem energized. Gary came up to me and said, "If it's not going well, it's them and not you." The comedian usually blames himself and thinks it's their fault.

CP: Is there any material you would leave out of a show that was being taped for TV?

JL: I would leave it in. If they wanted to edit it, they certainly have the right. The best specials I've seen are shows where someone says the F-word and they bleep it. It's better than the comic saying "freakin'." Otherwise, my special would be three minutes long, and that'll never happen. Mark Maurer

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