From Hal Sparks to Dashboard Confessional, UR has had its fair share of quality entertainment this school year, but nothing can compare to Pablo Francisco’s upcoming show. This funny-man will really have you keeling over with laughter.
Francisco describes his comedy as, “anarchy, mayhem and a skit show all in one.” He is capable of making fun of anyone and anything from the guy across the street to world politics.
With most of his material coming from his every day experiences or pop culture, his jokes are bound to strike a chord with college students.
One of his routines even jests that the new fashion will be getting your liver pierced, since everything else has already been pierced. He jokes that it’ll look hot, but “Don’t touch it, I’ll shit my pants.”
Francisco is particularly savvy when it comes to musicians, movies and TV shows. “There’s so much on TV today – it’s just such an easy target with so much junk always on,” he said.
Admittedly he is right, with Spanish soap operas and boy bands being some of his easy and unsuspecting targets.
Of course, it’s easy to make people laugh when you can imitate anything so well that you’re like a twisted, laughable clone of the original.
Francisco’s impressions are endless and one of his specialties, with each personality as convincing as the last. He can impersonate anyone from a Spanish soap opera star to a horny R&B singer to a drunk girl with a tongue piercing and an old man hyped up on Viagra.
It’s even hard to tell the difference between Francisco’s voice and that of the “Movie Theater Preview Guy” himself, besides for the fact that Francisco is allowed to swear and say whatever he wants.
He jokes, “Jean Claude Van Damme is back – in the same crap you’ve seen over, and over, and over.”
Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably heard a Pablo Francisco joke on TV when you’re channel surfing, but you never would have realized it was this guy.
He has littered Comedy Central for years now with his appearances on “Comedy Central Presents,” “Mad TV” and “Premium Blend,” among many other cameos and shows. His voice – or better yet, voices – get used by cartoons online and TV constantly.
Francisco’s talents don’t end at impersonations, however – he can also beat box, sing and imitate just about any noise imaginable, throwing each element in when you least expect it.
Sound effects are one of Francisco’s staples that set him apart from the average comedian. Where others make their audiences chuckle, Francisco will make you laugh with pee-your-pants hilarity.
Even if you’ve seen Francisco on TV, you will be in for a treat – live comedy can easily go, “off the path and get even funnier,” Francisco said.
Be ready for “Comedy Central, but four times better” when Francisco stops here. “One of the greatest things about college audiences is how hip they are,” Francisco said. “They get all the jokes, so you can run even farther with them.”
That’s saying a lot, considering what ‘normal’ is for him.
The only disclaimer about Pablo Francisco is that seeing is definitely believing. Describing his jokes could never even come close to hearing them first hand, and luckily, UR students will soon be able to.
You’ll never realize you could laugh so hard until you hear what this man has to say.
Tickets are on sale at the Common Market, and the performance will be Friday, Feb. 3 in Strong Auditorium.
Ryan can be reached at dryan@campustimes.org.
