The Mycenaean

“Let me explain….”

Kevin Hart used this catch phrase many times throughout his comedy show on Saturday, October 27 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh.

I had never been to a comedy show and had no idea what to expect. I walked in to the show having nothing to compare it to, but I can say that I was impressed with what I saw. I have previously seen some of Kevin Hart’s material on YouTube and in movies, so I was excited to see what he would do during a live show.

The beginning of the show was similar to a concert– there were a few ‘no-name’ warm-up acts that brought out some laughs. They were nowhere near as funny as Kevin Hart but did their job preparing us for the main act.

When Hart came out on stage, he did it in a very flashy and spectacular way, with fire, laser lights and loud music. He started his first joke making fun of how extravagant his entrance was.

His jokes were all based on events that happened to him–he talked about his relationship with his ex-wife, stories about past relationships, his best friend Harry, and making fun of his height (5’2) and how he can’t fight. One of his jokes involved a “deerbra” (deer mixed with a zebra) and a baby with Benjamin Button’s disease.

Although his show was funny, it was not appropriate for younger audiences. His show was rated R– it had a lot of cursing and sexual references.

During the performance on Saturday, no texting, tweeting, camera, or cell phone usage was allowed. If anyone was caught with a cell phone out, they were to be kicked out of the show. This is because the footage from the live show is to be used in a ‘behind-the-scenes’ movie about the tour.

To me, comedy shows have a more personal feel than concerts or movies do– because the comedian is speaking directly to the audience. They make their jokes specifically to get a reaction out of them.

In this show, people were constantly laughing. After certain jokes, Hart would laugh at himself and cause the audience to laugh even harder. The members of the audience seemed to all laugh at the same time. Sometimes, Hart would directly ask questions to the audience and have them respond. It was a very fun atmosphere.

His tour started on the heels of his role in the hit movie “Think Like a Man”, based off of Steve Harvey’s book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man from 2009. This movie was number one in the box office for two consecutive weeks.

Hart has gained popularity over the years and his tour is very fast-paced. He tweeted “This has been a crazy travel weekend for me……I hit Pittsburgh then Raleigh North Carolina & now Albany NY!!!!! I get around.”

Many of his stand-up skits are on YouTube and his first major movie, “Laugh At My Pain”, was released in 2011. He hosted the 2012 MTV Music Awards and the 2011 BET Awards. To see more of his skits, follow him on Twitter (@KevinHart4Real) or take a look at his YouTube channel (HartBeatProductions).