By Larry J. Pellet

November 24, 2004

Muskegon-area United Way volunteers and donors were treated to an uplifting, “nonserious” evening Tuesday at the Frauenthal Theater.  The brainstorm of fund drive chairman Jim Tyler, the festive evening was a way to say tank-you to those who made reaching the $2.5 million goal possible.

Well organized, with diverse talent, the show had something for everyone.  Roger Morgenstern, United Way board member, spoke for the near-capacity crowd when he observed, “Everyone had a good time.”

As the evening opened, the audience was greeted by a thunderous roar from the Muskegon Heights Tiger Marching Band, as it came down the aisles onto the stage, in step and glamorizing.  The seasoned dancers and the forceful music drew loud applause as the band set the stage for CPA (certified public accountant) John Garrett who travels the comedy club circuit, the Racquettes Dane Team, the Pandemonium Dane Team, Owen Smith of HBO and BET, and James Brogan former lead writer for “The Tonight Show.”

Hosted by wise-cracking Muskegon Chronicle columnist Tracy Lorenz, the show wasted no time getting into the laughs as Garrett, 28, fed the crowd what it wanted to hear.  Comfortable in his own skin, the clean-cut comedian led off with corporate humor.  He poked good-natured fun at engineers, Ruben Studdard and even Muskegon itself.  After the first applause break (there were three), Garrett warmed up to the crowd, easily enjoying the rapport he handily established with them.

The Racquettes, the Fury dance team, next took the stage in a stunning choreography of Destiny’s Child “Survivor,” a song exemplifying the spirit of the downtown area.  Fiery and inspiring, it was the perfect leave off of a first half that promised an even better second.

Pandemonium, the dance team of the Michigan Mayhem, dazzled the crowd in the opening of the second half with a series of graceful and rhythmic moves that brought the energy level to the roof for the entrance of HBO’s Owen Smith, who was for many the highlight of the evening.

Calm, loose and naturally funny, Smith set the crowd roaring and seemed so well liked he could have set his mic down, joined with the audience and become an honorary citizen of Muskegon.  Cracking in jokes like “Kobe got off twice,” and skipping classes at Notre Dam while a minority, Smith at one point had to back away for a moment as the nonstop laughter engulfed the theater.  Kidding about having a “religion Olympics,” the entertainer was tactfully edgy with his humor, thus making the most impact.

Anchoring the evening was James Brogan, a veteran of the comedy circuit since 1975.  joking that he parties like it’s 1899, Brogan artfully enticed the audience, event he balcony, into a hysterical dialogue that turned into a laughfest about Shape Corporation, Fruitport, and included a delightful conversation with a 4-year-old listener.

A master of ad lib, Brogan also threw in some humor about finding Jesus furniture in an antique shop, walking into Kmart and realizing you’re the richest one there, and being named after an apostle along with his sis, Judas.  He called the audience “terrific,” and by the end of his set left most people with a sore face from the laughter.

United Way drive chairman Tyler said it was a trick” to find three clean comedians, but hit the jackpot when he found “The Laughing Irish” trio, an all Notre Dame alumni team.  The three formed a group a year ago with high hopes; Garrett to host Conan” (O’Brien) show in five years, Smith to have a long, diverse career like Bill Cosby, and Brogan to continue what already has been the promised land.  Fans or the merely interested can look them up on their website, www.laughingirish.com.

For those in attendance and especially the United Way, the show put an exclamation point on the culmination of an exciting campaign year, and a worthy night for a worthy never-ending cause.