Robin Williams was in town last night, and is again tonight. Why, for just over 900 dollars, you and your sweetheart can see him tonight in the first five rows, and even have a "meet-and-greet" with the legendary comedian...you, your sweetheart, and the other 75 people in those five rows.
Before I get to that truly disturbing idea, let's talk about the actual show that went on last night in downtown Phoenix at the Dodge Theatre. Williams is...well, he's Robin Williams. No one went in last night expecting the rat-a-tat funnyman to be anything unlike what he exudes on talk shows, on TV, and in film, and no one left disappointed. If you like Robin Williams' style, you're likely going to enjoy his new material (which appears to be headed for a DVD release, if last night's show--featuring shots of audience members laughing on the two video screens hanging over Williams--is any indication), which is exactly like his old material. Pop-culture references? Check. Jokes about recent news figures like Michael Phelps and Barack Obama? Check. Rampant profanity? Check. Sex jokes? Check. It's all there. Of course, if you don't like Williams, stay away.
As a kid, I loved this guy. Even when I was a teenager, I caught his show in Cleveland and was duly impressed. Last night, however, I felt like picking apart his flaws, even though the show was consistently funny. Only a few times did I laugh out loud because of something truly unexpected (his comparison of Dick Cheney at Obama's inauguration to Old Man Potter in It's A Wonderful Life was the first time I did so); otherwise, I smiled and chuckled. Oddly, Williams' final 25-30 minutes was his strongest, including a lengthy section on what it would have been like if people actually did design the human genital region. The first hour was filled with lots of good jokes, but some stumbles and plenty of segues that never make any sense (such as the title, even if that one didn't pop up into his repertoire). Overall, a good show.
Was it worth 75 a pop, for tickets in what amounted to the 35th row? Not so much, counting the squashed-in seats and parking snafu. But, I didn't spend 442 a seat to sit in the first five rows, and get an autographed pic of Williams, and get a meet-and-greet. First of all, what would a meet-and-greet be? Aren't the best celebrity encounters the unplanned ones? Even getting some kind of backstage pass is different. Part of the show, for this man, is meeting complete strangers, doing some kind of riff (presumably), and signing a picture of himself. Considering that the tickets right behind the VIP seats were 95 a pop, Robin Williams apparently presumes his time is worth over 300 of my dollars. I love his movies (well, most of them), but give me a break.
For those unlucky enough to see him yet, just wait for it to pop up on HBO or DVD soon enough. Better keep that money in your pockets.
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