The comedy veteran newest stand-up routine looks at that one person in every situation who ruins it for everybody else. He'll perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center March 9.
There is a fine line between being a “noodge” and “that one person in every office, every family barbecue, every group dynamic, who is just a toxic bastard,” according to comedian Colin Quinn.
He considers himself the former, a provocateur, yes, but one on the side of good. The latter — actually, the many latters out there — are too selfish to see how their actions are negatively affecting those around them.”
“My theory now,” Quinn said, “is to look at them and study them until we determine how they deteriorate society. Because if we don’t, we’ll never be able to clean up this town.”
Quinn’s “One in Every Crowd” tour comes to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center March 9.
During the show, he’ll will point out a few historic troublemakers — Judas, for example — look at some current ones — President Donald Trump, Quinn calls you “the orange canary in the coal mine” — and then put forth a few fixes, including stockades and public shamings. He’s even found a way to incorporate his Feb. 14 heart attack into the show, comparing the human body to the U.S. (He cancelled three weeks of shows after having three stents placed.)
“You build something up and have these great years — the United States had some great years — and then things settle and you get a little more comfortable and then suddenly it starts to go,” said Quinn, who often inserts “you know” or “if you know what I mean” in the middle of a sentence.
But it’s all — mostly — in good fun. Quinn is the quintessential New York comic: direct and slightly gruff with a gift for smart social analysis that’s thoughtful as well as funny. After a four-year run on “Saturday Night Live” where had a coveted stint behind the Weekend Update desk, his next success was as host of Comedy Central’s “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.” His movie roles include a role in 2010’s “Grown Ups” and its 2013 sequel and Amy Schumer’s 2015 film “Trainwreck.”
Quinn’s most recent stand up routines have been built around themes which don’t naturally lend themselves to comedy. First was 2011’s “Long Story Short,” which dissected the falls of some of the world’s greatest civilizations. “The New York Show” looked at the history of the city, racist warts and all. “Unconstitutional” looked at how this centuries-old document shapes modern Americans.
“What is it about the Constitution that makes the American personality the way we are?” he said. “It says ‘more perfect,’ like ‘Yeah, perfect is alright for other people. We’re going to be more perfect.’ All the attitudes we have today are based on the Constitution.”
Politics are part of “One in Every Crowd.” Quinn is fed up with both political parties and bad attitudes everywhere, particularly in the White House.
“Forget everything he’s done. You can argue if it’s good or bad later. He just has one of those negative personalities,” Quinn said. “Even if it’s to his detriment, he can’t help but say something snotty.”
Quinn is ready to step in, if necessary.
“I have a petty tyrant or benign dictator personality,” he promised.
COLIN QUINN: ONE IN EVERY CROWD
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
1 Center St., Newark.
Tickets: $ 40-79.50, available online at www.njpac.org. March 9.
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.