Post by heyclammy on Jan 4, 2007 1:25:58 GMT -5
Funny Like a Fox
He may look like Capt. Kangaroo after a rough weekend, but John Fox’s comedy is no kid show. The former house painter walked onstage for the first time at the world famous Comedy Store in L.A. on June 14th, 1979. Within three months he became a paid regular. Three months after that he scored his first television appearance on “Norm Crosby’s Comedy Shop”
Fox has been featured on two of Rodney Dangerfield’s HBO specials and was immortalized in the song, “The Legend of John Fox” that is played repeatedly on the syndicated morning radio show, “Bob & Tom.” This rubber faced comedian mugs and contorts his features to squeeze the utmost out of every punch line he delivers. Fox says, “My body is my prop. I’m not afraid at all of making myself look ugly.”
Variety magazine described Fox as “The whacked out, weird neighbor who drops over to borrow a beer and you can’t get rid of him. Everyone has a friend like this guy. You can’t help but like the guy.”
Playboy magazine said, “He gets more mileage out of his face than any comic we’ve ever seen.” GQ magazine said of Fox, “He has great comedic timing. He’s destined for stardom.”
This weekend Fox is destined for Mason City Limits for two shows each night on Friday, January 12th and Saturday January 13th. “I’m like the Benny Hill type of comics. I’m more into the T and A type of comedy. Those people make me laugh. I’d rather go for the big laugh. There’s nothing wrong with working off color as long as it’s done cleverly.” He adds, “I’m probably the cleanest off color comedian around.”
As a comedy veteran, Fox can go with the flow. “Maybe 15 minutes of my material is off color, and the rest is fine for TV. You pretty much let the audience take you where they want to go. If the audience isn’t buying the blue material you just don’t work that way,” said Fox. His style is fast paced. “I go 100 m.p.h. I don’t like to hear silence out there.”
Mason City Limits is located at 114 E. Chestnut St. in downtown Mason City next to Jack and Jo’s Steakhouse. Show times are 7:15 and 9:30 both Friday and Saturday nights. The early show Friday is nonsmoking. For tickets or more information call 217 482 LAFF (5233) or visit www.mclimits.com