Comedy

Barry Crimmins takes the mike

by Nick A. Zaino III

This weekend will provide a rare opportunity to see Barry Crimmins performing comedy. Crimmins, who gave Boston its first full-time stand-up stage when he started booking comedy at the Ding Ho in 1979, will perform his show "Chicken Soup for the Vegetarian Soul." It's the first time he'll be appearing solo in Boston in nearly three years. He's been away from the stand-up-comedy scene even longer: in 1988 Crimmins all but abandoned clubs for theaters, political rallies, and other non-traditional venues.

Crimmins opened the door for an explosion in local stand-up comedy when he started booking what he calls "Constant Comedy" at the Ding Ho. Other comics followed his lead, and before long there were clubs all over town hosting great comics like Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, Kevin Meaney, and Bobcat Goldthwait.

Crimmins has always been a social and political critic, and he finds most clubs these days ill-suited for his brand of comedy. "Exceeding expectations is as much of a mistake as not quite meeting them," Crimmins says. "It got to a point where most clubs pandered to the lowest common denominator. I didn't take it personally. A lot of people like professional wrestling, and I don't take that personally either."

Barry Crimmins will perform Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8 p.m., with an additional 6 p.m. show Saturday, at the Comedy Studio above the Hong Kong Restaurant, 1236 Mass Ave (Harvard Square), in Cambridge. Call (617) 661-6507.