It’s amazing what can be accomplished in just half an hour. Ian Lara manages to do an entire set in that amount of time, and with great success in fact. The up and coming comedian’s new special Growing Shame has just dropped on YouTube barely a day ago, and Lara definitely makes use of his short slot. The show, which is free to view, is hosted by Comedy Central on their stand-up channel. There, Lara and many other comedians are logging the hours and ideally gaining the much needed exposure necessary to catapult them into the comedy circuit full time.
Growing Shame is just a small sample of his capability as a comic, filmed at the Knitting Factory in New York City.
Ian Lara is certainly on his way to a steady occupation. His new stand-up set is sure to throw some more attention his way as he continues to grind out his career. Growing Shame is just a small sample of his capability as a comic, filmed at the Knitting Factory in New York City. Lara is able to cover multiple topics over the span of his quick set. He discusses recent dating experiences, how he has occupied himself during the pandemic, life in New York, and his introduction to investing. Grinning from ear to ear from start to finish, Lara performs Growing Shame in front of a packed audience with ease and comfort as though he’s already an established professional.
Lara exudes confidence with the mic. There’s never any dead space, and even when the punch line doesn’t land as intended he always seems to have a backup plan. His work with the crowd is enjoyable to see, responding suitably to the way they react to his jokes and also playing off their retorts as though they’re part of the show. He does find ways to include the live viewers in his act, speaking with them as though the material is a conversation though the discussion is dictated by him. As silly as he can be he’s also fairly insightful, which is a trait most decent comedians carry. He’s able to take basic concepts and examine them in a way that is both funny and intuitive. Lara’s only intent is to be funny though. His comedy serves no higher purpose to achieve greater understanding or to explore nuances within society. This is actually a positive. He mentions a buzz topic here or there, but it is only in passing and said topics are usually just there to help set up the joke.
Alas, Lara is just a comedian. He has no aim or desire to change thoughts, soften hearts, influence the masses, or even really to make people think. In spite of this, that’s actually the best thing about him. He’s just up on the stage having fun, and including others in that fun by talking about what he finds humorous about everyday life. More comedians should take note of this, as the best kind of comedian is someone who has no other agenda other than making people laugh. He’s on his way, and Growing Shame is only the beginning.
