Emo Philips

His quirky, somewhat bewildered stage presence doesn't convey it, but comedian Emo Philips has some serious opinions about humor and culture. A huge fan of British comedy (he lived in England for several years), he's amazed that so much good U.K. comedy is virtually unknown here. "There was a show called The Day Today, a parody show that was just astounding." One would think that as the world has gotten smaller, we would know more about our cross-Atlantic cousins. Philips, though, isn't surprised that we don't. "I don't think Americans are accessing British culture at all," he laments. "I don't think they ever did. Can you name the top five TV shows in England now? I mean, every once in a while a show like The Office comes down the pike, but then they remake it. Yet the British get all of our stuff." While he doesn't talk a lot about other cultures or current events onstage, he does have a few observations on those subjects. "I'm not a Republican," he tells his audiences, "but I'm saving up to be one." And of our president he notes: "President Bush said that 'children are America's most precious resource.' Let's pray it never comes to that."
Aug. 5-9, 8 p.m.; Aug. 8-9, 10:30 p.m., 2008