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The Stand-up Perfection of Jay Larson’s ‘Wrong Number’
In the 2012 bit, the comedian’s skills elevate a monologue into an immersive multicharacter drama.
“‘My name’s Jay, not Bruce, so clearly I go, ‘Nothing much man, what’s going on with you?’” Only 35 seconds into the bit — when no joke has yet been told — the crowd applauds just to signal their delight at the situation, and Larson’s acting here is masterfully simple. After a torrent of plausible corporate jargon fools the caller, Larson says, “Oh my God, that worked!” with palpable relief before grabbing the steering wheel again, shifting back to anxious vigilance with another driven “Stay focused.” He earns a third applause break at 1:44. Larson goes big, describing his “euphoria” at a small business “crumbling to the ground” before switching to a Steve Martin–esque deadpan for “And they don’t know who the hell Jennifer is,” which earns a fourth applause break — this one accompanied by cheering, as though the crowd just witnessed an athletic feat.
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