(Sort of) Concert Preview: Neil Hamburger at The Backroom

Neil Hamburger is “America's Funnyman” not by reputation, but rather by self-determination. In fact, Hamburger is often considered the world's worst stand-up comedian.

Making another stop in Houston this weekend, Hamburger is rarely booked by comedy venues like The Improv or Laff Stop; we gather his brand of humor is hard to sell to the masses demanding Dane Cooks and Carlos Mencias. In fact, if there is an antithetical personification to either Dane Cook or Carlos Mencia, it’s probably Neil Hamburger, and not just because of his tours with musical acts like Tenacious D and his work with Tim and Eric.

With his tense posture, highly reflective glasses and sloppy combover, the Rich Little-inspired Hamburger combines his old-timer persona with pop culture joke fodder that actually makes for a good, albeit awkward, time. Between jabs at Madonna and Paris Hilton, Hamburger constantly clears his throat during his set, which probably contributes to his extremely, nay, painfully dry delivery.

(This is part where you ask, “How dry?”)

Well, it’s so dry it’s almost not funny. But it is. We think. Huh?

Watch for yourself: