Sketch comedy can be a slippery slope, especially with the bar having been set pretty high by classics like Monty Python and the Kids in the Hall. Nowadays, anyone with an Internet connection, a camera phone and friends who belch a lot can call themselves a sketch comedy troupe. It takes quite a bit of ingenuity to stand out. Enter Dead Kevin, made up of New England natives Ahmed Bharoocha, Ryan O’Flanagan, and Jack Robichaud, who are now based out of Los Angeles.
The trio are back in the region for a five date “New England Trip” which lands in Somerville tonight at Johnny D’s. With a no frills approach to the genre, Dead Kevin rely on the most basic elements of humor. It’s raw, it’s fresh and, above all, it’s pretty damn hilarious. Vanyaland caught up with the guys, with O’Flanagan mainly serving as the mouthpiece, and got their thoughts on sketch vs. standup, what they miss about home and how they might incorporate musicians into a sketch.
:: SIX QUESTIONS
Michael Christopher: When naming yourselves Dead Kevin, were you concerned that people might think it was too close to Dead Kennedys and Jello Biafra might get pissed?
Ryan O’Flanagan: We are not afraid of Jello Biafra. We eat Jello for breakfast.
You are from New England. What’s the first thing you beeline to when you get back here?
Jack goes to Canobie Lake Park. I loves Shaw’s. Ahmed buys gallons of Del’s Lemonade.
What I find interesting about Dead Kevin is that your sketches tend to have a minimalist feel, relying mainly on talent and humor as opposed to using, or over-using, props and quick camera cuts. Was this intentional with wanting to make it work much easier in a live setting?
Part of it was due to just not having a lot of money or locations, and the rest was just us making each other laugh. This tour is our first time working with any props in a live setting. We don’t want to give anything away, but they’re plastic butts.
Dead Kevin
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What did you find appealing about sketch as opposed to something like straight standup?
Sketch has a few advantages. Aside from just getting to goof off with friends, it allows us to be more subtle, it can be edited, and it can potentially reach a much wider audience. Sketches also live on forever on the internet, while jokes can get stale after a while.
Is there ever a point when coming up with a sketch where you either a) think that something is beyond hilarious but people just don’t get or b) had to pull it back because it crossed a line?
We are hesitant to release almost every sketch. We wonder if anyone will think they’re funny, too offensive, too weird, etc. We have a weird sense of humor, so a lot of times we worry that what we think is funny just… isn’t. We have several sketches on the back-burner that we’ve never been confident enough to release. Some ideas are just too weird.
You’re based in Los Angeles, which in music circles has a notorious reputation for sleaze and debauchery. Is there a sketch comedy groupie scene there?
If there is a groupie scene, we certainly haven’t been approached by them. If there are any comedy groupies reading this, please say something. We want to feel wanted.
:: ONE RECOMMENDATION
Ryan: Cactus Cooler soda
Ahmed: Tobasco in clam chowder
Jack: Musician William Elliott Whitmore
:: SEVEN OF SOMETHING
Give me seven musicians, if you had the opportunity to put into one of your sketches, and how you would use them.
Our annoying roommate Rob Thomas would be throwing another huge house party.
Miley Cyrus is trying to hook up with Jack but he is kind of grossed out.
Ahmed is in a closet with Marilyn Manson, who is making Ahmed watch him do drugs.
Ryan is arm wrestling with Henry Rollins.
Sum 41 is stuck on the roof.
2 Chainz just wants to go to bed. He comes out of his room with bed head and flips out on everyone. It gets immediately awkward and everyone starts packing up. Sum 41 falls through the roof.
The Jonas Brothers show up late and we have to duel them.
Dead Kevin :: Thursday July 10 @ Johnny D’s Uptown Restaurant & Music Club, 17 Holland Street, Somerville :: 7:30 p.m., $12, 21-plus :: advance tickets
