Anthony Jeselnik Will Offend You. And You'll Like It.

By Ali Lerman Tue., May 15 2012 at 5:15 PM

Anthony Jeselnik carried a confident air about him long before he became a favorite for his hilarious appearances on the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen. He has a gift of dishing out jabs that are cute with a devilish grin that lets you know, it's OK to laugh at anything; no matter how awful you are for doing it. This Thursday through Sunday, Anthony is headlining at the Irvine Improv so leave your uptight friends at home because nothing is off limits. Nothing. OK, you've been warned.

OC Weekly (Ali Lerman): I love the dry delivery you have with your jokes. Is that something you were born with?

Anthony Jeselnik: It's a little of both. You know my whole family actually talks like this a little bit, kind of with weird pauses where you shouldn't really have them. I always enjoyed it. I love the way Christopher Walken talks and he was an influence too. I just thought it was a cool way to do things and sounded cool. When I am on stage it helps to hide the punchline of the joke a little more. Instead of having to say things in straight sentences, I can break it up more. I think the more I do it the more natural my delivery gets.

Did you always know that you would be entertaining the masses?

It never occurred to me to be a comedian or be in entertainment because it didn't seem feasible. I was never into acting but my teachers would always tell me, "oh you're gonna be a comedian" because I couldn't keep my mouth shut in class. I wasn't always funny but I was always trying to say something without getting in trouble. It seemed like if I was being disruptive and then made someone laugh, then they couldn't really yell at me. After I got out of college and then I got into stand-up looking back it was like, of course I was going to be a comedian. I think I just lucked out by being able to do it.

Can you breakdown your comedy style in three words?

Dark is usually one of the words. Smart would be another. Iconoclastic would be the last one.

OK, please explain "iconoclastic" because I don't know that word...but I think I like it!

Basically, I go after kinda sacred targets. When people say you can't talk about this or that, I do that. And I am pretty sure that word means what I think it means. [Laughs.]

Tags:

Anthony Jeselnik, Charlie Sheen, Comedy Central Roast, Donald Trump, Irvine Improv, Shakespeare

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Smith Paul

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liliou

oh my...poor Anthony, this blogger/interviewer is so annoying, shallow and dumb..what a torture this lame interview, certainly not worthy of Anthony Jeselnik..Hey 'Ali' are you seriously so much ignorant that you don't know what means 'iconoclastic' seriouly ?? Or was it a 'lame' attempt as some 'joke' ?!! Either way i feel almost sad for you..Anthony very soon you will not waste your time with ditzy dumbass like that, you will have some credible interviews..don't worry.

Steph

Really? You actually took the time out to write your poorly written and grammatically incorrect comments. The writer here is genius, creative, hilarious and informative. Have you read any of her other things? Well, you should. Next time post correctly before you criticize someone else's writing. Poor Anthony? Poor you. Find some other outlet to troll around in. Lighten' up.

The Tru7h

Go ahead and blow the writer, we'll look the other way.

Lovemetoo

First of all, it would be a good idea before calling people ignorant to check your own use of the English language and your grammar. What does "so much ignorant" mean? and a quick side note, quotations are not the same thing as an apostrophe..check your keyboard. For the future, before calling anyone dumb, ignorant or a dumbass, please be sure that you aren't coming across as the same.

Ali

I was actually being serious, I had never heard that wordbefore. Sorry I am not a walking dictionary but I will study up so I won’tsound so “shallow, ditzy, or dumb.” Thanks!