It doesn’t take a Ph.D. in human behavior to figure out that men seek out opportunities to socialize with women they find attractive and avoid contact with those whom they don’t. To paraphrase from a song from "Bye Bye Birdie," that’s one of the "things a woman knows" from an early age.
Even so, it could still be disconcerting for people who are just getting to know each other — out on a first date, for example — to be hearing stand-up comic Chris D’Elia discuss that slice of reality in blunt, profanity-laden terms at The Republik during his two shows Saturday. Who’d blame a woman for sneaking a glance at a guy she’s still getting to know and thinking, "Is that why he asked me out?"
CHRIS D’ELIA
>> Where: The Republik, 1349 Kapiolani Ave.
>> When: 7:30 and 11 p.m Saturday
>> Cost: $29.50-$45; open to all ages accompanied by adult
>> Info: flavorus.com or 855-235-2867
>> Note: Prices increase to $35 and $45 day of show |
But D’Elia is an equal opportunist when it comes to blunt comments on human behavior. He notes in equally explicit terms that women will accept invitations to dinner or an evening out– sometimes even encouraging the invite — when they have no intention whatsoever of allowing the guy to reach any of his, shall we say, physical objectives. It’s enough to make a guy sneak a glance at the woman he’s still getting to know and wonder, "Is she only here with me because she wanted to see Chris D’Elia for free?"
The insights are timeless. When the late Sam Kinison was in his "angry period," he’d bellow that "women have the power" because women have, to put it terms suitable for a family newspaper, something men want. D’Elia says it without Kinison’s anger.
D’Elia arrives in Honolulu this weekend as a rising comic star, nearing the end of his national tour. He’s had a busy year. D’Elia captured the attention of Justin Bieber fans in March when he appeared as one of the roasters on the Justin Bieber Comedy Central Roast.
D’Elia complimented Bieber on having everything — "except respect, love, good parents and a Grammy." Bieber has described D’Elia — who often mines hip-hop and "pimp" culture for laughs — as his favorite comedian and appeared as a surprise guest at one of D’Elia’s shows at the Laugh Factory.
America discovered D’Elia doing stand-up on Comedy Central’s "Live at Gotham" and "Comedy Central Presents," Showtime’s "Live Nude Comedy" and as an actor on "Glory Daze" and "Whitney."
He describes himself as a stand-up comic who acts, and currently has the lead role on NBC sitcom "Undateable."
D’Elia’s "Incorrigible" comedy special was officially released on Netflix in April. In it D’Elia describes babies as "the worst prize ever." He says that at the least they should wait to be born until they’re as capable of caring for themselves as the average fawn or baby goat. Even better, keep ’em in there until they can rappel down out of their mother’s womb fully dressed and ready to go to work.
D’Elia also announces that Cubans love being Cuban. Russians are always angry and mad about everything. "Girls" get stressed out for no reason but like to get stressed out. And, yes, that no matter what men do, wear, buy or spend money on, it’s all done for the purpose of getting where they want to get with a woman.
D’Elia’s management was unable to get the Italian-American to talk with TGIF about his current interests. Does he consider himself to be an "all ages" comedian? Has he given Bieber any career advice now that they’re friends? Did his divorce in 2010 change his perceptions on male-female relationships, as divorce did for Kinison? Look for clues at the comic’s two Honolulu performances.
The impulse to entertain runs in the family: His father, writer-producer-director Bill D’Elia, initially tried to talk him out of entertainment as a career but then helped him with some introductions. Now 35, D’Elia was 19 when he decided he wanted to be an actor, and 25 when he began performing stand-up.
