Rick Shapiro - Unconditional Love (CD)

Rick Shapiro might just be the only man you ever hear say, “If it weren’t for all of those years as a prostitute…” as the intro to a good story, but don’t worry, you’re still not about to see him at career day. Well-known to audiences as the eccentric brother-in-law Jerry on HBO’s “Lucky Louie,” Shapiro’s “Unconditional Love,” a largely improvised onslaught, is wildly tangential, wildly funny, and… possibly schizophrenic. He’s certainly not for the faint of heart! As the self-described “avant loser” launches into his frenetic stream-of-consciousness, multiple personality diatribes on “Unconditional Love,” listeners are hard-pressed to avoid Lenny Bruce comparisons though Shapiro (luckily for comedy-lovers) survived his own years of drug abuse and degradation, living to tell all the tales whether or not they earn him accolades, fame, or inner peace. In the end, his filth-laden form of comedic slam poetry reads like an exorcism, an intense public catharsis punctuated by utter shock and genuine peals of laughter. A trifle, unexpectedly, Shapiro’s hilarious performance-art assault translates seamlessly to CD and leaves listeners marveling. “Unconditional Love,” originally released in 1998 on Fortified (founded by Lach, progenitor of the Antifolk movement a natural home for Shapiro, to be sure), is now available in reissue from the fine folks at Stand Up! Records. Nothing quite captures the full experience of Rick's performance artistry like seeing him live. But if you can't do that, the album...is the next best thing. Rick Shapiro is not merely a stand up comedian. He doesn't really have a routine, per se. Really he just gets up on stage and explodes into a sort of stream of consciousness rant. During his performances, Rick unleashes the many characters living in his brain in a rapid fire purging that almost comes across as an assault. The former junky/prostitute turned actor-comedian has been called the Lenny Bruce of the East Village and it's a name that suits him. Fortunately for Rick, though, he is not living in the repressed age that censored and eventually ruined Lenny Bruce. Rick's act is so obscene and raunchy that it makes his predecessors look like girl scouts. But his humor doesn't just rely on obscenity. It's quick witted social criticism... with the occasional reference to fisting. 5.0 out of 5 stars...Rick Shapiro RULES!!!!, Track Listing Get Pissed Family Values The Sexy Anorexics Writers Getting Laid I Sucked Dick for Heroin Fuck, Fuck, Fuck! WBAI-FM The Leonard Cohen of Dick Whippers K-Mart! Staples! The Gap! Riffing, Stomping and Managers I Miss Drugs When the World was Wild Whitney Houston Suburban Butts Whitey Politey Bush Riffing Sucking Ass Eating Pussy God's an Idiot Mr. Duane Reed