ronnie james dio bio*
*Overwrought, self-indulgent bio inspired by, and with apologies to, heavy metal's greatest vocalist, Mr. Ronnie James Dio.
Troubadour. Truth teller. Sweater comic. Peter Bartlett has been called all of these things. But perhaps more than anything else, he is a healer. He heals with his unique gift of laughter. He brings us together to celebrate our common humanity. He raises up the oppressed with his message of hope.
Peter Bartlett may be the single greatest humorist in the history of mankind. He combines the cutting wit of Dorothy Parker, the folksy appeal of Will Rogers, and the incisive social commentary of Lenny Bruce. Immortals all, they look down upon us, titans astride the Olympus of American humor. But soon, they will be joined -- nay, eclipsed -- by Peter Bartlett. And for the opportunity to watch his gift unfold we should be grateful.
He burst onto the comedy scene like a supernova, or some other similarly bright object. By turns sardonic and sincere, erudite yet unfailingly humble, he bypasses traditional performance interaction to connect directly with the souls of his audience. From the moment he first hit the stage, there was a sense that the comedy landscape would be altered forever, or at least for a fairly long period of time. His emergence heralded the beginning of a new age in comedy, when the very form itself would be reconceived and reborn. Comedians and critics alike were forced to ask themselves hard questions, such as "what is hack, really?", "did your ever notice?" and "how long has he been up there?".
His sets are not mere recitations of jokes. Rather, they transport you on a metaphysical journey that never returns you to the place you were, even if that's what you would have preferred since it was closer to where your parked.
His classic bits, such as "best study ever," and "banana/vagina" have already taken their rightful place in the firmament alongside such timeless classics as "Who's on First?", "7 words your can't say on television," and "you might be a redneck."
Watch. Enjoy. Savor this moment, for a giant walks among us.