Sporting a full-length fur coat at the Comedy Central roast of Pamela Anderson, a charity event that benefited People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Jeff Ross assured Anderson that his attire was “100 percent puppy.”
A regular at the Friar’s Club Roasts, Ross’ gift of making fun of celebrities has landed the sly comic much attention, including New York Magazine labeling him as the “meanest man in comedy.”
“You can just be as mean and as crazy and funny as you want,” Ross said in an interview with The Hatchet. “Of course, Courtney Love beat the crap out of me after the show. Bea Arthur held me down while Courtney punched me in the face.”
Could it have been the off-color joke about how she looked worse than Kurt Cobain that landed him the beating?
Ross’ comedic talents extend beyond stand-up, however. A former writer for “The Man Show” and “The Daily Show,” Ross has also had roles in several films such as “Along Came Polly” and “Stuck on You” and most recently in the knockout NC-17 comic masterpiece “The Aristocrats.”
“I love that movie,” Ross said. “I really thought it was going to be a great bomb, but it ended up being this great thing.”
In addition to appearing in other people’s movies, Ross decided to make his own documentary about traveling with the U.S.O. comedy tour in Iraq – aptly named “Patriot Act.” While the film is still making the festival circuit and has yet to appear in theaters, Ross elaborated on how the film came about.
“It’s basically me armed with nothing more than a video camera, with some zingers like me running around Iraq, talking to soldiers, sort of cheering up soldiers and goofing on the whole situation and sort of rediscovering why I became a comedian. It’s not really political – it’s about people.”
He also explained how “Patriot Act” was a gift to the thousands of soldiers whom he performed for.
“On 18 different bases, I presented (the movie) to the commanders and soldiers (who) got a big kick out of it – because (in the movie) I get to goof on all the generals and all the stuff they’re not allowed to do. Kind of like at colleges when I go out and make fun of teachers and security guards and the administrators – it’s sort of like saying all the things the students can’t say.” Watch out, G-dub.
A graduate from Boston University, where he majored in broadcast and film, Ross is fully armed with an arsenal of college-related humor.
“Like you guys, I went to school in a big city, and I got to be a grown-up and live like a real city person for the first time and I loved it – so I’ll do plenty of jokes about that,” Ross said. “But I basically just make fun of whatever’s right in front of me (on stage). The fat guy in the front row, the stoner in the back, your mama – you know.”
Ross’ appearance at Lisner Auditorium is the first in a series of comedy acts coming to campus this fall from Riot Act Entertainment, with future shows including Judy Gold and Wendy Leibman on Oct. 25 and Bob Saget on Nov. 15. Also, Comedy Central star Jon Stewart will be performing two Colonials Weekend shows Oct. 21. n
Jeff Ross will perform at GW’s Lisner Auditorium on Saturday, Oct. 1stt at 8:00pm with comedians Dan Naturman opening and Doug Powell hosting. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.
