Many years ago, whenever you turned on the TV, you would find that the comedians of the time had a stage presence that reflected the era. For example, George Burns delivered his jokes dressed in the classic style of a tailored suit with a crisp white shirt, matching tie, and his iconic lit cigar. No matter where or when his monologue took place, he was never caught dressed down.
Another comedian who was a classic dresser was Bob Hope. His tweed suits, ties, and pocket squares was a reflection of the glamour of Hollywood. From his network show to entertaining the troops, he always managed to look good. Even Groucho Marx with his goofy expressions, bushy eyebrows, massive mustache, and smoldering cigar was on stage in suited fashion.
Today, the comedian’s stage presence has taken on a completely different style. Long gone, for the most part, is the formalness of the suit and its replacement has been more casual wear. We happen to be checking out some of the local talent last night and I noticed that the guys don’t look any different than anyone that you might see around town. One guy, named Artie Januario, was standing in front of the crowd dressed in a button-down shirt, jeans, and a pair of loafers. His looks were deceiving because he looked too average, like someone who was not going to be very funny, but ended up leaving us rolling in the aisles.
There is also a comedian who is at the complete opposite spectrum of the glamour era in fashion. Larry the Cable Guy has taken the sleeveless shirt to the next level. His “Red Neck” image is brought to life with his mismatched patterns, work boots, and lack of arm coverage. Is it all part of the act or is he just a really bad dresser?
