Review: Steven Wright’s quirky humor is better than ever

HYANNIS — Steven Wright’s stand-up show at the Cape Cod Melody Tent on Saturday night couldn’t have come at a better time. His laid-back demeanor and charm were the perfect remedies to the frantic summer energy sweeping the Cape over the weekend.

The Boston-bred comedian, with his familiar curly hair puffed out under a Red Sox cap, made his way to the stage in a denim jacket and black jeans — certainly not your typical June getup. But then again, Wright isn’t your typical comedian. He kept his cool in the hot tent as he always does, delivering a treasure trove of jokes in his deadpan style.

Like a fighter in the ring, Wright knows how to mix the quick jabs with the haymakers. His signature one-liners and witty observations were on full display as he asked the audience, “Have you ever seen a long sleeve Hawaiian shirt?” and pointed out that “There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.” He also wanted to know if the first lady saw the dinosaurs. Let that one sink in for a minute.

One joke in particular that’s inappropriate to print had Wright crack a smile and even start chuckling at himself. His penchant to take words and meanings at face value will have you never look at a foot doctor the same way again.

Wright delved into some more elaborate stories, too, most of which were both bizarre and hilarious. One included a chaotic situation involving parrots and seatbelts. The other — and the most memorable — was him re-enacting a heated conversation he had with the plastic people on a miniature train toy set. “Your mouth doesn’t even move when you talk!” he yelled at one of them. Wright seemed to momentarily get lost replaying the moment, as if it still bothered him. The matter-of-fact way he puts things is the spice that helps make odd anecdotes like this work so well and become almost believable. Of course, in true Wright fashion, he’ll follow it up with, “That’s a true story — none of it happened.”

On stage beside him was his trusty acoustic guitar that he picked up twice. One song, which he claimed he wrote when he was 3 years old, was about killing the family cat. Another was a one-chord dedication to a woman he knew.

For all his quirky and often lighthearted remarks, there are also some that have a darker tone. One of the biggest laughs of the night was more of a grim observation than a joke: “I had a nightmare about the presidency — then I realized I wasn’t sleeping,” Wright said to loud applause.

Wright is a veteran comic who has been making audiences laugh for well over 30 years, and, ironically, the pace of his quick delivery is relevant now more than ever. He’s always been the king of one-liners and avoided the long setup that many other stand-up comedians apply. He gets to the punchline quickly — one after the other — and in today’s impatient world, it works perfectly.

But you’d be doing yourself a disservice to discard his quips at the same rate that he likes to fire them out.

There’s a subtle wisdom in Wright’s view on life that hides in between the punchlines and is easy to miss  — a wisdom we’d all be better off applying to our own lives if we want to get the most out of it: Don’t simply assume or jump to conclusions, because often times the best parts (and the funniest) are right in front of us.

Some of Steven Wright’s best lines of the night:

“You know, if heat rises, heaven must be hotter than hell.”

“You ever see a grandmother clock?”

“What did Jesus ever do for Santa on his birthday?”

“I bought one walkie-talkie. I didn’t want anyone else to hear what I was saying.”

“I think it’s wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly.”

 When asked if he’s ever seen a UFO: “Yes, but never from the outside.”

There aren’t many comedians from his generation who are still performing, and the fact that he’s still up there in the spotlight proves that Steven Wright must be doing something right.

— Follow Jason Savio on Twitter: @JasonSavioCCT.

What: An Evening with Steven Wright

When: Saturday night only

Where: Cape Cod Melody Tent, West Main Street, Hyannis

On stage