Insomniac with Dave Attell: Sloshed in Translation (Tokyo)

Remarkable, isn't it -- how quickly Dave Attell's show fell victim to its own success? In what I can only interpret is an attempt to escape the frat boys jockeying for camera position when they first catch a glimpse of Attell's shiny dome, the up-all-night wandering surreality series has been forced to leave the States. Presumably those countries where the show doesn't air provide better results from the denizens of the dark, to whom Attell is merely an amiable drunk with a camera crew.

"Sloshed in Translation," in which Attell visits Tokyo, retains even the most tiresome elements of the series (Attell's opening stand-up act, which hasn't gotten any better), but also features its star in continuing good form. Attell has always been a better "on the spot" comedian than stand-up, at least if the clips aired on his show are a truthful indication. He handles the carousers of Tokyo with the same aplomb as in any other city, and if those carousers don't quite understand his jokes, they are at least polite/drunk enough to laugh, in that nervous way that comes naturally to the Japanese.

The real kudos, however, must be given to the producers and researchers who find such marvelous events for Attell to attend, and who dig up Attell's unusual guests. Most prominent in this episode were the Penis Festival featured at the show's end (kind of a cheat since it clearly takes place during the day) and the visit to Kenji Kawakami's workshop. Kawakami is the founder of the "chindogu" movement, which practices the art of creating (almost) useless inventions. Attell engages him in a match of "neck pong" -- ping pong paddles attached to the forehead -- but only editing can make it seem as if the ball actually moves back and forth between the two contestants. The Wooden Penis Festival, a ritual fertility event, evokes the expected jokes from our host, but does eventually lead to the discovery of a "sleeper" gag that runs through the entire episode. Of course I was happy to see Dave make a stop by the commemorative statue of Godzilla in his travels.

It's nice to see that there's still mileage left in the Insomniac concept, even if Attell and crew must travel further and further from their viewing audience to get it to work. Dave still seems to be a willing participant in the show, though the decreasing frequency with which new shows appear makes me wonder just how long Comedy Central will let him keep what must be one of the best jobs in television.