Go Bonkers at Bonkerz!

May 15, 1998

Picture this... A beautiful night, a blissful breeze and best of all outrageous comedy. This is exactly what you will find when you spend a night out in O' town, and the heart of downtown Orlando is where you'll find 'Bonkerz' Comedy club. From the moment you first walk through the door, you find yourself in a truly unique environment. The opening night gangster costumes were excellent, and I must say I had excellent service all the way from the bar to the gentleman in the lavatory who kindly handed me wash towels and gladly accepted my tip money. As I recall, he was wearing a gangster costume as well.

As my wife and I waited at the bar for the show to begin, we both commented on how well we liked the design and layout of the club. The audio system is superb - it was never too loud, which amazed me because this place was packed - and we never had too yell at each other so we could carry on a conversation. Also, the overall "vibe" of Bonkers definitely puts the big 'O' into O'town. As the show began, the EMCEE warmed up the crowd. The first act, Mark Hawkins, I felt was just exactly what it was intended to be - an opening act! Don't get me wrong, he was funny, but he was very nervous still developing his technique. I must be truthful and say that I admire his courage for getting up on stage as well as being completely original with his content. I am sure we will see more of Mark Hawkins in the future.

Now our second act was in my opinion the best of the evening. Dean Napolitano originally from New York. He used his Northern style of humor to have the audience completely at his mercy. I kept running to the bathroom all night after his performance - I don't think I have ever laughed so damn hard in my life! He made jokes about everything from John Glenn's prostate flying out his ass during the shuttle take off, to a more common subject like being a parent. All I can say is I would not want to be the guy who has to ask permission for a date with his daughter. If I had only three words or less to describe Dean Napolitano, I would have to say "Funny as Hell". I think we will see a lot more of Dean on HBO and Showtime specials and in comedy clubs all over the world.

Last but not least heading the evening was Manny Mann, a true southern comedian. I found him to be a truly professional comedian. He had great humor in his jokes, and his rapport with the audience was amazing. I was in awe as he worked the crowd all through the show and in pain from laughing so hard. I could see why he was the headlining act - Manny has obviously been performing for quite some time. As the show came to an end, I came to realize if you truly want a fun-filled night in O'town filled with entertainment, you need to go Bonkers at Bonkerz!

Woody Short
Air Force Brat. I moved From Austin Texas to Orlando with my wife to go to Full Sail school, where I recieved my Digital Media Degree. Currently, I am interning at The Slant, working at Full Sail, and looking for a full time gig. I like to make hot salsa and, I love music as long as it is not pop.