Few comedians make their break with celebrated dating advice and best-selling books on relationships (or lack thereof). Greg Behrendt, however, has managed to pull it off, and his success continues with the release of his latest stand-up comedy DVD, “Greg Behrendt is Uncool.”
Behrendt was catapulted to comedic stardom in 2003 when the author and comedian reached masses of single women through what was probably one of the best mediums for doing so: the HBO series “Sex and the City.” A consultant on the show, Behrendt was the token straight male in a group of seven women and two gay men.
During one story meeting, a female staff writer was talking about a man she had dated who had failed to call her after their evening together. Behrendt remained cautiously quiet while the other women in the room tried to bolster her confidence with excuses for the man. However, his silence soon drew the ladies to him like a teacher to a student who’s staring at the ceiling because he doesn’t know the answer to a question.
When they requested his opinion, he opted for honesty, which may have very well been the best decision of his life. “Maybe he’s just not that into you,” Behrendt said, coining a line that would later be deemed one of People magazine’s best catch-phrases of 2004. The words of wisdom quickly worked their way into an episode of the series and soon after, they became the title of a book, “He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys,” co-authored by Behrendt and “Sex and the City” writer Liz Tuccillo.
Since then, Behrendt has made numerous public appearances on shows like “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Larry King Live,” “The Tonight Show” and even “Oprah,” but the dating guru isn’t done dishing out knowledge yet. On Nov. 15, he released his first solo comedy project, “Greg Behrendt is Uncool,” a 128-minute DVD of a stand-up performance at the San Jose Improv.
Long story short: Behrendt’s routine is hilarious. His subject matter is fresh and current, his humor is wonderfully self-deprecating and smart, and his fast-paced and poignant delivery is reminiscent of other contemporary comic idols like Brian Regan and Dane Cook, though he’s a bit dirtier than Regan and a bit more in touch with his feminine side than Cook.
The majority of his jokes are based on personal experience. Now that he is inching into his 40s with purportedly great difficulty, the comic is convinced he is no longer cool (thus the title) and he demonstrates the manifold reasons he believes this to be true.
“You have to understand the journey,” he said during his routine. “I came to Los Angeles in 1993 to be a rock star. I am now a contributor for Cosmo Girl. I have a chain wallet way past my prime. I have to wear glasses to watch porn. I hurt from sleeping, but I love my life.”
To Behrendt, “your 20s are subversive and unquestionably cool.” Certainly, he must have learned a little something about that right here in Eugene. Attending the University of Oregon in the ’80s, he started out as a business major but eventually ended up in the theater department. When you reach your 30s, Behrendt says, “you’ve hit your stride,” but when your 40s come to call, you’re suddenly “blind-sided by a wave of uncoolness.”
This premise, however, is fairly deceptive. Even though he publicly airs out fears that he is “too old to rock” and that he’s become “the creepy old guy” at concerts, Behrendt is far from uncool. At least the women in the audience of his performance seem to think he’s cool, and it’s easy to understand why. His book and much of his stand-up empowers women. He is both sensitive and masculine, not to mention sexy – the dream guy combination of the “Sex and the City” set.
Indeed, the comic is not afraid to show his knowledge of fashion. During a bit on why “adult rock shows” – a 25-and-older concert with no opening act that starts at 7 p.m. – would be a good idea, he warns a young concert-goer who is drunk off “gin and guava juice or whatever he stole from his parent’s liquor cabinet” to “back it up” because he’s wearing cashmere.
But this ease with his feminine side does not mean Behrendt is out of touch with other men. In fact, he likely reaches many with a joke about his wife and a fellow mom from their children’s play group dropping their pants and discussing grooming tips when the second mother announces she will be posing for Playboy.
Also, despite his fixation on age, Behrendt’s jokes are appreciated by many generations or at least those who are old enough to hear the f-word. From tips on trick-or-treating, to the proper way to rock an air guitar, to the challenges of playing Pictionary with his wife on married-couple game night, Behrendt touches on experiences almost everyone can understand or recall.
Overall, this DVD is well-worth $15 and two hours of your time. And those who enjoy it may want to look into Behrendt’s stand-up tour, which is scheduled to begin in January 2006.

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