Monthly Archives: September 2010

Athletics Update: Sept 20-29

By Nick Perry

Goyeo.com

Football

Be prepared to spit out your coffee. Even if you’re not drinking any. Are you ready? The Oberlin football team…is 2-1! OC put up a school record of 622 yards of offense while steam-rolling Hiram 47-21 last weekend. Joey Zebelian ’11 passed 323 yards, hitting Danny Enright ’12 and Cory Kidd ’12 for 235 of those yards and two touchdowns. Drew Mixter ’12 rushed 108 yards on 15 carries, scoring once. If you’re not excited about this, you belong WAY too much at this school, and your patriotism and moral fiber may be called into question. This weekend is Homecoming against a nationally-ranked Wittenberg squad and we cannot be embarrassed. We have a winning football team now people, which means, as middle-Americans, we are all legally obliged to get obliterated on Natty Ice and hamburgers and yell obscenities at Wittenberg. International students: you’re exempted from the law, but we’d love to see you anyway.

THIS SATURDAY, 1 P.M. SAVAGE FIELD. TAILGATE STARTS AS SOON AS THE FIRST GRILL GETS THERE.

Men’s and Women’s XC

Both men’s and women’s XC participated in the Carnegie Mellon Invitational this past weekend. The men placed second out of a field of 16. Stephen Williams ’12 was the top runner for OC, placing 5th overall. He was immediately followed by two Obies, Derek Lange ’12 in 6th, and Eric Line ’13 in 7th.

The women placed first out of 14, led by first-year Molly Martorella in 5th place and Sara Terashima ’13 in 6th.

Next weekend, the teams head to the All-Ohio Championships in Cedarville.

Women’s Volleyball

Unfortunately, according to www.goyeo.com, the Yeowomen were strong enough to beat some Bishops, but then fell to other Ladies. I can only imagine what those other Ladies did to the Bishops. Since we last checked in, the team has dropped four of their last five, bringing their record to 2-15 (1-3 conference). The Yeowomen have two home matches coming up, October 2nd against Wittenberg (4 p.m.) and October 6th against Case Western (7 p.m.). Go show some support and get your Yeo Zone card punched! They’re giving you hats and shirts to watch cute girls in spandex spike balls–how can you say no?

Men’s and Women’s Tennis

The Women’s Tennis team traveled to Fredericksburg, VA last weekend for the ITA Regionals. Farah Leclerq ’13 led the Yeowomen, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to the second seed–some loser from Johns Hopkins. Leclerq and her doubles partner Ariel Lewis ’12 also reached the quarterfinals in the Championship Doubles Draw before losing to a couple of Washington & Lee bums.

The Men’s Tennis team began the 2010-11 campaign last weekend in Kalamazoo, MI at the ITA Regionals. Why one ITA Regional was in Virginia and one was in Michigan, I can’t answer. I speculate that they wanted to keep the boys far away from the girls, since everybody knows tennis players can’t keep their hands off each other. Highlights for the men were few and far between. Sam Towne ’12 was the only OC player to win a match, but he failed to advance to the elimination round. The Yeomen are home for the OC Invitational this weekend, so go check them out all weekend in the Heisman Club House.

Field Hockey

My biggest regret of this week was accidentally deleting an email from somebody associated with the field hockey team offering $20 to help in an unspecified way at their Wooster game on Wednesday. I would honestly pay the team to let me chase their hallowed balls. It doesn’t matter that they’ve lost their last two games and fallen to 4-3 (1-3 conference), I am still convinced they have more heart than any OC team to ever exist. They will get back to their winning ways and continue owning other girls in skirts on Saturday against Earlham. THE GAME IS HOME! BE THERE! 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Coincidence that the football and field hockey teams play their homecoming games at more or less the same time? I think not! Methinks the football team is worried about field hockey’s dominance; getting a little scared they might steal some thunder. But hey, I’m a lover. I’m more than willing to support my kind and slur at every foreign team playing at Oberlin.

Men’s and Women’s Soccer

Things continue to look glum here. The Yeomen have dropped to 3-7 after two close losses to Muskingum (2-1) and Earlham (1-0) last week. The Earlham game was one of the most frustrating sporting events I’ve ever attended. Poor refereeing, countless missed OC chances, a very questionable non-offsides call on the lone goal of the game, and my go-to companion for games left after 25 minutes. It’s easier said than done, but the Yeomen have just got to stop hitting the post so many goddamn times. No joke, the uprights were hit six times against Earlham, and what could easily have been a blow-out victory is a measly loss. Somebody has to step up and become a bonafide finisher, but who’s it gonna be?

The OC Alumni Game is this weekend, and the Yeomen get back in action next Wednesday against Wooster at Fred Shults Field at 7 p.m.

The Yeowomen have struggled to a 2-8 record, losing the second most frustrating sporting event I’ve ever attended last Tuesday to Heidelberg. After coming back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to force overtime, a point blank Heidelberg goal in the third minute of overtime ended their epic resilience. After another loss to Earlham, the Yeowomen bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Bluffton on Tuesday, powered by goals from Hannah Combe ’13, Ryann McChesney ’12, and Charlotte Istel ’14. The Yeowomen travel to Allegheny this weekend before returning home next Tuesday to take on Muskingum at Fred Shults Field at 7 p.m.

Ritter Performs Holy Act at Finney Chapel

By Shane Hisner

Photo by David Roswell.

Josh Ritter ’99 had everyone in Finney Chapel on his side Saturday night. The show was full of good songs, facetious one-liners, and remarkable showmanship—and that’s only accounting for bassist Zack Hickman.

The third installment of Oberlin College’s convocation series was a doozy. A blue-jeaned Marvin Krislov gave a brief introduction before Josh and his band played a full two-hour set.

To start things off, Ritter took the stage solo and under dimmed lights softly picked and howled “Idaho,” an ode to his home state. The rendition was no less than haunting—the kind of song that sets one to reflecting. Finney was motionless, dead silent.

Photo by David Roswell.

Photo by David Roswell.

Then the band came out. Sam Kassirer on the Steinway and the ‘01 graduate Hickman on the upright. Those bigger, fuller ballads swelled from the stage—songs like “Rumors,” “Wolves,” and “Kathleen.” Oberlin was clearly watching a trio that knew how to feed off of each other’s energy.

The concert ebbed and flowed all night. Every run of high-energy anthems was answered by a subdued, reflective psalm. Ritter trolled triumphantly about Kathleen only to cry longingly for Anabel Lee a song later. He left the nostalgia of “Me and Jiggs” for the desperation of “Lawrence, KS.”

Ritter’s ability as a lyricist truly makes his songs worth hearing, and Saturday night he put on a clinic in storytelling. The songs he played from his May release So the World Runs Away were perhaps the most intriguing—songs about mummies and archaeologists and polar explorers—but it was certainly nice to hear those good ol’ American folk tales that made Josh Ritter a name to know in the folk music community.

Ritter called upon charm and an array of concert tricks to keep things fresh from start to finish. In “Wolves,” he had crowd members howling at the moon. “In the Dark,” another Animal Years track, was appropriately played in a completely dark Finney Chapel. He even dedicated a new song, titled “Sarah” after the former Alaskan governor, to Tuesday’s speaker Karl Rove. Ritter sang over the laughing crowd. “I won’t forget the night we spent / when you stole my leather reindeer jacket.”

Hickman’s performance on the bass was something to marvel at as well. His sonorous rendition of Chris Isaak’s 1989 classic “Wicked Game” was a high point in the concert. He wooed the crowd all night with his impeccable style and stage presence. By the end of the show, one was left wondering what comes more naturally to him—his slick bass skills or his world-class mustache.

Probably the most impressive thing about Ritter’s performance was the fact that he brought the house down without playing many of his most popular songs. Perhaps even more impressive was the fact that a die-hard fan like me didn’t even realize these omissions until the day after the concert. Fan favorites like “Thin Blue Flame,” “Girl In the War,” “The Temptation of Adam,” and “Golden Age of Radio” didn’t even make the set list.

But it’s that time in his career now. He’s 33 and longer removed from his time at Oberlin than his energetic temperament would suggest. 2010 saw the release of Josh’s seventh album. Some songs are inevitably going to get skipped over.

Luckily, Ritter and his band won’t be long before they circle back around to our neck of the woods. They’ll be in Cleveland on November 15 at the Beachland Ballroom, a show that will conclude their North American tour. It would certainly be unreasonable to hold him to the standard of Saturday’s show at Finney, but, damn, anything close would do.

Security Report: Sept. 23rd through Sept. 29th

Thursday, September 23rd

2:08 p.m. An Oberlin Police officer on patrol observed a male individual, known to be on Oberlin College Trespass, looking in the lounge window at Dascomb. The individual was taken in to custody and charged with Criminal Trespass.

2:50 p.m. A faculty member reported the theft of a baroque flute from Kulas Hall sometime last week. The flute is valued at $2,500.00. The theft was also reported to the Oberlin Police Department.

2:33 a.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Union Street apartments. A metal pot with a wooden handle was placed in a microwave which created smoke in the apartment. The area was cleared of smoke and the alarm reset.

Friday, September 24th

10:09 a.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Mudd Library, main level. The cause of the alarm was smoke from burnt toast. The area was cleared and the alarm reset.

12:00 p.m. officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Mudd. The cause was found to be an activated pull station by the south stairwell, second level. No one observed in the area; there was no fire. The alarm was reset.

4:45 p.m. A student reported the theft of her bicycle from the front of East Hall sometime after September 11th. The bicycle is a Schwinn, light blue in color, women’s, OC registration. The bicycle was not secure at the time of theft.

5:24 p.m. A student reported the theft of her unsecured bicycle from Keep Hall. The bicycle is red with a tan seat and silver wheel covers, one speed, 26 to 27 inch, Oberlin Bike Coop written in yellow on it. Bicycle is valued at approximately $45.00.

Saturday, September 25th

7:20 a.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Dascomb, first floor. A check of the area was made; unable to locate cause. The alarm was reset without further complications.

10:25 a.m. An officer on patrol in the basement of Burton Hall observed the legs on the ping-pong table broken and the top was on the floor. It is unknown at this time who is responsible for the damage.

9:17 p.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Firelands, third floor. The cause was found to be from cooking. The alarm would not silence. An electrician was contacted to replace the detector.

11:28 p.m. Officers responded to an unauthorized party at North Main Street address. Attendees were asked to leave. EZ wider rolling papers, and a grinder with a small amount of green leafy substance consistent with that of marijuana, was observed in plain view on a table. The items were confiscated and released to the Oberlin Police Department.

Sunday, September 26th

12:42 a.m. Officers responded to an unauthorized party on Elmwood Place. Approximately 75 students were observed standing outside, and the apartment was full. All attendees were dispersed and the party was closed down.

1:31 a.m. Officers were requested to assist with a student ill from alcohol consumption at Dascomb Hall. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

3:50 p.m. A student reported the theft of his unlocked bicycle from Wilder Bowl. The bicycle is a men’s Schwinn Roadbike, red in color, mirror on left handlebar, valued at $100.00.

Monday, September 27th

5:44 p.m. Staff at Wilder Hall reported the theft of a Wii game console from an unlocked storage cabinet in a room on the third floor. The Wii is valued at $200.00.

11:22 p.m. A student reported the theft of his locked bicycle from the bike racks on the north side of Fairchild. The bike is a Rockhopper, 26” specialized, light blue in color, 24 speed, men’s, white and black “JP” sticker on frame. The bicycle is valued at $1500.00.

11:31 p.m. Officers were requested to assist with an injured student at East Hall. The student, attempting to move her bed, dropped the frame on her foot. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

Tuesday, September 28th

4:02 p.m. Officers were requested to assist an employee at the DeCafe who was having an allergic reaction. The employee was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

10:12 p.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Kahn Hall, first floor kitchenette. The cause of the alarm was smoke from burnt popcorn. The area was cleared and the alarm reset.

Broberlin Bleeding

By Nick Perry

This afternoon, I woke from a wonderfully black sleep in blood-stained sheets with a throbbing pain in my briefs. Due to my still impaired consciousness, I could not think rationally about this situation. I lay, horrified, without an idea of how to react. “Eeegghhhgrrrrr,” I thought, incapable of formulating words, much less saying them. I surveyed my room, hoping that the mess was isolated. Blood was absent at least, but a trashcan overflowing with Busch cans and a random assortment of clothes begged to be dealt with. The idea of doing anything but sleeping was misery-inducing, and I was sighing back tears when my phone vibrated. From under my bed.

This was a predicament. How was I going to get that text? Ignoring it simply was not an option, given the great amount of inappropriately suggestive texts I routinely send on Friday nights. Saturdays are for apologies, and I was off to a late start. Luckily, there was a silver lining. As I reluctantly pulled my hand out of my crotch, expecting to find a hand bloodied to Macbeth proportions, I noticed that the pain came with it in the form of a giant black glob of a bruise on my palm. Turns out I fell down a couple of times last night. The blood was from a few re-opened scabs on my elbow that have managed to resist healing for a month because of instances like this. You probably think me a fool for getting so worked up about these things, but feeling was not the most operational sense this morning. I woke up with blood on my sheets and a bruise in my boxers.  I was panicked and couldn’t distinguish pain in hand from pain in dick–give me a break.

Anyway, after sucking it up, sending my apologies, and moving on with my day, I considered my injuries a little more. Through roommate confirmation, I learned that I was bleeding for the majority of the night, yet I have no recollection of anyone being remotely concerned about it. So here’s a question: How much blood is too much blood? At what point do you just have to say no? Obviously, I’m not talking about somebody grinding up on you with a gaping wound bleeding through his/her v-neck. But blood does happen in the course of a weekend night; excessive showmanship, faux invincibility and falling are all unfortunate symptoms of PBR. It’s entirely possible that some fool might approach you with a curious little speck of red on his/her lapel and you’ll start thinking, “Uhhhmmm, that’s ketchup, riiiighttt?” But there’s nothing tasty about that condiment, and when you start to get your grind on with a bunch of platelets chilling next to your face, I promise they’re not going unnoticed.

But is it necessarily a deal breaker? What if s/he’s really funny and not that gross sans blood? My standards are certainly lower than average, but I firmly believe that a little blood on an appendage or a collar is whatever. I can live with it.

I’ll tell you what I can’t live with. First and foremost, period blood a la Superbad is unacceptable. I’m still too immature to talk about periods, let alone have them on my leg. I really don’t think I can explain just how strongly I feel about this point. If what happened to Jonah Hill ever happens to me, I will cry, and I will vomit. Immediately. I can’t talk about it anymore.

Facial blood is another sure dealbreaker. Let me specify what I mean here, because I’m not talking about the standard nosebleed; that shit happens and is totally rectifiable and forgettable. But coming face to face with an oozing, strawberry jam and cream cheese grease bagel is very not forgettable. That’s some shit. Acne is a plague on us all, I understand that, but if you don’t have the courtesy–nay, the hygiene–to take a break from picking and popping zits like  the freak in the back of my 6th grade class who wore the same hoodie and ate a tin of sardines for lunch everyday, then I’m forced to consider not just your general cleanliness, but really your entire moral fiber as a human being. Popping zits at a party is just not kosher. It’s an absolute flagrant foul that may demand immediate expulsion.

Those two instances are my biggest beefs with party blood and probably the only cases in which I would allow a little bit of blood to throw me off a pursuit. Given that I was a little bloody last night and experienced no setbacks, I imagine people generally feel the same way. But I’m genuinely curious what people think, so I’m going to set myself up for serious embarrassment and ask reader(s) to comment and let me know! How much blood is too much blood!? I have to know!

Two Man Symphony—Owen Pallett at the Cat

By Alice Beecher

myspace.com/owenpallettmusic

When Owen Pallett came to the Cat on Thursday, he only brought a violin, a haphazard looping pedal, and a sarcastic drummer/guitarist.  Somehow, he managed to sound like the entire Arcade Fire consolidated in one skinny eccentric. “He made me see God,” said one enthusiastic audience member.

The audience walked in to find the Cat bubbling with quiet energy and excitement, aided by enormous cookies and overcrowded sofas. Pallett’s guitarist opened up with a set that was more stand-up than performance, to mixed results. Crooning, schmaltzy versions of Justin Bieber and Gwen Stefani songs were interspersed with funny banter more entertaining than the songs themselves. The audience responded to the last song with muffled laughter, as we finally recognized that we weren’t meant to take him too seriously.

In retrospect, the opening act provided a nice contrast to Pallett’s expansive and somewhat dark performance, which conjured up the feeling of being stuck inside a space age cathedral.  After plucking a few notes on the violin, Pallett introduced his signature looping pedal, recording sequences as he played over them. This textured sound was well complemented by his angelic, soaring falsetto. All at once, the classically precise instrumentation propelled into modernity with pulsing drums and experimental finger-picking/double stops.

The eerie blend of harsh drumming and exquisite violin created the sensation of being pulled both forward and backward in time, as if a romantic alien had landed on earth and discovered classical music. Pallett’s poppy melodies contrasted sharply with apocalyptic lyrics about the future “turning to dust”. The song “Final Fantasy” (also the singer’s pseudonym) referenced “doomsday” and “the end of the century” over eerie layers of violin and cold synthesizer. This created the effect of an entire symphony orchestrated by two men confused about the fate of the universe. If Owen Pallett were alive at the end of the earth, I think he would still play music, regardless of whether or not he had a backing band.

Pallett tempers his focused, passionate stage presence with unpretentious joking between songs, as he told stories about putting dried contacts in his eyes and shouting at vegetarians who maintain their diet because “they hate vegetables.”  The banter humanized a show that was at times almost overwhelmingly intense. Pallett is often compared to Andrew Bird for his experimental looping techniques and catchy pop melodies, but from this show, it seems that he chose to veer away from the folksier end of the hyper-articulate violinist spectrum for a more futuristic approach. Comparisons to the Arcade Fire are more understandable, as he did compose string parts for them for years.  Nonetheless Owen Pallett should be recognized as a unique performer in his own right, not just through a series of famous associations.

Although the last song was interrupted by technical difficulties with the looping pedal, Pallett’s overall performance left the audience awestruck, incredulous that such a talented musician would play a free show for a tiny liberal arts college in Ohio. The simplified, technology-free rendition of the piece only added to the impression that Pallett doesn’t need the Arcade Fire to create a powerful sound–he is a force of nature on his own, a hypnotic robot with a heart of gold.

Lost in the Trees at the Cat

By Charlie Landsman

Picture from Facebook.

The combination of a tuba, accordion and cello might seem strange on paper, but Lost in the Trees, led by singer/songwriter Ari Picker, pulled it off beautifully. Playing for just over an hour at the Cat in the Cream on Wednesday, September 23rd, the band laid down an emotional (though sometimes awkward) soundtrack for the night.

The distinguishing quality of Lost in the Trees’s music is the diversity of their instrumentation. The band boasts two cellists, a violin player, a drummer, a guitarist/lead singer, and several other members who seem to switch between bass, tuba, French horn, xylophone, accordion, backing vocals and drums at will. Most of their songs were dark and melancholy with frequent classical string interludes and haunting melodies, like a mix between Conor Oberst and Sufjan Stevens. The lyrics often walked the line between heartfelt and sappy.

Ari Picker is the mastermind behind Lost in the Trees. Trained at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Picker uses Lost in the Trees as a platform to combine his love of folk and pop music with his knowledge of classical composition. Despite being a talented musician, Picker’s stage presence left a lot to be desired. “A lot of times I don’t know what to say,” Picker said, stalling for time. “Play some music!” shouted a frustrated audience member.

Where Picker fell short, Oberlin graduate and French horn player Emma Nadeau ’06 filled in. She engaged the audience with stories of her daughter and of her time at Oberlin. “I was a biology and theater major,” she said, “and here I am!”

To conclude their performance, the band entered the crowd for an acoustic sing-along. The harmonies had three parts, but the Oberlin students in the crowd were able to join right in.

Lost in the Trees provided an easy listening atmosphere that was enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Wednesday’s show was the band’s second performance at Oberlin, and they will undoubtedly be back at the Cat in the future.

Shane Hisner

Shane wasn’t born; he emerged from an auspicious pile of moist, sun warm grass clippings at the edge of a bean field somewhere in Indiana. Shortly thereafter, he forged a flying machine from fallen shingles and bailing wire. He crash landed in Oberlin during an April snowstorm. Shane is a senior now, and enjoys writing poetry, hiking, and celebrating the Fourth of July.

Research Says You’re Not Getting Your Girl Off

By S.

I was recently sitting on the steps of Wilder with some beautiful female friends of mine talking about the elusive nature of that magic, romance fiction (read: porn) style orgasm during sex. The sad truth was that most of these sexual vixens had orgasms during sex about as frequently as they had found four-leaf clovers.

The Kinsey Institute reported a U.K. study citing PIV (penis in vagina) sex as the least-cited way for women to achieve orgasm.  While Kinsey statistics on orgasm proclaim 75% of men report almost always having orgasms with their partner, only a measly 29% of women say the same.  This includes all of those foreplay and oral-gasams. In other words, at least seven out of every ten lovely ladies that go home with someone this weekend are leaving without having climaxed in any way—that’s not just disappointing, it’s a downright tragedy and a damn shame.

So, as someone who wants as much pleasure in this world as possible, I propose we all start on a hunt for the rarest and loveliest of creatures, the elusive female orgasm.  Throw on that “long-lasting” condom and stay up all night on a mission. Stop mid-sex and throw down some tongue action. Or even—gasp—ask her to show you what to do, and how she does it.  Even if their partners are missing out on the joys of their woman shaking, sweating and clenching their teeth in ultimate satisfaction, women report being much more likely to be almost or always orgasmic when alone than when with a partner.

xox

Asian Market and Pizza Place Opening by Slow Train

By David Edward Clark

In four to six weeks, the East College Street Project will be complete and The Slow Train Café will no longer be the only draw for students to the east side of town.

The building behind Slow Train will have an Asian food market that will also serve Korean food to go.  Beside the grocery store will be a Tansu (a form of fancy Japanese cabinets) studio, and an accounting firm.  A barbershop and a psychologist’s office will be on the second floor, though there is still space left for another shop.

On the corner of Pleasant and East College, a local couple is opening a gourmet pizza parlor.  “They’re going to have like butternut squash and goat cheese pizza,” said Josh Rosen of Sustainable Community Associates.  They should be opening their doors by mid-November.

SCA tried its hardest to bring an Indian restaurant to Oberlin, with no such luck.  “It’s a tough climate for restaurants to go to banks and get business loans,” said Rosen.  “But I should add, there’s still one 1,600 square feet space that an Indian restaurant could go into.”

In addition to retail and office space, the East College Street Project contains 33 mixed income condos.  Over the summer, those who bought condos moved in.  “All the affordable housing rentals are already taken,” said Rosen.  Only eight condos are left that will be sold at the market rate.

In terms of the project’s LEED status, which measures a building’s environmental friendliness, SCA will not know their rating for sure for another six months.  However, Rosen is confident that they will achieve their target goal of LEED Gold.

For their next endeavor, SCA is “investigating a two to three megawatt solar project with the City of Oberlin and Oberlin College,” said Rosen.  “It just feels like energy is the next thing to do so that’s what we’re working on.”

SCA aims to stay local.  “It’s been our home and we’d like to keep working here if possible,” said Rosen.  They are also looking into development opportunities around the Cleveland area.

On October 9th, SCA is holding an open house in the courtyard behind Slow Train.  At 2 p.m., there will be tours of the entire project and at 6 p.m. there will be music, pie and cider for all.

Umbrella Love and Dick Jokes

The Coolest Dads in Dadville

By Ben Garfinkel

After a reportedly mediocre premier show, the four-person comedy troupe The Coolest Dads in Dadville had their second show of the semester at the Cat in the Cream on the 17th of September.  The show was eccentric and high-energy, and the group carried this attitude through an entertaining hour and a half of smart comedy.

The first sketch was strange; it portrayed a mother desperate to get her child to read in order to impress another mother.  She eventually resorts to attaching a ‘Hooked on Phonics Shock Collar’ to her child that shocks him every time he makes a mistake. While the concept was relatively solid, the comedy fell flat; the sketch seemed to rely more on its eccentricity rather than its true comedic value. The Coolest Dads continued this strange vein of humor with two particular sketches–one about a man who struggles in relationships because he is in love with his umbrella, and another about a Russian who sells replacement grandparents to mourning families.

One striking sketch featured scientists pitching phallic rocket ship designs to the president. Lathered in puns and dick jokes (with a vagina joke at the end–that evens it out, right?), the sketch seemed to be a big ‘F you’ to any and all kinds of politically correctness in comedy. Though the concept was juvenile (and a little too close to a one-joke SNL skit for comfort), the Coolest Dads pulled it off with solid comedic timing and a surprisingly funny script.

The conceptual skill of the Coolest Dads’ writing stood out in a sketch featuring Jesus chatting to a recently deceased atheist; Jesus slowly realizes from the atheist’s comments about the Bible that he had forgotten to turn in his final draft. This was a smart scene that explored some of the stranger scenes in the Bible (e.g. walking on water, turning water into wine) in a funny, non-offensive style.

The strangest part about The Coolest Dads’s comedy? It works. The writing is solid and the actors are talented and entertaining, but where the troupe truly shines is in creating smart sketches that come together as a show that is greater than the sum of its parts.