Grade: A-
We all have those friends that could’ve been class-clowns in high school or just love to pick on people for good fun. Sometimes that can go a bit too far and someone ends up throwing punches, but in the case of four friends who have known each other for about 25 years, there really is no end to the humor and practical jokes. You may have even seen their hit television show “Impractical Jokers” on truTV during the late primetime slot, but this time, the Jokers, as they are referred to on the show, have hit the stage of The Grand Opera house in Wilmington, Del.
Joseph “Joe” Gatto, James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn and Salvatore “Sal” Vulcano are lifelong friends who take practical jokes to a crude but hilarious level. During their special “Impractical Jokers: One Night at the Grand” the Jokers highlight things they’ve done on their show as well as during their travels. They share stories about themselves and about their friends, who seem more like family
One of the greatest segments in their show was when the guys had the audience participate in a game they play. It consists of them sending a vague yet provoking message to a phone number in their contacts at random, except this time they used an iPhone from a gracious audience member. When Murray texted a random number with the message “I tested positive,” the audience roared with laughter at the responses that followed.
That part of the show signified what is so special about The Tenderloins. For many of us, we have a group of friends that makes us happy, makes us enjoy life and — perhaps most importantly — makes us laugh. The jokes that they pull might be the same kinds of jokes that rambunctious teenagers pulled when they were younger, only this time it is much funnier due to their age.
The only downside to their performance was all of the breaks that they take, which was supplemented by videos they created for the audience’s amusement while they were back stage. The videos were very funny and often incorporated some of the pranks they pull on their show “Impractical Jokers,” but the sheer number of them interrupted the stand-up performance. Additionally, when there are four comedians on stage as there is with The Tenderloins, it is hard to focus on one person in particular. This can be good because it allows the Jokers to make fun of each other and for the audience to see their interactions with each other live and in person, however it is annoying to not be able to focus strictly on one person. A good joke has a funny story and a clever or embarrassing punchline at the end, but when someone interrupts someone’s jokes…let’s face it, it just ruins it.
The group’s humor was a joy to watch and certainly worth going to see live. But in the event that you wish to see more of them from the comfort of your couch, you can catch The Tenderloins on their show “Impractical Jokers” and their specials on truTV or stream them online through Amazon.com.
