Missoula News

Rawk and roll comedy extravaganza!!

Sixteen Questions with Pleaseeasaur

By Colin Hickey, 4-16-07

I really can’t even begin to explain how cool Pleaseeasaur is.  From the first time I brought him to Missoula I’ve been pretty fascinated with this act.  Imagine watching a live funny as hell action rawk and roll cartoon.  That’s kind of what it’s like to see Pleaseeasaur live.  To explain this better I sat down via the interweb with the man himself and asked him some questions. 

Q: How long has Pleaseeasaur been around?
A: Technically since 1991...but started touring and being serious in 1998

Q: Where did the name come from?
A: A hybrid amalgamation of a Plesiosaur (Loch Ness Monster/Ogo Pogo/Champ (from Lake Champlain)/etc...mixed with pleasure!

Q: What are your biggest influences?
A: Infomercials/The Dead Milkmen/The Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra/Mike Post/Lalo Schifrin/Devo/More Television

Q:What comedian dead or alive would you open for if you had the chance?
A: Albert Brooks. His album “A Star Is Bought” (1975) is a comedy/concept masterpiece.

Q: Explain Pleaseeasaur in one sentence.
A: A multi-media musical/comedy extravaganza of unprecedented proportions.

Q: Best show ever?
A: There have been so many great shows...but one that truly altered our path was in 2005. We were playing in New York at Irving Plaza while on tour with The Presidents Of The USA. That is the show that Comedy Central executives attended and completely flipped out for. They almost immediately offered us a deal. So that was a good one.

Q: Worst reaction ever to one of your shows?
A: We were performing at a University end of the year festival to a crowd of about 1,000 crazy kids when a guy wrestled his way on stage and tackled me on the last note of the last song of the show. I later found it was not an adverse reaction to our show...but a chemical reaction to the Bromo-Mescaline he had ingested.

Q: Funniest tour story that you can tell us?
A: This story goes from funny to sad in a hurry.  On our very first tour in early 1998, we were loading into a shitty strip-mall venue in Phoenix Arizona when 2 dudes fresh from federal prison asked us if we had any work for them. We told them that if they wanted to come back at show time...we would buy them some razors and shaving cream and they could shave their beards on stage...so they came back and shaved away.  Turns out they were 2 of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet, they had both just served 25 years for their part in the American Indian Movement (AIM) standoff with Federal Agents at Wounded Knee in 1973. We bought them lite beer and gave them what money we could...as they were trying to make their way back to South Dakota to see their families and see if their 15,000 acres of land was still theirs or had been seized by the Feds. One of the guys had married his childhood sweetheart just prior to the standoff...and they stayed married through his incarceration...only to find out his wife died of cancer a mere 2 weeks before he was released. Again they were the nicest guys ever and were very thankful that we even acknowledged them as people. I hope they are doing well.

Q: Where’s the best food on tour?
A: San Francisco has great Asian cuisine. But Copenhagen Denmark has the BEST iceberg lettuce on their club sandwiches.

Q: Do you have a favorite song/skit?
A: I personally enjoy performing the song No Prob Limo. It has all of the classic Pleaseeasaur components...rhymes, beats, costumes,
imagery, props and of course Limousines.

Q: Do people take you more serious now that you are signed to ComedyCentral?
A: Actually yes...it has simply exposed us to more people...and being that the public can be a bit fickle and/or swayed by labels...it has seemed to help validate the existence of Pleaseeasaur.

Q: If GI Joe had to fight The Thundercats who would win and why?
A: Three words bro: RED, WHITE & BLUE! GI Joe is REAL and a real American hero...and the Thundercats are just cartoons. Plus Destro has a silver head.

Q: Who’s hotter Wilma Flinstone, Betty Rubble or Jane Jetson? Explain.
A: Jane Jetson can synthesize my meals with the trusty Food-A-Rac-A-Cycle anytime.
(Good answer.  I personally would’ve picked Betty.  Meow!)

Q: If you could ask Rodney Dangerfield one question what would it be?
A: Why doesn’t the film Back To School 2 exist?

Q: Brendan went to Toronto to see a Slayer concert. He had $650.00 for the trip. It cost him $40.00 for his ticket to the concert, $216.00 to stay 2 nights at a hotel, $329.00 for his flight and $29.00 for food. He met a man on Young Street who was running a small casino. Brendan bet $5.00 in Black Jack and won an amount of money that was triple what he had left after making the bet. He spent half of this at the concert. How much money did Brendan take home?
A: $31.50
(The correct answer was $90.  Tisk tisk.)

You can check out Pleaseeasaur live at one of these locations near you or online by clicking here. 

Friday April 20th- Missoula @ The Badlander
Saturday April 21st- Boise @ The Neurolux
Monday April 23rd- Ft. Collins @ Hodi’s Half Note
Tuesday April 24th- Denver @ Bender’s

Here’s a little taste.

Colin Hickey is New West’s Events Editor. Keep an eye out for his “MVP Events” or check here to find your own: www.NewWestEvents.net.

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.