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[shock]
08/05/2003

I

can

not

believe

Dat Phan

won!

What am I missing? Are my fellow Americans really that shallow and unthinking that an oriental guy doing an impression of his mother (usually in an unintelligible fashion) deserves to be the King of Comedy? When Dat and Ralphie came out and did final routines, my wife and I both laughed hysterically... for Ralphie, and we both agreed that one of his greatest attributes was that he varied his material, whereas Dat covered the same ground over and over again. Oh, Ralphie's got his schtick, too, but he applies it to different topics in different ways.

The only explanation that I can come up with is that the people who would have voted for any of the other four are the types who wouldn't take the time to call in, while the type of people who would like Dat Phan might very well have walked up and down their blocks using all of their neighbors' phones to vote... three times on each. I also think that the other four (as well as Dave Mordal and Rob Cantrell) will build careers independently of this show, whereas Dat would have faded. (Voting on the phone is one thing; paying good money to see a comic is another.)

Amazing.

Shocking.

Making me less enthusiastic about the next season...

P.S. — Is it just me or did it seem like the producers pulled back and cut to commercial awfully quickly? Could that be an indication that the outcome was really unexpected — and probably undesired?

ADDENDUM:
Wow! Not even the following morning, and I've already had my first search engine hit on the phrase "dat phan is not funny." Actually, my post about Dat's beating Dave Mordal has gotten quite a few hits in the past couple of hours. For anybody who's interested, here are my other posts on the topic:

Disbelief that Rob Cantrell lost 80% to 15% to Ralphie May
Disbelief that Dat Phan beat Dave Mordal
What's wrong with Dat Phan
The order (I think) the final five should have come in

Posted by Justin Katz @ 10:21 PM EST



14 comments


What a joke......

There is absolutely no way Dat should have won. I think Ralphie was hysterical. I think those who voted for Dat felt sorry for him. There is no other explanation.

Dat is not funny.

I am also less enthusiastic about next season becuase of tonight's result.

What is Dat going to do on his Comedy Central Special anyways? Imitate his Mom?

This rises to the level of thestupefication I felt when Shakespeare In Love won Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan.

P.S. I believe the producers did pull back into a commercial awfully quick.

Marc @ 08/05/2003 10:34 PM EST


I think America votes for the underdog. It's that simple (and sad). Ugggghhhh. Dat does seem quite nice but the thought of an hour of that accent drives me nuts. Actually - NBC should have given the contract/deal to his mother.
Ralphie kicked booty....I'm sure (I hope) he gets an offer anyway. (and Rich Vos shouldn't have been voted off so soon!)

Andrea @ 08/06/2003 01:14 AM EST


Andrea,

I think you are right: America votes for the underdog. The house picking on Dat (e.g. the hide and seek game) may have been the houses undoing, especially those in the last 4 who consequently lost to Dat unfunny guy Dat.

Marc @ 08/06/2003 08:02 AM EST


I am an East coast girl who has read things like "Rich Vos and his tough exterior is only funny to the North Easterners" what the hell does everyone else think is funny? Dat was never funny except to my 13 yr old kid who laughs at her toes. I was so for Dave because he did no ass kissing and lived what I thought every American lived and when he was gone I voted for Rich because he also did no ass kissing and was also American made. Dat was kissing every ass that he thought would give him a vote. I shows me how stupid and sentimental Americans can be. My husband and I figured we where truely the minority being American born white folk who actually knew what an 83 Escort was who knew what AA meant. Life is funny not how we somehow got accepted as American citizens with our 10 kids to suck dry the American free hand to make another 100 kids. Now Ralphie also played an American made hand putting his humor in light of the topics that we all face with an ever explodong population of consumption suckers with his war for oil bit. It is very possible that an over weight white texan can experience all that he jokes about. Call me sheltered in Maine but geesh my vote went first to Dave then Rich then Ralphie. They were real.

J Zeeh @ 08/06/2003 02:42 PM EST


I agree that Dat was not funny enough to truly win with honor nor was he really original. He repeated his jokes several times in his standups. But his timing was right for a comedy underdog. I only wish the show was on cable - he wouldn't have lasted till the end. I thought Ralphie should have won last night.

Teri @ 08/06/2003 07:23 PM EST


I couldn't agree more with everyone here. I absolutely love Dave Mordal and Rich Vos. Those two made the show so funny. I was appalled when Dat Phan won. I will not be watching his sitcom or a second season (if there is one) of Last Comic Standing.

kate @ 08/06/2003 11:04 PM EST


I agree with everyone. Dave was BY FAR the best comic of them all. Rich was great too but especially when he was with Dave. The two of them have to do a sitcom or talk show together. It would be histerical.NBC would be stupid not to sign Dave for a contract quickly!

Mirk @ 08/06/2003 11:41 PM EST


Oh My Crap, Dat is so not funny!! But the sad thing is that the fact that he won shows just how stupid the majority of Americans who watched & voted are. And I don't just mean b/c they liked a different comic than me. What I mean is that any idiot can laugh at someone who makes strange faces & overexaggerates a stereotypical ethnic accent, but you have to actually know something (read a paper or book, observe & appreciate the nuances of human behavior, etc.) to appreciate humor such as Dave & Rich. What a sad commentary!!

Tiffany @ 08/07/2003 12:42 AM EST


I see a lot of racist biggots coming out now that Dat has won. But that's just my opinion.

Bob @ 08/10/2003 03:34 PM EST


Thanks for the comment, Bob. All of us who disliked Dat Phan's racially derogatory humor will duly note your opinion.

Justin Katz @ 08/10/2003 03:38 PM EST


dave mordal is BY FAR the best comic of anyone ive ever seen. He has smart set-ups, and he talks about his true life. But he doesnt use the same joke over and over again such as Dat Phan. Dave Mordal truly deserved to win. Him and Rich are an absolute riot together, and they better be getting their own tv show soon, at least dave!!!!

abby @ 08/11/2003 10:07 PM EST


I think that Rich was not funny, or Corey. My 3 favorites from the start were Tess, Ralphie, and Dat. I actually expected Ralphie to win, But I am very happy with Dat winning. His body movements and facial expressions went well with his routine. I will agree that when he went up against Dave, that Dave should have won, but it didn,t work like that. Get over it. Dat is very funny, and he doesn't have to be dirty to do it. They all have great careers, including Dat.

Melissa @ 08/12/2003 02:43 PM EST


Dat was and is not funny. he just isn't a comedian. He seems like a nice person, but not a humerous one. I feel that the only reason he won over ralphie and everyone else is because he is marketable. All the others were independent minded and knew about real life. Dat lived in his little world of martial arts and charts, and uscked up to viewers with his little story of sleeping under a desk. NBC knows they can mold this kid to do whatever they want, and the others wouldn't be so soft.

Matt @ 08/13/2003 03:53 AM EST


I also don't think Dat was the funniest. But to attack his ethnicity just because he is Asian-American?????? Did I offend any of you by calling Dat "Asian-American"? Should I just refer to him as "Asian"? BTW, I'm also a Vietnamese living Houston, and I think Ralphie was the funniest. Peace, ya'll.

curious cat @ 08/24/2003 03:34 AM EST