Funny Man

Over the past 20 years, Bear's Place has seen its fair share of great comedians come and go, and as the school year begins, you can expect no less from the weekly "Comedy Caravan." Louisville comedian Tom Mabe is making his way to Bloomington and co-billing Comedy Caravan on Monday, Sept. 15 with long-time Bear's favorite, Don Reese.\nMabe says he's excited to be back following his last visit to the area nearly a year ago.\n"It's such a great room and there is always such a great crowd," Mabe says.\nBreaking out onto the national scene a mere year and a half ago, Mabe has been leaving audiences all over the country wondering where this Midwest funny man came from. Mabe started preforming comedy back in 1995 and first got into the business doing radio and being a "sit-down comedian." He began doing stand-up in 1997 and admits that was a very rough transitional phase. \n"The audience didn't like me and I knew it," Mabe says jokingly. "It was completely different than what I was used to; I really had to adjust."\nLately, though, Mabe has seen quite a bit of press due to his Washington D.C.-based late night prank. In late 2002, Mabe visited a telemarketing convention and found out where all of the attendees were staying. At 3 a.m., the comedian began calling their rooms and trying to sell extremely absurd items at the most inconvenient times possible. Recording all of this, he had enough material to make his newly released album entitled, "A Wake-Up Call for Telemarketers." \nThe album features 20 tracks of stand-up comedy and a new song called, "Pick One." His ability to ad-lib added to his clever anti-telemarketing concept and the included DVD labeled "Mabe in America" makes this a very popular buy.\n"I would love to break in to the college scene, but my audience is essentially anyone with a telephone. I'm a comic with a cause and am 90 percent troubleshooting, 10 percent trouble maker," Mabe says. "My hook is that I'm an activist and have a comedic purpose that people can relate to."\nThe past few months have been very busy for the Midwestern comic, who has been finding himself in The New York Times, People Magazine and USA Today along with appearances on CNN, Howard Stern, Headline News, and approximately a dozen Bob and Tom performances. Mabe also does writing for Comedy Central's The Man Show, and is in the midst of a development deal with TBS. Beginning with FX, Mabe produced a pilot that interested several major television networks and has been since picked up by the Superstation. \n"Tom is doing a lot of scattered dates. He is basically just trying to penetrate the market," says Robert John President of Megaforce Records.\nMabe has two other CDs out right now which are both under the same concept as the new one, entitled, "Revenge on the Telemarketers Volume 1 and 2." \nIn his spare time, Mabe composes and writes songs and jingles. A graduate in jazz percussion from the University of Louisville and an accomplished musician, he tends to bring song and music into the act as well. Mabe is also the founder of the grassroots organization "P.E.S.T.," -- The People's Effort to Stop Telemarketing.\nAnd IU students seem to be prepared for Mabe's arrival. \n"The crowd and the atmosphere are always so much fun at Comedy Caravan. The comedians are top notch and the people in attendance always make it so inviting," says junior Cary Davis.\nYou can check out Mabe either at Bear's on Monday, Sept. 15 or on the Web for free downloads at www.tommabe.com. The show will start at 8 p.m. and Mabe will perform a half-hour set.