The Mighty Boosh invade the U.S., starting with the Bowery

“I’ve been waiting three years for this,” yelled one excitedfan when the Brit com troupe The Mighty Boosh took the stage yesterday eve atNew York’s Bowery Ballroom for over two hours of stand-up, sketches, and music(yes, they DJ’d a set). “We couldn’t get a flight,” replied ascot-clad Boosh co-creator Julian Barratt. “We’ve been on standby for two,” added his excellentlycoifed co-leader, Noel Fielding.

And so started one of the most brilliant nights of my life. Because The Boosh aren’t just anycomedy group or stand-up guys. Their show is an interactive, absurdist explosionof pure, crazy, bust-your-gut-laughter plus a boatload of rocking tunes. (Did Ithink I’d ever do the Mick Jagger dance to “Brown Sugar”? No, but yesterdayheld a lot of firsts.) Attendees were invited to jump on stage, caressFielding’s boots, play “pelt the rabbit in his big white face” (don’t ask), andadd their own fan art to the set. There were lots of kisses and hugs, free posters, and a wildparade of costumes (cheers to the guy who kept his Moon character face mask onthe entire night).

But the night’s standout wasn’t Fielding or Barratt, or evenFielding’s brother Mike as his hilarious feather boa-ed “freelance Shaman”character Naboo the Enigma. (Mike also did most of the spinning, and is asuperb mover.) It was theirAmerican sidekick, Rich Fulcher’s Bob Fossil. When told by an audience member helooked hot (in his powder blue suit and pink legwarmers), Fossil screamed, “IfI’m hot, you’re pepper spray, mother humper,” and later told us “Nobody puts NewYork in a corner.” His shtick was teaching us how to dance (“you gotta breathefrom the crotch”). Which made merealize that everything you need to know in life you can learn from TheBoosh, from how to build your own best friend out of a coconut on a stick towhy you shouldn’t like cricket.

The Boosh are here to promote the long-awaiting DVD release of all three seasons of their self-titled TVseries in the U.S. (season 2 is now airing Sunday nights at 1 a.m. on Adult Swim),a must for any comedy lover. Each A+-deserving disc is stacked with extras,from commentary to docs, but they’d be worth it just for the shows. Where elsewould you find characters like self-proclaimed genius Howard Moon (Barratt),glam rocker wannabe Vince Noir (Fielding), Naboo, and Bollo the talking Gorillaliving in Bob Fossil’s Zooniverse or searching for the Jacuzzi of Lost Youth?

If you’re lucky enough, you can also see the Boosh at Comic-Conthis week or attend their show at 4th and b in San Diego on July 24.They’ll also be on Jimmy Fallon tonight and on Chelsea Lately Monday. I’drecommend catching them all.

So, any other Boosh fans out there? Anyone else at yesterday’s show?

Photo Credit: BBC