Greg Proops may be known for his improv, but don't expect much extemporaneous action when the ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway' alum delivers his material at Comix this weekend. Proops, who will deliver standup, let it rip during a chat about comedy, pop culture, politics and his favorite baseball player, Barry Bonds.
Some may be surprised how different your standup is from your improv.
They'll discover that I'm not going to ask for suggestions like I do when I do shows with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood. The audience can sit there quietly, laugh with appreciation and then piss off into the night. It's all completely up to them.
What do you make of the Presidential race?
It's very entertaining. John McCain looks like a deranged hamster. I hear that Barack Obama is too inexperienced. How would he do with foreign policy is the question. He hasn't had any experience is the concern. But our current President, George W. Bush, didn't have any foreign policy experience before entering office except a date rape in Mexico. It's exciting that a black man can run against the captain of the Mayflower.
Who is going to win?
I don't know. I think Hillary Clinton was the best candidate. I don't love the leader of my team. Actually, I think my team sucks. Jesse Helms just passed away and even though he stood against everything that was good, right and true, he had the temerity to fight. People on my team, Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi, are spineless.
What do you do for fun when you're offstage? Do you ever go to shows?
I want to see the Police before their reunion tour ends but didn't they pick the uncoolest name ever for a rock band? Isn't the Police the last thing you want to be if you're in a rock band? Why didn't they name themselves Federal Bureau of Investigation?
Speaking of investigations, you're a San Francisco Giants fan, which means you must have been a big fan of Barry Bonds.
Yes, he's under suspicion for doing steroids. But a lot of people took steroids. I hate all of this sanctimonious crap about Bonds. The game just stopped because of his situation. It's crazy. Every fat writer and talk show host is bitching about Bonds and Roger Clemons, the two best players of our generation. If you want to bitch about someone, bitch about the owners, who conveniently looked the other way while the stadiums were packed watching these guys, who are now under suspicion of taking steroids.
Do you have a lot of kiddie groupies since you're the voice of Bob the Builder?
I'm hot with the four-year olds. That's significant because in 19 years they're going to have some serious cash and I'm their man. I'm thankful for my nasal voice. That helped me get that job.
In improv, you're supposed to keep the action going but you have a gift for bringing a scene to an unrecoverable end. You break the improv rule. What's up with that?
I never follow convention. The guys from ‘Whose Line' have had to live with me. I'm just pleased to being going out on this tour doing standup since the ‘Whose Line' guys aren't there. They're an albatross anyway.
