As I have stated before on this blog, there are many enclaves, organizations with frequent social functions and community events that make life for liberals along this most conservative stretch of Old Route 66 bearable. Saturday evening was a classic example of what underscores that sentiment. While The Big Lebowski was being shown to an open air crowd of Dudeists on Guthrie Green and the 80’s Prom was rocking the Cain’s Ballroom, comedian Bill Maher performed his stand up comedy routine before a sold out house at Tulsa’s Brady Theater.
The Brady Theater is a hundred or so year old venue with a storied history all its own and not all of it the palatable kind. Yours Truly attended his first ever rock concert there back in 1977 but the Old Lady on Brady already had an established reputation of welcoming entertainers and artists from all genres to its stage from its beginning.
I’m sure there were many in the audience like myself who watch Maher’s HBO program Real Time as part of our weekly Friday evening routine. Just like his stand up opening segment on his weekly show, Mr. Maher was in prime form and made it look easy. The 2016 election campaign has provided him with an ample amount of new material as he simply walked out and started his act. He first gave everyone credit for being there, “Who would have thought I would be this popular in Tulsa, Oklahoma?” Being a regular viewer of his show, I picked up on a lot of things I have heard in recent weeks. Maher also used some of the stuff I heard the last time he played the Brady in February 2013. It was all good and much of it still pertinent and resonating with his local fan base. Oklahoma’s Republican Congressional delegation was its usual fair game and Maher spared none of them.
The most wonderful thing about Maher’s performance was the energy he exuded. The ambiance of the Brady combined with a brand of humor that connected with the vast majority of those in attendance made for a very uplifting evening. Mr. Maher has stated previously that when he comes to solidly conservative locales like Tulsa that all the liberals and progressives come out of the woodwork to see him. That is still true. I saw people I know who came from as far away as Oklahoma City to see this show. This was the third time I have seen Maher at the Brady dating back to 2010. He has been to the Brady even before that. The three shows I have attended have all been sold out. I’m sure that will not change when he visits Tulsa the next time. Having big name comedians play local venues like the Brady Theater are one of those entertainment offerings that make life along this most conservative segment of Route 66 much nicer. My thanks to everyone who helped make it all happen.