Every Sunday night, Mo’s Neighborhood Grill features stand-up comedy, with local professionals as well as a parade of open-mic hopefuls.
Now, when covering arts and entertainment in Salt Lake City, I’m frequently confronted with the gulf that separates the perception of local scenes from their realities. Too many people assume that everything around here sucks; there is a tendency toward low community self-esteem.
It is in this light that I tell you that these guys are actually funny. The Uncensored Comedy Movement group performing regularly at Mo’s—with emcee duties and headlining rotating between locals Bob Montana, Chris Stephenson, Levi Rounds and a small but like-minded cohort—tend toward the edgy and profane. Be warned: They are likely to offend those with delicate sensibilities.
At one point on a recent Sunday night, Montana asked for input from the audience. “Would you guys rather hear abortion jokes or pedophile jokes?” he asked; shouts of “pedophile” won out. Stephenson’s manic energy is often spent on fatherhood and his work in food service. Levi Rounds recently took to favorably comparing himself to God in his act. I, for one, am glad that this kind of comedy is out there. In the same way that Utah’s dominant conservative political culture naturally gives rise to a zealous liberal opposition, these comics are pushing back, and they’re pushing hard. They’re breaking down stereotypes of Utah comedy and Utah nightlife—one pedophile (or abortion) joke at a time.
Uncensored Comedy Movement @ Mo’s Neighborhood Grill, 358 S. West Temple, 801-359-0586, 10 p.m. Sundays. All Ages, no cover.
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