Going to see stand-up comedy high on marijuana is one of life’s simple pleasures. If you haven’t done it, you are missing out. Laughter is the best medicine, and weed is the best supplement to maintain a healthy smile.
The premise of the weekly podcast “I’m Too Effing High,” created and hosted by comedian James Mastraieni, is simple: Are comics funnier when they are high? Research is relentless as Mastraieni assembles a weekly roster of LA’s top comedic talent to puff and pontificate the virtues of creating material while stoned versus replicating routines while stoned. Think of it as a modern-day twist on novelist Ernest Hemmingway’s infamous “write drunk, edit sober” ethos.
Self-admittedly pure escapism, “I’m Too Effing High” is a stoner version of “Seinfeld.” It deals not with politics and the meaning of life, but the everyday events that make up the lives of stand-up comics that can be spun into comedy gold. Topics run the gamut from pre and post-show munchies, to preferred strains for writing, performing or any other function that could be enhanced with a little THC.
Matt Newell, James Mastraieni, and DJ Blue Dream (Dhruv Uday Singh) review a high visit to the Griffith Observatory, live on stage, while recording the podcast “I’m Too Effing High.” (Courtesy of “I’m Too Effing High”)
Games and challenges are also thrown in to test the performers’ skills while under the influence. The format is not unlike a late night talk show a la Jimmy Kimmel or Conan O’Brien, albeit with a slower pace, and a lot less heavy-handed with plugs for projects and gigs. Watching people who
are high is funny. Can they maintain? Are they going to blow it? These guys are all pros at smoking and joking, so the tightrope act is an interesting one to say the least.
The vibe is friendly and good-hearted, and the listener feels quickly welcomed into the fold of host and guests. As the listener, you become the quiet baked kid in the corner while your funny friends hold court. Face it, you like to get high and you like to laugh. That’s one of the goals of recreational use.
In addition to the podcasts that drop every Tuesday on iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play, a monthly live show happens the second Friday of every month at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in LA. These out shows feature comedic talent from previous episodes of “I’m Too Effing High” as well as alumni from “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Comedy Bang Bang,” and Adult Swim. For more info, check out imtooeffinghigh.com.
