“One Christmas, my Mom gave got us all nerf footballs, saying that we couldn’t possibly hurt each other.

Challenge accepted Mom.”

These are the words of comedian John Heffron, who will be playing at Merrimack Hall this Thursday October 25th and Friday October 26th. And though John is credited with speaking these words, I swear he eavesdropped on one of our family Christmases to get the material.

My Intro to John

I am not a frequent watcher of stand up comedy. It often times just isn’t funny to me. The jokes tend to have too narrow an audience or just are not funny. But if there is one comic that breaks all these rules for me it would have to be John Heffron.

I originally discovered him on the NBC show, Last Comic Standing. And while I am not typically they type of person to watch any of the these completion type reality shows (other than SYTYCD) I happen to be hanging out at my parents home and my mom is totally the type who watches any and all of these shows.

His Comedy

So what was it about Heffron’s comedic stylizing that made him stand out from the pack? A good bit of the time I could have sworn he was discussing my family! The outrageous and thus hilarious hi-jinks he was describing had literally happened in my family. And they were funny. And they were made even more hilarious by John’s sarcasm of his thoughts as his childhood self and then the reflections of his adult self looking back.

Perhaps my connection lies in growing up in a similar time, John being in his 30’s and me my 20’s and so we’re bound to have similar cultural points of references. But even his discussions into the perils of adulthood are easily identifiable, whether you’re at that stage in life or have since moved on.

Because when it comes down to it, John Heffron is just plain funny. Like that hilarious friend we all want to hang out with. So if you get the chance to go and see him in person, I’d highly recommend it.

Need tickets? It just so happens Our Valley Events is giving away a pair of tickets to his show THIS FRIDAY at Merrimack Hall! Enter at the end of the post.

You May Have Seen John On…

• A season or 2 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing (He actually won season 2)
• Comedy Central’s Premium Blend
• Two Comedy Central Presents specials 
• VH1’s I love the 80’s and I Love the 70’s
•  Touring with Charlie Murphy and Joe Rogan in Maxim and Bud Light’s Real Men of Comedy tour in the fall of 2006

Sneak Peak

If you want a sneak peak of this weekend’s show, then you can check out these clips of John’s stand up. I’ve gathered some of my personal favorites for you.

• The “we gotta go girl”
• Dangerous Things Our Parents Let Us Do
  
• Hats
• Stupid things we do when we drive

Connect with John

• Follow John on Twitter
• Like him on Facebook
• Visit his website

Ticket Giveaway

Enter to win a pair of tickets to see John at Merrimack Hall on Friday October 26th!

Event Information

Dates and Times: 
Thursday, October 25th at 7:30 pm
Friday October 26th at 7:30 pm
Location: Merrimack Hall
Cost: $30 Main Floor; $25 Graduated Seating
Tickets: Buy tickets on Merrimack Hall’s website