The Syracuse Orange will face off against The Duke Blue Devils on Saturday, but for those who prefer an evening with a different kind of entertainment, comedians Mark Steyn and Dennis Miller will make their way to The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater for their Adorable Deplorable Tour.

The show is rooted in satirical comedy and is centered around the United States political climate.

Both comedians are known for their conservative views and will appeal to audiences which have an appetite for comedy that toes the line in more politically-correct climates, especially on college campuses, Steyn said.

Steyn has been a guest host on “The Rush Limbaugh Show” and “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” He is the author of several books, including “After America: Get Ready for Armageddon,” which reached the top 10 on The New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction.

Miller is known for his six-year stint on “Saturday Night Live” as the anchor of the “Weekend Update.” After leaving SNL, he hosted “Dennis Miller Live,” a 30-minute talk show that aired for nine years on HBO. During its run, the show received five Emmy Awards.

The duo first became friends on Dennis’s radio program, “The Dennis Miller Show,” airing from 2007 to 15, where Mark Steyn appeared as a frequent guest. Steyn said he admires Miller’s self-confidence and unwillingness to pander to an audience in order to get a cheap laugh.

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“He has this extraordinary range of cultural references,” Steyn said. “If there’s a line that he finds funny he’s going to say it. He doesn’t care whether 1,500 people don’t agree. I found him oddly inspirational in that.”

Steyn added that his strategy for joke writing varies significantly from Miller’s. He compared his own improv-based, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants style to Miller’s carefully crafted writing, a trait learned during Miller’s time in Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center.

When asked about his technique, Steyn said he thinks of what he has to say and hopes there’s something in there that people will laugh at.

“A joke is a miniature. In Dennis’s world, it has beautiful exquisite precision. With me it’s a bit more haphazard,” Steyn said.

Steyn is critical of the political comedy today. He cited “The Colbert Show” and “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” as prime examples of the downfall of comedy, because he views their style as little more than pandering to the audience.

“(Noah)’s like the nicest fellow in the world. The lines on his show have the shape of jokes without having any joke in there,” Steyn said. “People are applauding themselves for the correct attitude. They are having their attitudes reassured.”

Steyn believes comedy will eventually be labeled as problematic because of the intensifying pressure for political correctness and the toxicity of social media. His prediction for the future: comedy robots that will end up in the “scrap heap” after saying an inappropriate joke instead of being criticized on Twitter.

An evening spent with Steyn and Miller at their Adorable Deplorable Tour will not resemble shows like Colbert’s and Noah’s. Steyn said audiences will be treated to a show based around today’s issues, meant to be provoking and challenging of deeper thoughts than what mainstream comedy is delivering.

“I do one of my satirical musical numbers which usually evolves into taking a leap off the stage,” he said. “If nothing else works, the possibility of me falling into the orchestra pit and breaking my leg is generally worth the price of admission.”

Published on February 18, 2019 at 10:04 pm