Doug Benson

Comedian Doug Benson has a bit of an attitude, but he's very subtle about it. Recalling his experience on last summer's Last Comic Standing he notes dryly, "I finished in sixth place, which means I'm the sixth-funniest person in the world. They did an international search." After touching briefly on LCS, he returns to the subjects he knows best: "Sex and drugs, with a little alcohol on the side; my nerdy-hard living lifestyle." While a lot of comedians talk about those things, Benson actually has credentials. In 2006 he was voted "Stoner of the Year" by High Times and has made a documentary about his tokin' exploits called Super High Me, which came out on DVD recently. The San Diego native originally moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. "I knew I wanted to be in show business as an actor or a writer, so I found a profession that requires both," he explains. He first got onstage after he and two buddies dared each other to do an open mic, and quickly merged his stoner persona with a smart-aleck attitude. The mix results in a comic who, if not performing, might be dismissed as an annoying wiseacre, but onstage is clever and relatable. It's not all about leafy substances, though. Benson, for example, recalls seeing a caged dog with a sign that read: "I Bite." He felt the dog should have a different sign, one saying: "I Can Write Signs!"
Sept. 17-20, 8 p.m.; Sept. 19-20, 10:30 p.m., 2008