Comedy Review: Rafe Williams scores with ‘Young Grandpa’

After shopping his first hour-long comedy special titled, ‘Young Grandpa,’ Rafe Williams’ stand-up special found a home with YouTube on Chelcie Lynn’s channel.

The special debuted on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and for comedy fans, it was worth the wait. Williams’ special was anything but two-dimensional. There was definitely a multitude of topics that the comedian raps about in his special, which was filmed in Edwardsville at Wildey Theater.

The title is explained right off the bat in his show, as Williams jokes about becoming a grandfather at the age of 36. Leave it to a comedian to take something that is life-altering and turn it into a funny, yet poignant topic to joke about. The comedian jokes about taking care of his granddaughter and getting attitude from the 3-year-old child. Joking about things such as giving her a bath, watching Fox News, wearing New Balance shoes and hanging out at the Home Depot, will undoubtedly invoke laughs from viewers who can relate and even those who may not.

Williams, who is a member of the #1 radio show in St. Louis, The Rizzuto Show, jokes about being a Democrat tapped in a Republican body at one point in the special.

What makes Williams stand out in a business with many wannabees and comedians who just aren’t that funny is he looks like your everyday, normal guy from the Midwest, which he also jokes about in the special. His topics are relatable and humorous. From hanging out at Denny’s, YMCA’s and Cracker Barrel’s, these are all things Midwesterners can relate to.

Williams is at his best when he talks about his epic life as a poor kid from southern Illinois being raised by authoritarian father. From being a class to becoming a father at an early age and joining the military, then bartending for year, Williams has a lot of life experiences to draw material from.

While the entire hour is pretty much laugh out loud, Williams evoked the most laughs from this reviewer when talking about sending inappropriate pictures of your genitalia with a polaroid camera. The story he tells of being in basic training with a guy who snapped pictures of his member and then put them in library books was one of the funniest things I’ve heard in a while.

It was moments like this in the special that showed that Williams can not only joke about being a grandfather, or heavier topics that divide both conservatives and liberals, but also let loose and cut it up about something as crude as a dick pic.

Be sure to check out Rafe Williams’ special on Chelcie Lynn’s page, otherwise known at Trailer Trash Tammy.

‘Young Grandpa’ gets an A-.