Nightlife / Clubs

Q-C natives to headline comedy show at Chorus Line

By David Burke | Wednesday, August 20, 2008 | () comments

Tony Morrell is proud of the newest addition to the Chorus Line nightclub in Davenport.

He helped build it.

Morrell and his cousin were among the construction crew that added a 150-seat showroom to the club better known for women taking off their clothes than for men telling jokes onstage.

But that’s what will happen this weekend when Morrell, billed as T.Mo, and fellow Quad-City native Jim Petersen headline what Morrell hopes will be monthly comedy shows.

“There’s nothing like a Quad-Cities attitude. I miss that attitude,” said Morrell, who has been working for the past 10 months as an emcee at a comedy club in Kansas City, Kan.

Morrell, 38, got his start in comedy at the former Funny Bone in Davenport, and then — in his words — tragedy struck.

He got married.

“That pretty much ended all my fun and standup days,” he said.

A little more than 10 years later and newly divorced, he returned to open-mike nights and emcee gigs at Penguin’s Comedy Club, formerly in Bettendorf. In 2006, he won the “Funniest Person in Iowa” contest conducted by Penguin’s other location in Cedar Rapids.

Morrell compares his style to a combination of Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, George Carlin, Bill Cosby and Sam Kinison.

“Most of my comedy, to a point, is real. Ninety percent of my comedy is fabricated, but most of it is real,” he said. “I definitely cover the raw subjects and the absurdity of everyday life. There’s nothing that’s taboo to me.”

Petersen began doing standup five or six years ago, said Morrell, who calls him “probably one of the best in the Midwest.”

“He’s definitely on a national level. His problem is he’s married and has a job and security. I’m willing to take a risk of being homeless,” Morrell said of Petersen, who is based in the Quad-Cities.

The two share many influences, to which Morrell adds the late Mitch Hedberg for Petersen.

“He’s not scared to cover any topic. When you look at him, you may think he’s the nicest, straightest, most clean-cut guy in the world,” Morrell said. “Then he’ll just bust out some stuff and you think he’s satan or something.

The two men have formed 7-13 Productions (the numbers stand for comedy and tragedy, Morrell said), but he added that there’s enough room for both their monthly shows and the weekly acts at Penguin’s, which recently moved to the Freight House in downtown Davenport.

“I owe Penguin’s a lot. I’d never do anything to hurt Penguin’s,” he said. “If it weren’t for Penguin’s, I’d never be where I am today.”

David Burke can be contacted at (563) 383-2400 or dburke@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.

IF YOU GO

What: T.Mo and Jim Petersen, with Mike Steele and Clayton Wilcox

When: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23

Where: Chorus Line, 4128 Brady St., Davenport

How much: $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Information: ComedyPoleez.com or MySpace.com/7_13productions on the Web