Raging Pitbull

Bobby Slayton delivers un-neutered comedy

Some people like their comedy like they like their chicken wings… meaty, saucy and with a wicked bite. The perfect venue for both wings and wisecracks is Hooters Casino Hotel, where “The Pitbull of Comedy” Bobby Slayton rules the roost.

An American Comedy Award winner for Stand-up Comic of the Year and one of Comedy Central’s Top 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time, Slayton may be the most lauded comic you’ve never heard of.

“A lot of people don’t really know who I am, because I don’t have any tigers or magic or a puppet,” he mused. “If I had a tiger and a puppet, I’d be the biggest thing to hit this town, but I have neither, so…”

What he does have is a biting sense of humor that skewers current events and audience members with equal ferocity. His raw language and straight-for-the-jugular style are definitely not for the faint of heart.

“In most comedy clubs, I’ll have 4 or 5 walk-outs a week, whether it’s people who are upset at my language the place is too loud, or they’re tired, whatever,” he said. “(At Hooters) I’ve done a couple hundred shows and I’ve only had about 5 to 10 drunks to deal with, and 3 or 4 people who got upset.”

Don’t let his Rat Pack looks or gravelly voice fool you into thinking Slayton’s comedy is limited to an older demographic.

“For the most part, 80 percent of what I do anyone can identify with,” he said. “(My daughter’s) friends really like my act and I don’t think I talk about stuff that’s over their heads. It’s basically about marriange, about sex, about bad weather, about the airport, about traffic. I don’t think any of it is specific to any gender or specific to any age group.”

Slayton is also known in the business as a real comedian’s comedian, a fact proven by the wealth of famous faces providing scathing commentary on an introductory video.

“I’ve gotten Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Penn & Teller and The Smothers Brothers recently. Seinfeld is a little too busy with his bee movie to talk right now, but I’m trying to get Dana Carvey in July and George Carlin in August,” he said.

He also spends time nuturing new talent, featuring two different up-and-coming talents each week. Occasionally, however, he’ll bring in a bigger name looking for a little Vegas time.

“I have this one guy in July, Kenny Rogerson, who’s a major headliner in comedy out of Boston. He doesn’t usually (work) for this kind of money, but he just wants to play golf, get away from his wife and be in Vegas. He almost paid me to take the gig!”

Although Slayton has been doing stand-up for more than 20 years, eagle-eyed viewers may have also caught him in one of his many television appearances or in movies such as Get Shorty, Ed Wood, Bandits and most recently Dreamgirls. His distinctive voice has also been featured in animated shows such as “Dr. Katz” and “Family Guy.”

Still not convinced? Slayton breaks it down: “(At Hooters) there’s no jugglers, no kids, no gladiators, no kids, no tigers, no kids, no magic, no water slides and no kids,” Slayton emphasized. “It’s me and Hooters, some chicken wings and gambling. That’s all you really need.”

Published July 17, 2007
What's On Magazine