Durst hopes to sate public's thirst for political satire at Nugget

Will Durst sees himself as an equal opportunity political satirist: Right, left, Democrat or Republican.

Do something stupid and you're in his act.

"I have a book out called "The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing: Common sense rantings from a raging moderate." he said in an interview this week. "I do take on everybody in that."

Saturday night, the nationally known comedian brings his act to the Carson Nugget.

Durst described his act as "kind of a living editorial cartoon."

"I don't proselytize up there. I try find where the weak point is."

He said for the past seven years, much of his focus has been on the Republicans: "Bush has been good to me. I was one little cog in his 'no comic left behind' program."

"Bush is like if Reagan and Quayle had a kid," he said.

But lately, he said the Democrats have been in his sights again.

"They're still depending on (stem cell) research to grow themselves a spine," Durst said. "The fact their primary went on forever and ever is their own damned fault. They treat primary candidates like new-born puppies with learning disabilities," he said. "No one goes home feeling like a loser in the Democratic Party " except in the general election of course."

Durst said he's been doing this act for a long time and writes a column for newspapers as well as doing stand-up. He said the disciplines are very different but that the column is good for him because "it keeps me writing all the time."

"The stand-up voice is a much tougher beast," he said. "They expect a laugh every 20 seconds."

That means research (the news) and self-discipline to stay on top of everything.

But he said from the age of 25 to 45, it was like retirement: "I got to tell jokes to drunks and got to drink for free. I didn't have to work very hard so, I was retired for 20 years."

Durst brings his bipartisan assault on the idiocy we often endure in politics and government to the Nugget Saturday. The doors open at 7 p.m. with the show beginning at 8 p.m.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.