Merry Standish Christmas Special

The Merry Standish Comedy team, which keeps the art of politically timely skit comedy alive with shows at Duffy’s Tavern, the Chico Women’s Club and other venues, isn’t afraid to embrace modern marketing technology. The MSC Christmas disc will brighten up any holiday evening while sipping spiked eggnog around the home entertainment center. The heartwarming “Jesus Had Two Daddies” features Mary (Liz Merry) and Joseph (Aaron Standish) discussing the troublesome upcoming birth of Jesus with his second daddy, God (Roland Allen). “Liz Merry’s Christmas Carols” is an infomercial-style pitch for Merry’s renditions of such alternative universe favorites as “Frosty the Meth-head.” The shenanigans of “Bush by Dickens!” include the president’s dream encounter with a forgetful, chain-dragging Ronald Reagan, a vengeful Barry Goldwater (voiced by Merry), a chiding John McCain (Bill Poytress) as the ghost of conservatism present, and Hillary Clinton as the ghost of conservatism future. John Bertolli’s “Christmas Stand-Up” bonus track is great, as are my favorite tracks, “Santa’s Mailbag” and “The 12 Lies of the War.” Get it at Melody Records or www.merrystandish.com/shwag.html.