Sean Flannery is indestructible.

The Chicago comedian has plummeted from the top of a three story building, rocketed his car off of a highway overpass during a snowstorm, knocked himself unconscious with a live battery during a job interview and beaten cancer. Pushing the envelope even further, he navigated some of his travails while sauced on cheap beer.

Flannery is lucky to be alive. He’s the first to admit it. Not everyone can brush death with such frequency and live to talk about it. Luckily, Flannery is a talker by trade, and his skirts with mortality have provided material galore.

“Life is short and you need to have fun. Best to err on the side of having too much fun,” Flannery laughs.

In “Never Been to Paris,” Flannery’s hilarious solo show that runs Thursday nights at The Comedy Bar in River North, the comic espouses the benefits (and the pitfalls) of living every day as if it’s your last, detailing a life of too much fun and partying in his hometown of Cleveland, his current home of Chicago and Midwestern points in between. They’re boisterous yarns of ridiculous proportions, with an absolute love of drinking at the center.

Flannery is proud of this point.

“When you see comics talk about drinking, they’re usually bitter and cynical about it,” he says. “That’s not why most people drink. Look at the people at the comedy clubs, or those out with friends. They’re out having a good time. It’s nice to see someone who’s not ashamed of it.”

The tall tales in “Never Been to Paris” would be almost impossible to believe if Flannery didn’t have proof of their occurrences. Clips from answering machine messages, photos, drawings, videos and other multimedia elements augment many of his stories, corroborating the truth in ways that words alone never could.

“Some of the stories you couldn’t tell without the visuals,” notes Flannery. “They help the audience realize it’s authentic.”

This is absolutely true. Flannery’s story about an uncle who dresses like a clergyman for driver’s license photos to escape DUIs is funny, but actually seeing the red-faced Irishman wearing the faux priest collar on the license in question is hysterical.

Flannery’s show feels like a night out with an old college friend reminiscing about past craziness rather than a straight stand-up act filled with jokes and one-liners. This can be attributed to his relationship with the audience and his delivery. It’s very comfortable and familiar, built around tight, but conversational pace, rhythm and timing. Such talent is rare. And it’s in his blood.

“Everyone in my family is hilarious,” Flannery admits.

Immediate familial influences notwithstanding, though, Flannery’s way around a story has deeper roots, sitting firm in the rich oral tradition of his Irish heritage. He’s a natural. A stand-up Shane McGowan. But less sloppy, and with better teeth.

Flannery’s talents didn’t emerge overnight, however. The comic has honed his craft for nine years on the Chicago alternative comedy circuit. He’s very vocal in his support of the low-pressure local scene, in particular its contributions to both developing talent and the world of comedy as a whole.

Next month, “Never Been to Paris” will showcase at Laughfest in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the world’s largest comedy festivals. Flannery’s show sits alongside sets by Whoopi Goldberg, Mike Epps, Jim Gaffigan, Marc Maron, Kevin Nealon, Martin Short and other major players in the stand-up world. Shows in front of hometown Cleveland audiences are in the works, as well.

In the meantime, “Never Been to Paris” continues to grow. Sell-out nights at The Comedy Bar are commonplace. The club has extended the show’s run through April. The success is deserved — Flannery’s Medal of Honor earned for bravery on the battlefield of carpe diem.

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By Adam from Wicker Park
Posted: 02/10/2012 5:41 PM

This is a really funny show! Glad its extended...

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By Sean from Lincoln Square
Posted: 02/10/2012 4:11 PM

The show has been re-extended, up to the first week of May, if any one is interested in catching it.