Ft. Worth Star Telegram 5-19-2000

5/19/2000

SECTION: STAR TIME, Final edition, Page 30

LENGTH: ??? words

HEADLINE: Back on the laugh track

BODY:

Told ya so, didn't we? Four autumns ago, when the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival had its regional heats at Hyena's Comedy Night Club in downtown Fort Worth, this byline lavished praise on an emerging Arlington funny-guy named Mark Britten. Incredibly, the judges picked someone else to advance to the finals. Undaunted, Britten went on to carve out an impressive niche in humor circles. You've heard him voice various characters on the Cartoon Network's Dragon Ball Z. And you may have scored a copy of his CD, Dis-Oriented Chinaman. (Hold on, now. Britten points out that the title is not politically incorrect, on account of he's half Chinese.)

"This'll be my first time back at the Fort Worth Hyena's since I've been at the top of my act," says Britten, speaking by phone from his north Arlington office. "I used to do generic jokes. Now my whole act is me. So it's unique. If anybody tries to do my material, people will say, 'Hey, he's doing Mark's stuff.'

"A comedian friend of mine, Ricky Gutierrez from San Antonio, advised me to do that, to tailor my comedy to myself. That changed my life."

Britten opened Thursday at Hyena's, 604 Main. He'll conclude his three-nighter with shows at 8 and 10 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday. Gary Hood precedes him onstage. The cover is $8, or $13 for down-front reserved seats.

Mark's Web site, incidentally, is www.gotcrack.com.

No, not that kind of crack. It's a reference to filling cracks with caulk, which Britten used to do during his artistically rewarding days as a house painter.

The classic rockers known collectively as Ironhorse will steam into J.B. Hiccups in Lewisville on Friday for a two-night visit. This creatively named club is at 101 E. Southwest Parkway, Suite 120. There's no cover, and it serves food (burgers, sandwiches and poppers ) until 11 p.m.

The Irish Rogues will bring their contagiously merry pub music to the Old Bedford School in Euless on Friday. Tickets are $10 in advance (at 2400 School Lane) or $12 at the door.

The Big D Beat: Those of us who dash into Marty's WineBar and Bistro and dash out with our lamb chops and tenderloin never realized that there are plenty of reasons to linger at this 3316 Oak Lawn Ave. fixture. Tipsters reveal that Marty's has live entertainment.

Singer Alma Squillante is featured Friday, with the Walker and Adams duo taking over Saturday. Woodwind player Glen Rothstein is featured next Wednesday and Thursday. That's right, woodwinds. Glen plays vintage and contemporary jazz on clarinet, flute and sax. Does this sound like a man in search of a klezmer band?

And speaking of tipsters, there's a bad tip out there somewhere to the effect that Clique's is about to close its doors. Not so, say insiders, among them entertainment booker James Cooper. James is presenting blues legend Robery Ealey on Friday at this 6731 Camp Bowie hot spot. The cover is a modest $3.

Perry Stewart, (817) 390-7712

Author:Perry Stewart, Star-Telegram Writer

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