Joe Piscopo has a solution to the National Anthem controversy: Sing it Frank Sinatra style.
The comic, who helped salvage "Saturday Night Live" in the 1980s, offered up a swingin' version of the tune late Tuesday at Lilydale's Joke Joint, part of "Laughs With Legends," a benefit for several charities.
The comic, who currently hosts a New York-based radio show, also channeled the Chairman of the Board when he berated some loudmouths in the balcony, threatening to come up and kick some tail if they didn't pipe down. He probably didn't realize that the over-excited party upstairs included his opening act, Chris "Kid" Reid, one half of the hip-hop duo, Kid 'n Play.
"This is why I don't do comedy clubs," he said right before admonishing a documentary crew, insisting they were wasting their time since he would never sign a release letting them use the footage.
The nostalgia-themed evening also included a tribute to Vikings favorite Chuck Foreman and a NFL veterans' version of "To Tell the Truth" featuring Ed "Too Tall" Jones.
Piscopo, who rarely performs in the Twin Cities, offered up locals an abbreviated version of his Rat Pack-inspired nightclub act with tales from his days of hanging out with Eddie Murphy and impressions of Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Joan Rivers and James Gandolfini.
