Multiple personalities

Jason Murray has been “doing music, art and writing” locally since 1989, under the pseudonym “Giligadi” (Cherokee for “hanging dog"; Murray is part Chippewa). Recently, he added stand-up comedy to his bag of tricks, performing as “Chris Topher.” Murray reads the paper and listens to NPR daily. Murray-as-Topher has appeared at the Crux and regularly performs at Thursday open-mic night at the Has Beans downtown. Some of his pet subjects are Jesus, NASCAR, the current political climate and his own lazy-eye condition. He cites his influences as the late comedians Bill Hicks ("an amazing social satirist") and Andy Kaufman, and author Hunter S. Thompson. On a recent afternoon, I did a little free association with the clever and engaging comic.

George W. Bush …

Oh boy. Most brilliant idiot ever elected. I don’t understand how people can’t be offended.

NASCAR …

Sweaty hicks making left turns all day is not a sport. If I were in charge of NASCAR, I’d throw in a right turn every now and then. … Something that everybody does every day to get to work [drive] can’t be called a sport. … It’s an example of our [country’s] utmost contempt of anything to do with logic and leaving a reasonable “footprint” in the world. Us being fascinated by people speeding around in gas-guzzling machines—come on!

Jesus …

(Laughs.) I have a whole bunch of personal experience with Jesus. He and I hang out a lot. I went skateboarding with him. … I think he’s been misrepresented in the press. I think he would be absolutely appalled at what’s done in his name: shooting abortion doctors, rooting for the death penalty, going to war. At this point, Jesus is an idea. Elvis is the next Jesus. Two thousand years from now, I see people wearing a pendant of Elvis on the toilet around their necks, saying, “Heeeeyy!” instead of “Amen.”

Britney Spears …

She’s the poster child for dysfunction at this point. She’s in a kind of free fall. I actually feel kind of sorry for her. Not enough that I won’t make jokes about her. I empathize with her, but at the same time, she’s a product of her society. I’m glad that her meltdown is getting such publicity. She’s a canary in the coal mine. Sooner or later, more and more people in this society will have similar meltdowns.

Lazy eye …

It’s funny. It’s absolutely hilarious because it puts a lot of people off. … Kids aren’t afraid to ask. Their parents tell them, “Shhh!” … My doctor told me it isn’t lazy eye. It’s aggressive nose. It kicks up when I’m tired. I’ve only gotten two hours of sleep in the last two months.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?

Bucky [the cat] in “Get Fuzzy.” I really like [his] attitude. … I want to see Bucky kick Garfield’s ass some time.