{alltv} NBC comic rips his own network

The Shawshank Redemption Commemorative Giclee

MONTREAL (Hollywood Reporter) – As one of the judges on NBC's "Last Comic Standing," comic Andy Kindler tempered his annual State of the Industry address at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. For about a minute.

"Now that I'm on an NBC show, I don't appreciate that kind of thing," Kindler said Friday, a day after fellow comic Lewis Black a day earlier savaged network TV executives during his Just For Laughs keynote address.

Kindler defended the industry for working hard. "They're good people. It's not our job to make fun of people that are low-balling me on my contract."

With that off his chest, Kindler promptly slammed NBC's "Parks and Recreation." "Can we all admit that 'Parks and Recreation' is horrible? Is this something we would all know, but don't say? Maybe everything should not be improv'd," he told a packed conference room at the Hyatt Regency hotel, headquarters for the Montreal comedy festival.

Kindler also poked fun at the "Today Show" for tourists standing outside the set window waving. "I don't like to wake up in the morning and see people desperately waving and trying to connect with their families."

There were also thoughts on the recent Tina Fey and Steve Carrel romantic comedy "Date Night." "You tell me that 'Date Night' was good? I'm not going to see it. I will debate you on it, having no knowledge of the footage in the film. I was next to someone on the plane watching it, and they were dozing off," he deadpanned.

Even comic-turned-drama actor Mo'Nique became a target. "Why did God have to make Mo'Nique a good actress? What was God thinking when he decided to give Monique acting chops. Now we have to endure Mo'Nique comedy specials," Kindler said.

He recalled the "Precious" Oscar winner's recent appearance on "Barbara Walters' Oscar Night Special." "She said, 'Don't do what's popular, do what's right.' Except in the case of my comedy, where I'll hack it up," Kindler said, breaking up the room.

Also coming in for a Kindler slam was George Lopez of the self-titled ABC sitcom. "George Lopez is always on the verge of hilarity. If he could ever think of something funny to say, if he had a funny thought in his mind, he's ready to go. He's got the look on his face when you're ready to deliver a funny punchline -- and then nothing."

Before he closed off with his trademark jabs at Jay Leno, Kindler put in a word about his next possible sidekick: "The replacement for (band leader) Kevin Eubanks will be expected to spit up blood at the end of each joke."