Show Stars up and Comers!

NEWPORT - The second Newport Summer Comedy Series, now sponsored by Clements Market, made its return to the Newport Yachting Center Sunday night focusing on up-and-coming comics.

The night had more hits than misses with four comics performing, two in the first show and three in the second (comic Jim Colliton went twice). The comedians are all from the Boston area (though two have relocated to New York City), and had a flair for regional humor.

Throughout the night, each comic decided to pick on the beleaguered city of Brockton, Mass. "You know how they have duck tours? In Brockton, they have crack tours," Colliton said. "Pay $3 and it lasts three days."

Colliton poked fun at being a house-dad on days when he?s not touring, how he spends much of it watching cartoons with his daughter. He also has become the oldest "kid" in the neighborhood street hockey games.

"One of the moms got mad when I brought beer," he said. "Come on. It was the playoffs."

Colliton talked about how he appeases his wife by going camping. "I?m out there thinking that people in jail are getting a better sleep tonight than I am," he said.

Also on the bill were Jon Fisch, Michael Coleman and Dave Russo. Fisch is a returnee, having opened for Anthony Clark last year.

And he used much of the same material as last time around. He referred to himself as looking "like the white Tiger Woods" and added, "But I thought about it, and I?m a lot less white than that guy."

Fisch is, in fact, Jewish and uses his heritage for laughs. He said he roomed with a few other Jewish guys, none of whom could figure out how to fix a heater.

"We stared at that heater the way Ted Kennedy stares at a six-pack of O'Doul's."

Fisch has a relaxed comic style and his oddball one-liners work: "I think women set up blind dates so their friends can get a free meal" and "I have to pick up my parents at the airport later tonight " they like to drink there."

Michael Coleman, who works for WBZ-AM in Boston is a master of voices. He spoofed about 30 songs in about 10 minutes time, including "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to the tune of "LA Woman" by the Doors.

Coleman also does a mean Tom Brokaw, reporting on Mary and her lamb.

The master of the night turned out to be Russo, a quick-witted and loose-limbed comic, who, like Fisch, is a Bostonian now living in New York. Russo is a gifted physical comedian, who spoofed a slow-motion running segment a la "The Six Million Dollar Man" and turned his face into a massive squint in order to play Robert DeNiro.

Russo claimed to have been kicked out of high school, forcing his mother to home-school him. "Every day of my life is a high school reunion," he said. "And recess was me and my boomerang."

As a way to improve race relations, Russo suggested a large dance contest, with contestants such as Elvis Presley, James Brown and John Travolta taking part. Russo deftly mastered the moves of each.

The contest ended in a tie when Michael Jackson performed as part of both the white and black teams.

The night drew about 325 people. Cox Communications filmed the event for a show to air on Aug. 1 at 9 p.m.