EMO PHILLIPS On the road, comic will do what it takes

Emo Phillips might ramble, but there's a logical tie-in, eventually.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Comedian Emo Phillips is known for his off-the-wall humor, oblique commentary and distorted logic but nothing encapsulates this stand-up veteran more than his following quote: "Always remember the last words of my grandfather: 'A truck.'"
In his trademark high-pitched, oftentimes trembling voice, Phillips attempts to explain why such a simple, albeit somewhat disturbing, observation is so funny.
"Well, you probably either like trucks or hate grandfathers," said Phillips, calling from Indianapolis, "I'm praying on using the evolutionary [notion] that people want to get rid of the old and make way for the new. I'm tapping into that thing."
Phillips likes to talk about evolution. In fact, he feels as though his intellectual brand of comedy is ultramodern, as well as somewhat misunderstood.
"I think I have a complete sense of logic and ... um ... what else?" Phillips said. "It's hard to explain but I think I'm right. And if not, I'll be one of evolution's losers. I'll be like the Dodo [bird] or Triceratops. Maybe a Dodoceratops. A very short-lived species of bird with three humps on its back that were spikes but erosion got them down to humps. And he would catch prey with his spikes but have to turn his head around to eat them and then throw his neck out. That's why he went extinct."
At his best
It's the latter part of the above rambling quote about faux dinosaurs that finds Phillips at his best, improvising away at the core joke until he's tied together some sort of stream-of-conscious logic that seemingly creates his own universe of funny.
Born Phil Soltanec in Downers Grove, Illinois, Phillips has spent his entire career taming his computerlike mind, which shoots out far more unexpected thoughts and kooky observations than he can handle.
"I have to hide from them, they're like monsters," said Phillips, commenting on the funny thoughts that emanate from his head. "I put the covers over my head and that keeps them away. But eventually, you have to get out of bed and they are there waiting for me."
Also waiting for Phillips are loyal fans who flock to see his live show whenever possible. You can see him in action Thursday through Sunday at Hilarities.
"I'm on the road for 30 weeks a year," Phillips said. "It's a lot of fun for me. Of course, I don't have a wife or kids at home so I'm not getting the full enjoyment out of it."
List of credits
Phillips' credits include appearances in the film "UHF," as well as being featured on Comedy Central's "Doctor Katz" and "Weird" Al Yankovic's Saturday morning show. Among his peers, he's considered a top joke writer, recently judged by GQ Magazine as one of the top 75 of all time.
As far as his live set, it's mostly based around a core foundation of jokes, but then there is the element of improvisational surprise that often produces the funniest laughs. Phillips doesn't care what it takes, as long as someone is laughing.
"No, I don't get involved," Phillips said. "I'll take courtesy laughs, sincere laughs, someone accidentally has a ring tone and it has a laugh on it. I'll take nitrous oxide through the ventilation system or some midget tickling everyone, anything that makes the owner think I'm going over. That's all I care about."