Tampa Bay fans of Attell and Insomniac have waited four seasons for an episode of the show featuring their hometown. In fact, many insist such an installment has already been filmed, and assume either that they missed it, or that it hasn't aired yet. But those expecting a Tampa-centric Insomniac shouldn't wait up – according to Renata Luczak, manager of corporate communications for Comedy Central, it never happened.
"He did Miami, and a thing in Key West for Fantasy Fest," she says, "but I don't remember him shooting any footage in Tampa."
Like most urban legends, the apocryphal episode has its origins in hearsay, unconfirmed history and extremely circumstantial evidence. When Attell last performed at Ybor City's Improv – back in 2003, as Insomniac was peaking in cult popularity – some remember the Improv's then-host emcee Gary Menke telling radio morning-show DJs that Attell would be filming for the show after his appearances. (In fact, more than one Planet editorial staffer remembers Menke saying the same thing while trying to get the Attell shows some ink.) Of course, he may have just mentioned that Attell was the host of Insomniac, providing an opening for a round of The Telephone Game.
A feature story on Attell that ran in the St. Petersburg Times' Weekend section in advance of those performances, while not specifically stating that there would be filming, dwelt heavily on Insomniac; reading it, it's easy to imagine some less restrained folk jumping to conclusions. Later on, a commercial for the show included clips shot against a brick-and-iron environment that closely resembled Ybor City. Looking back, it could've been New Orleans, Key West or a hundred other places, but those looking for hints of a Tampa episode were apt to see what they wanted.
Plus, there's the show itself, which always begins with Attell ending a club performance before stepping out into the street in search of spectacle; this traditional opening has led plenty of fans to assume that Attell and his crew shoot footage after every one of the comedian's club appearances when he's on the road.
"It's not like he does it every time," says Luczak with a laugh, "doing 100 Insomniacs, one every night. It'd be impossible."
With the show's future in limbo, the possibility of an actual Tampa episode looks extremely limited. But Attell's and Comedy Central's enthusiasm for continuing the franchise in the form of events-driven specials does call to mind one word that may embody local fans' only hope:
Guavaween.
Somebody, make a phone call.
-Scott Harrell
This article appears in Apr 20-26, 2005.