Rob Becker's Defending the Caveman

Every hack of a comedian has used the differences between men and women at some point in their act, and maybe even gotten a few cheap laughs. Very few, however, have used that material to create the longest running solo play in Broadway history.

Rob Becker wrote Rob Becker's Defending the Caveman between 1988 and 1991. Before that he had been a successful comedian, even appearing on Late Night with David Letterman. Like so many man/woman bits, his show started from just living life.

"It started from being married, and experiencing these things, and trying to understand them," Becker said from his home in northern California. "Then it came from doing some research in the library."

Becker's theory is that the differences between men and women stem from our days as cavemen in hunter/gatherer tribes. He came to his conclusions after studying modern day tribes, and having discussion with anthropologists. Many professors agree with his theories, but since they cannot be proven they are no good to science.

Proof isn't needed for a comedy show, however.

Becker said his hunter/gatherer theory relates to modern times because men focus on one thing, while women multitask, often keeping loud conversation. Men don't hunt to feed the family any longer, but the theory can be applied to some simple everyday tasks.

"If a guy is reading the paper or watching TV, pretty soon you can talk to him and he won't even hear you," Becker said, noting that this often angers his wife. "She's angry because she thinks I'm choosing the TV over her, and I'm angry, too, because I got called out of the TV for nothing."

Becker said that studies show men average about 5,000 fewer spoken words a day than women. They don't like to scare away the prey, or in this case lose focus on the TV.

"When women go gathering, they do talk, so they will scare the animals. That's how they stayed safe in the jungle - by maintaining a conversation with everyone joining in very loudly."

Defending the Caveman is more than just Becker explaining his theories. There is a plot, and he said many people are surprised by the tender moments in the show. It isn't just a women bashing beer fest.

"I think the effect of the show is that you can really see that a lot of our fights are very silly."

"Cheap marriage counseling" is how Becker jokingly described the show. He's been touring the show since 1991 with two years on Broadway between 1995 and 1997.

October 2003