By: BRIAN McTAVISH
Date: 10/08/91

A bitter wind blows through the gnarled lowlands of the male psyche. They call the wind Mariah - and Maureen and Cindy and Nancy.

Women, and how men feel about them, will be the hot topic when four local stand-up comics present "Just the Guys," an evening of comedy intended for men only.

The show promises to make amusing the frustration and anger men may feel - yet have difficulty talking about - in their relationships with women.

Male stand-ups Emery Emery, Brad Nelson, Nick Griffin and Fallon Woodland will, according to Nelson, share stories of "boy meets girl, boy gets girl, girl betrays, traumatizes and humiliates boy" at 9 p.m. Oct. 14 at Stanford's Comedy House of Westport. Tickets cost $8; call 756-1450 for reservations.

"We're going to talk about relationships that we've been through," Emery says. "And, with no women in the room, we're going to be straightforward and honest with our feelings.

"We want to be able to do the kind of humor that we write, but can't do, because we're always playing to a mixed audience. Nobody's ever done anything for just men."

Whether that's true or not, "Just the Guys" will attempt to address the common perception that men have a tough time with real intimacy.

"Women talk so much informally," Nelson says. "I guess guys don't have an opportunity to listen to each other and feel like they've been through the same thing before - except maybe when they are listening to country music."

Nelson and Emery came up with the idea for their show while discussing national comic Jenny Jones' successful "Girls Night Out" tour. Jones' women-only show, which she called both "group therapy" and a "big party," played for a night last October at Stanford's Comedy House of Overland Park.

At the time Jones said she didn't think a men-only comedy show would attract much of an audience because males are "so guarded. " Now the efforts of Emery, who's been divorced, and Nelson, who's had "bad experiences" with women, may prove Jones wrong. There could even be a long-term benefit to men who attend "Just the Guys."

"Maybe if guys come in and hear that I was hurt by a woman and I got over it, they'll feel better, too," Nelson says. "Maybe they'll realize it's not as us-and-them as they thought going in.

"You're made more bitter by your aloneness. Maybe by getting together and laughing at the stories they'll get over some of their bitterness. Then again, after they hear Emery's act, they may put on jack boots and march into the nearest Mademoiselle fitness center."

Nelson likes to think of himself and Emery as good cop bad cop. Guess who's the bad cop?

"There is nothing more irritating than watching a woman get onstage and say, `All men are pigs! ' and watch the crowd laugh ," Emery says. "And then I get on stage and say, `My wife screwed me over and took my money, that's not fair,' and they go, `You're a pig! ' It's that bad at times."

Far be it from me to suggest different material.

"Every time a man does something, it seems like people yell `sexism,' " Emery says. "Trust me, they will be yelling `sexism' about our show."