Tuesday, March 08, 2005
!Russell Peters!
The big news of today was that I got to go see the Russell Peters show at Fed Hall, thanks to some speedily arranged piggybacking on Jeff Henry's guest list. After the expected hour wait, there was another half an hour wait, and then hilarity ensued.
Starting the night off were Mariano and Arda Ocal from The Crew. The MC's of the evening, I thought they were simply going to introduce the night's acts. But no! Instead they put on a bit of a comedy act of their own, which I have to admit is the funniest thing I have ever heard not from professional comedians. If either of these guys decide to give up the marketing gig, they should go into comedy. "People tell you that the Dana Porter's sinking. It's not from the weight of the books - it's from all those people pounding it into the ground!!" Oh, SOOO funny Arda and Mariano!
The next comedian was some 40 year old guy from Vancouver named Rick Funk or something. He was mildly funny, but not as funny as Arda and Mariano.
Next game a guy from Jamaica (or so he said) but who had been living in greater TO for quite some time. I will now be able to say, before I die, that I saw a black man dressed in full African garb dancing like a Bollywood star to Bollywood music. Easily a highlight of my week.
Then, of course, came Peters himself. He proved his worth by providing a lot of on-the-spot material, ripping into the members of the crowd who intentionally or unintentionally stood out. The guy who laughed like a dolphin, the two white kids with Afros in the front row, even Raymond Lai all got a bit of razing. He spent a bit too much time on those trying to bootleg his show, but he still pulled off some really funny jokes. It was a satisfying night.
Starting the night off were Mariano and Arda Ocal from The Crew. The MC's of the evening, I thought they were simply going to introduce the night's acts. But no! Instead they put on a bit of a comedy act of their own, which I have to admit is the funniest thing I have ever heard not from professional comedians. If either of these guys decide to give up the marketing gig, they should go into comedy. "People tell you that the Dana Porter's sinking. It's not from the weight of the books - it's from all those people pounding it into the ground!!" Oh, SOOO funny Arda and Mariano!
The next comedian was some 40 year old guy from Vancouver named Rick Funk or something. He was mildly funny, but not as funny as Arda and Mariano.
Next game a guy from Jamaica (or so he said) but who had been living in greater TO for quite some time. I will now be able to say, before I die, that I saw a black man dressed in full African garb dancing like a Bollywood star to Bollywood music. Easily a highlight of my week.
Then, of course, came Peters himself. He proved his worth by providing a lot of on-the-spot material, ripping into the members of the crowd who intentionally or unintentionally stood out. The guy who laughed like a dolphin, the two white kids with Afros in the front row, even Raymond Lai all got a bit of razing. He spent a bit too much time on those trying to bootleg his show, but he still pulled off some really funny jokes. It was a satisfying night.
