Yuk Yuk's comedy review Jan. 20,2011: Darren Frost, Bobby Mair & Kathleen Mcgee

Last night I went to Yuk Yuk's downtown to take in some comedy from the dark side. And it is a cold DARK January indeed. The comics featured tonight were M.C. Kathleen McGee, (sounds like a rapper) funny man Bobby Mair, and the Listerine action hero himself, Darren Frost.

The room was packed, populated mostly by twenty something college students. I somehow managed to seat myself behind a large group of giggly sorority type girls, most of whom couldn't be bothered to put away their brightly back lit cell phones. I later found out it was two-for-one student night. At 39 i think i may have been the oldest (smartest?) person in the crowd.

McGee hit the stage to warm up the crowd, her 1st few jokes, although hilarious elicited almost no response. The energy in the room was low, but McGee did finally managed to wake them up and get a good laugh or two. As this was an "x-rated" show McGee's material was suitably vulgar, most of it of self depreciating sexual nature, but she pulls it of with such charm she remains one of my personal favorite comedians.

If Mcgee managed to wake the room up...well they went right back to sleep for Bobby Mair. Mair took the stage nearly unnoticed. While I found his far-out observational style to be solid, his material continued to fall on deaf (dumb?) ears. During a bit about kidnapping/Stockholm syndrome the audience was so unresponsive he actually had to stop and ask if they knew what Stockholm syndrome is....sadly, most did not.

Now the stage was set for the headliner, Darren Frost. Frost took the stage and immediately scared the crowd awake with a loud barrage of expletives, reminding us that this is indeed an x-rated show, and he was, as he says, "just getting started". Frost's angry, in your face style makes me wonder if this is a stage persona, or if he is in fact, as he puts it "dead inside".

One word of advice, if you want to earn yourself a free dvd of Darren Frost's comedy, and don't mind being the target of his venom, go ahead and sit up front...if you dare.

Overall, despite the young crowd who at times seemed more interested in taking pictures of one another with their camera phones, it was a solid and very funny show. I recommend you head down to Yuk Yuk's at 292 Elgin St. and check out three very talented comedians. These three deserve a crowd who appreciates smart, fun, and solid comedy. And for the love of everything holy, please put away your damed cell phones.

Frost, Mair and McGee can be seen until January 22. Call 613-236-5233 for reservations.

Josh Hayward
JH5 productions