Round 5: Descent

Last night another large crowd descended upon Yuk Yuk's Ottawa to watch local professional and amateur comedians vie for a chance to move on in the Steam Whistle Presents "Yuk Yuk's Pro Am Comedy Competition".  A full house for sure, and some of the crowd are a bit overly festive and have to be taught a few of the rules of a comedy club:

1. Turn off your blackberries.
2. Stop talking while performers on on stage
3. Sit down, this isn't a "stand in the back of the room blocking people's way and talking and reading our texts" kind of show.  It is a sitting and relaxing while you get entertained kind of joint!

Now that we have some etiquette reminders, let's get on with the show..................

Host and MC Dave Atkinson warmed up the crowd by discussing shawarmas and delivering on much of his great material!  He does a good job and the crowd is ready for the  competition!!  Starting it off was....

Doug Cheron.  A fixture around the comedy scene in Ottawa, he has a mix of dark, dirty and at times awkward material.  He begins by discussing the similarities between a money bank and a sperm bank, and moves on to discussing how  dating for him is like a belt around his waist.  Cheron's set was hit with many groans followed by tepid laughter.  The crowd is unsure what to think, but give him great applause at the end.  Out next is.......................

Brad Sproule.  Sproule comes out stronger than I have seen him before.  He discusses the  many ways he makes others awkward at dance recitals and delivers  most of his material to great response.  There is a small section where the laughter slows down a bit, but he picks it back up for a good finish.  Out next is....

Nick Flores.  Oh, Mr. Flores, how I deplore your rape joke, but I am alone on this, the audience LOVES it!  Florence has the chance to go far in comedy.  He has the right mix of darker material mixed with charm and personality.  He is young, and unafraid to do jokes on rape, the holocaust, and more.  He even refers to one joke as "his retarded cousin".  He is popular with the crowd, and leaves them happy and cheering!  Out next is..........................

Kamar Haragon.  Haragon focuses on darker material himself such as how large his penis is, and the hygienic challenges of bar soap.  Haragon performs a joke about Asians that the crowd does NOT like, but otherwise he is very well liked and his material hits some good laughs.  When done out comes last amateur of the night...........

Brian Wherrett.  He is very new to comedy and has some cleverly written material on subjects starting with his appearance and moving to some other observational material.  He is a bit monotone and quiet and stage presence is not at it's peak; however, this would explain lots of people just beginning comedy! If he keeps performing it will come, and he has the intelligence in writing already, so look out for Wherrett in the future!

Atkinson then moves straight into the professional comedians.  Out first comes..............

Peter Gunstra.  Gunstra is a staple at Yuk Yuk's Ottawa, and wows the crowd with his jokes on sex rehab, clever takes on penis size and ring toss, and pregnant alcoholics.  My favourite Gunstra line is "who stole the front door?"!  He does a solid job and leaves to great applause.  Out next comes...................

Matt Carter.  Carter is fresh off his appearance at Just For Laughs in Ottawa, and expectations are high.  He does not let the crowd down, with his jokes including how to best get rid of a cell phone, and how to get a free baby!  It is also happy for the lady folks in the audience to learn that the good looking young man is not in fact gay.  Carter leaves to a very satisfied audience, and out comes......................

Wendi Reed.  Reed is a veteran of the Ottawa comedy scene and delivers a solid set.  She has an original voice, and begins with some rowdier stuff and ends with discussing dating a First Nations man.  She has some newer material on the price of inflation and about a foster child in the Dominican Republic.  Reed is a great comic, and the crowd is delighted!

Overall the show was great, but only three advance:

Amateurs:

Nick Flores and Brad Sproule

Professionals:

Matt Carter

Congratulations to all who made it through, and to those who made it out.  Stand up comedy is a two way street, and without audiences to hear the comedy, there is no comedy to hear.  

Like what you heard here?  Don't like it?  Let us know in the comments below and you will be entered in a draw for free tickets to a Wednesday night show!

Until next week,

jenn hayward

JH5