Round 7: Drama in the Semi's

There was nothing but great comedy mixed with a little melodrama to make the first semi-final round exciting!    Before I let you know the deets, here is a reminder of how the scoring works.  There are judges, and each of these judges score the comics on four elements.  Then all four scores make a total score out of 100.  All four judges total scores are tabulated and averaged out, making one final score.  The judges do not talk to each other about what score to give, it is 100% their opinion on how the comic did in each of the areas.  If one comic is deemed to be original they may get a higher score in that area, but maybe the audience response was lower.  And so on and so forth.   Now you are up to date on the hard work the judges must perform, let's get to the show!


The show began with the timid and quiet Alex Wood as MC.  Kidding about the timid and quiet, Wood jumped on the stage and woke the crowd up with his electric  energy and voice.  Although he looked like he just rolled out of bed and put on the first undershirt he could find, he is always one of the best comics around.  Put a clean shirt on him, and this kid is going to go far!  Wood warms the crowd up, and introduces the first comic of the night................


Nick Flores, who lacks the energy of Wood (everyone does) but gives a great performance.  He starts off by discussing his first winter in Canada, and moves on to discussing having a Nazi as a lab partner.  Flores has a gentle style and is charming to watch.  The audience listens, laughs and cheers wildly when he is done.  Well done Flores!  Out next comes....................


Kris Kingsbury, a Calgary native.  Kingsbury has a relaxed style, hand in his pocked, and starts by discussing DQ Strawberry Milkshakes.  He then mimed out trying to suck out the little strawberry bits, obviously trying to make it look like fellatio.  Half the crowd loves it, but alas, he has his back to the other half so they don't get to see his expert skills.  He moves on to discussing MSN Chat, 3D TV for porn and the KKK.  He does great, but goes over his time significantly, a no no in comedy.  Likely because he was excited and nervous, but regardless, and crowd loves him and then it's time for..............


Paddy Mack!  He starts by saying "any hockey fans" here?  (we are in Canada Paddy, way to take a risk).  :)  He then moves on to some risky material about heaven and the dude who gives up pubic hair for lent.  The crowd likes it and the risk pays off.  He moves to some other material about dogs and his sympathy for toilet seats.  Great job Mack, a local rising star!  Next out comes..........


Skip Phillips, who gives one of his greatest performances.  Very solid delivery and great stage presence.  He does choose to do jokes about Vanier, a fairly generic topic, but gives a unique spin with pimped out bikes.  One notable line is "etch a sketch for a GPS".  He  then discusses doughnut breath, intervention, and his riskiest material, Cleveland Steamers.  Everyone enjoys the performance, but dark materials is always a risk with judges.  Good for Skip for taking the risk, because people enjoy him very much!  Then comes................


The charming Matt Watson.  He charms while discussing his sister's sex texts, Lucy the worst customer ever, and how he hates his job as a waiter.  Perhaps the audience is made up of people who have been servers in past lives because they all get his jokes and hoot and holler as if they have been there!  He discusses a zen garden and gets huge chuckles and then goes into a rant on how much harder it is to ask women out.  This rant seals him a place as the front runner because he at this time seems unbeatable!  The last amateur is................


Chris "Guy" Timms.  He has interesting family dynamics which make for good comedy.  His sister is the best hide and seek player around.  He discusses the war amps and his dad, how drinking is fun, and boldly states "I am a lot like Jesus", possibly the most interesting line of the evening.  Not a religious crowd so whew, thought we might have another John Lennon situation here!  He ends on his continually improving bit on hockey and ends strong.  The crowd digs him!


Wood comes out and does some more killer jokes, and keeps the energy strong.  The professionals are next, of which their are three:  Matt Carter, Trevor Thompson, and Geoff Mackay.  While watching all three, I assess them in my head.  By assess I totally mean judge them.  One by far is the most charming, one by far has the most original material, and one has the best dlievery.  I won't say which is which, but I am saying the judges have their work cut out for them.  


Carter has a good voice for comedy, and the highlights are his jokes on Afghanistan.  Thompson hits the stage with local life about buses, student rivalries and hippies with better business sense than him.  MacKay  riffs on burnt toast, Australia, Baby on Board signs, and our current justice system.   They all do good, and before I give the results I will say that it was CLOSE.  So close we ended up with a tie!  Drama, a tie, oh what to do........


Peter Gunstra hits the stage while two people tabulate the judges scores.  Two people folks, two people.  Then the results are in and.......................


Amateur:  Flores, Timms, and Watson move on!


Professional:  The tie brings Carter and Thompson to the stage!


Friends, you do not want to miss the finals!  Tonight was one of the best nights of comedy on a Wednesday, and the finals will be THAT MUCH BETTER!  Space will go soon, so reserve your spot now to cheer for your favourites!  236-LAFF.  Tell them JH5 sent ya!


Until next week........


Jenn H. 
JH5

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

Round 1: Beginnings

Today began the Steam Whistle Presents "Yuk Yuk's Pro Am Comedy Competition" sponsored by Live 88.5 and Steam Whistle.  There will be six rounds, each with professionals and amateurs competing in their respective categories.  How did it go?  Let's find out..............................


The first night had five amateurs and three professionals competing.  The amateurs sat in the green room going over notes, pacing, and looking generally nervous.  Of course they would be, as the top two advance to the semi-finals with a chance to win a coveted weekend spot at Yuk Yuk's Ottawa.   This is what all amateur comedians dream of as their next step to super stardom, or whatever their goals are.  The professionals look calm, cool, and collected!


Three judges are in the house tonight, all representing various marketing and media sources.  They are left with their judging criteria sheets, and the show begins with...............


"A Good Start" Trevor Thompson takes the stage as respected host and MC.  If you don't get the "A Good Start" quote, all I can say is 'should have been there!"  Thompson never fails and tonight is no exception.  He attempts to engage some women in the audience who will not participate and giggle a lot, and then turns to some of his "A" material, to the crowds delight.   He explains the rules and is ready to get the show going by introducing the first amateur of the night...........


Mark Adamson takes the stage.  It is never easy to bite the bullet and be the first person, but he does and comes out with enthusiasm.  He has a bit of a slow start, but wins the audience over with tales of fatherhood and what he will do to future men courting his daughter!  When done, Thompson comes out and brings out................


Mark Nesseth, who has a spot on Christopher Walken impression.  Nesseth goes on to do material that is a general hit with the crowd.   He has a very polished voice, and looks like he is comfortable on stage.  He leaves the audience satisfied and next up is..............


Derek McFarland who brings his funny, with a polished and unique voice. Highlight joke is discussing ear worming Walmart with Mario Brother tunes!  Out next is...........


Francois Tousignant, who brings a heavy French accent and explains he has only been performing in English for a little while.  His English is very broken but  his jokes are not.  He charms the audience with many jokes including the difference between France and Quebec accents, as well as hilarious bit I won't mention as it will spoil the joke, but violence has never been so charming!  Thompson then brings out............


Paddy Mack who  takes on religion with crass and charm, then turning the set on to tried and true material about eleven years of marriage.  This material plays well to all, but his comment "and I mean real marriage not this common law bull S#@t" is a big hit with the couples in the room.


The amateur portion is over and while judges tabulate filler Aaron Power takes the stage and, well he will be recapped when he is on during the competition.  I must say at this point that when the competition is laid out like this, with amateurs then professionals, a shift occurs.  Everyone is enjoying the show with the amateurs.  Some hits, some misses, some really heavy laughter, and everyone is having fun.  Then out comes the professionals, and the difference is palpable.  This does not take away from amateurs, nay in fact, this professional status is what they are all working so hard for!  The shift does occur, and it is like the audience has a really tasty burger and fries for dinner, and SUPRISE; out pops creme brulee for dessert!


The first dessert is Graham Kay, who starts off talking about his hair, and delivers a killer set.  Everyone enjoys it.  Then comes Wafik Nasralla who also delivers zing after zing from topics such as pot to necrophilia   Thirdly comes Greg Schroeder who brings his experience as a father and teacher to the stage in a fabulous performance.  The judges has their work cut out for them!


Let's cut to one caveat here:  No one likes comedy competitions, except those who end up winning.  Like any art form, it is subjective and although their are specific winners, there are no losers.  Let me say that again:  THERE ARE NO LOSERS.  Anyone brave enough to get on stage and have the guts to perform is a winner for trying and giving it their all.  This is what was clear tonight; that each person gave their 110% and to push performers to up their ante and their game is exactly why competitions are good.  Getting people to compete, even with themselves will push them to do the best they can.  If they do the best they can then they are not losers, and no one should walk away feeling bad after a competition.  Bravo to you all!  All that said, the winners are.............


Amateur:  Francois Tousignant and Paddy Mack
Professional:  Graham Kay


These folks will all move on to the next stage in the competition.  What I love about comedy is no matter how you place, you are still out having a drink or singing a karaoke tune together when done.  Comedy is a world made up of people with like minded interests getting together for the love of a craft.  Win or lose, the night was great and the real winners, as always, are the audience members who received an excellent show.


Thank you to Yuk Yuk's as always for hosting and producing great comedy.  I can't wait until next week!  If you go to our facebook page Yuk's passes for future shows!


Pass this review/recap on, and get reservations for next week show, which is already half sold out!  Do not miss out, so call 236-LAFF (5233) to reserve your spot today!


Until next week,


Jenn H.
JH2 of JH5

Yuk Yuk's: March 24, 2011

 Yuk Yuk's on Thursday night, house is three quarters full with a very subdued crowd.  The evening began slowly, but picked up as the night went on.  The comedians had to work exceptionally hard to get this crowd energized.


Bryan Hatt is the MC for the evening.  Hatt worked hard to 

Hatt

engage audience, but they just were not biting.  Hatt has a cheeky self depreciating comedy about being older, overweight, and single.  He got very chummy with "Spike", a gentleman in the front who was on a date.  Hatt eventually managed to endear himself with audience and received some solid laughs.


Opening performer was a local rising star, Peter Grunstra. Grunstra was faced with an unresponsive audience, and needed to dig in bring his "A" Game.  Grunstra 

Grunstra

did just that, and was by far the highlight of the show for this audience.  Grunstra immediately had the audience laughing at his witty observations about his appearance, then moving to comments on subject ranging from being a single guy,  to a proposed male version of Hooters.  Grunstra has a charming personality and a strong stage presence, making him truly fun to watch.

Josol

Headliner Ron Josol then took the stage. Josol is Asian-Canadian and describes himself as a rarity in the Canadian comedy scene, stating he is "like an onion ring found in your french fries".  Josol gets some big laughs, on his jokes about Culture shock, being raised by immigrant parents, asian stereotypes and parents with poor Engrish. 
Then the second half of his act deteriorated into old/predictable jokes about penis/sex, men are sex addicts/women are teases, men want sex/women want money.  The crowd enjoyed the jokes, but the momentum was lost in the room.  Josol then went on to discuss how hot chicks are bitches, which played well to many of the young single men.  
While this isn't necessarily JH5's type of comedy, it does appeal to others.  


This show receives a  What to Watch.  Bryan Hatt's jokes are solid, Gunstra was a crowd pleaser, and the first half of Josol's set was exceptionally good.  For this, we recommend you get out and see the show this weekend.  


Josh Hayward

JH5

Absolute Comedy: March 24, 2011

Thursday March 24, Absolute Comedy
Geoff Mackay/ David Acer/ Ali Hassan/ Dave Paterson


Host Dave Paterson came to the stage with a big smile and rosy cheeks, then proceeded to compare women to chicken wings- very accurately. The crowd loved his easy going personality and jokes about how much he cheats on his girlfriend (in her
dreams).


Next up was Geoff Mackay, a local comic, who never fails to impress the audience. The crowd responded very well to his joke about the ‘baby on board’ signs on cars and he ended on a tale about homosexual sky diving.


Ali Hassan arrived on stage and began his set with a bolt of energy. At one point he pretended to have a small penis for the sake of a joke, but then clarified after the punch line. His stories about eggs and testicles were a great success.


When David Acer came to the stage, he didn’t waste any time. He immediately put his crotch into a man’s face and everyone fell in love with his relaxed style and hilarious material. Mid-set, he began to reminisce about a joke he told a few minutes prior. Acer was clearly a professional, his best jokes were his interactions with the crowd. He ended with a magic trick and left everyone in a great mood.


Absolute Comedy receives a What To Watch this weekend.  The crowd enjoyed the show, and left feeling they received their money's worth.


Sophie Buddle, Contributing Reviewer

WHO TO WATCH: JEN GRANT

The Fabulous Jen grant

Jen Grant preforming at JH5's Chickles

Twelve years ago, a young woman already experienced in the performance arts was asked to try her hand at comedy.  A friend supported her in her first endeavour with stand up, and helped her get the confidence to give it a try.  As Jen Grant hit the stage at a New Talent night, it was clear to everyone that she already had the stage presence to go far, and it was clear to Grant that she was already in love with the thrill of being on stage and making people laugh.

Throughout her 12 year road with stand up comedy, Grant has had a range of experiences; from throwing up before an important gig before performing 15 minutes of material to a silent and hostile audience, to flying to Egypt and Israel to perform for Canadian troops!  She has had these experiences, and everything in-between.

Grant was scared her first time on stage, but performed quite well.  Given her experience in Second City Acting classes, she had and still has a natural ability on stage.  When watching Grant you see an extremely talented stand up comedian who flows from joke to joke with the ease of regular conversation.  She performs on average four times per week, and no longer feels the jitters on stage.

Grant’s process for developing material is to get inside her head, isolate, and try it on stage.  She states there is no other way to find out if a bit works than to try it a few times.  Grant’s peers actively challenged and pushed her to improve her craft, and with focus and hard work she has evolved into an amazing performer.  Her advice to new comics is to separate yourself from your material, no matter how personal.  One thing she never engaged in, and advises aspiring comedians to never do a ‘hackey’ joke just to get a laugh.  This can become habit, and it is better to write and find your own voice and be confident in who you are.

Grant started out in Ottawa, but now lives in New York City.  She comes home regularly to visit family and perform for her home town.  She also enjoys performing with some of her colleagues in the business, such as Don Kelly, Wendi Reed, Julien Dionne, Alex Wood, and Martha Chaves among others.  It is in Ottawa she is truly home, performing sold out shows to audiences who can’t get enough of Jen Grant.  You can watch her act many times over and there is always laughter!

One experience Grant shares is performing for the troops in Egypt.  The English speaking Canadian troops totalled 25, out of an audience of 200.  Most of the other performers on the tour were singers and dancers.  Grant went on stage, gave the performance of her life to entertain the hard working Canadian men and women, who responded with laughter and applause.  The rest of the non-English speaking audience thought Grant was just a long winded woman introducing the next dancing act!  It is a good thing she is attractive as well, or this crowd of non-speaking individuals may have gotten a bit rowdy!  These experiences she has in life could only have been brought to her through her hard work, determination, and natural skill.

Grant loves performing comedy, and thinks the best thing about comedy is that she doesn’t work in an office, confined to cubicles.  She knew from an early age that she was creative and free and needed to find a career to match this.  The challenge to being a full-time comedian is the instability of the lifestyle.  To make it as a comedian, it requires sacrifice and determination, along with time on stage.  Jen travels across North America to a variety of audiences.  This must be done to work consistently and wait for the “big break”.

In an ideal world, in ten years Grant will  be the biggest star anyone has ever seen or an organic farmer in Wakefield, Quebec.  She jokes, but she is talented, hard working, and ambitious, and will likely end up far in this business.

Grant is still a young woman, and has an amazing career ahead of her.  JH5 is proud to present Jen Grant as the first “WHO TO WATCH’ segment, and rest assured, when Grant is in town, JH5 will let you know.  If you have not had the pleasure, you are in for a wonderful treat.

Review Yuk Yuk Comedy Club February 17, 2011

The Thursday night crowd at Yuk Yuk Comedy Club (Elgin location) has mixed ages. Interestingly enough, the back is filled with interactive, enthusiastic university students, while the front is filled with a few hard to read bureaucrats and a ninety nine year old who looks confused to be there. The MC for the night has his work cut out for him. As Dave Atkinson takes to the stage, he immediately warms up the front row while thoroughly entertaining the partying crowd at the back.

Atkinson has a natural ability on stage, and allows witty banter with ease. There is a birthday in the crowd, and Atkinson spends time engaging a hard working 34 year old who works for the military. Atkinson's ability to take that small bit of information into a plethora of jokes is inspiring. Atkinson is energetic and has the crowd of all ages relaxed, laughing and ready for the next act.

The next comic is John Ki, an Asian comic, (if you can't tell, he reminds you continually through his act, to great laughs.) Ki is extremely laid back in his comedy style, but keeps the energy going through the audience's laughter. He begins talking about growing up in a small town in Ontario, and the racism that exists, and receives great laughter mixed with outrage and how horrible this town sounds! Ki then moves to tried and true material of men vs. women. The audience is at first hesitant, as this type of comedy can be contrived and overused, but Ki takes it in a new and hilarious direction, appealing to both genders. He then moves on to telling the audience how hard it is to be a man (what?) but he has a few good and hilarious points, and moves on to questioning the stress levels of 12 year olds. Much of this material is new, and it plays well with this audience.

Atkinson then introduces the headliner, Ojibwa comic Don Kelly. Kelly immediately speaks of the diversity of the performers tonight (Asian, Aboriginal, and laid back potentially high white man) and questions if Yuk Yuk's is working towards a Cultural grant, and hopes they are going for new carpeting. The crowd responds very well, and all look to the floor to see the cement. The crowd then simultaneously loses energy, it is Thursday night past nine o'clock, and Kelly has to work to get their energy back up. He does this with ease, and enjoys some "banter" with the aforementioned 99 year old. Kelly ask him his name, and he yells "I used to work you know", and the confusing banter continues onward until Kelly leaves the lovely elderly gentleman to his nachos. The crowd enjoys this interplay and is fully awake and back with Kelly. Kelly belts out his marriage jokes, some native jokes, and a topical Bev Oda that comes off the top of his head! Kelly is flawless in his set, interacts with the audience and leaves them fully satisfied.

The show is well received by this audience, and the three unique voices of Atkinson, Ki, and Kelly compliment each other nicely. By far this is the easiest recommendation for "WHAT TO WATCH" and you are advised to make reservations and see this amazing show.

For reservations contact Yuk Yuk's at (613) 236-5233

JH2 (Jenn Hayward)

Blogger and JH5 owner

WHO TO WATCH

Something exciting is afoot! As most of you know, Fridays we post a recap, a review if you will, of the shows at Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club, and Absolute Comedy Club. This gives you, the readers a view of "WHAT TO WATCH".

We are excited to launch "WHO TO WATCH" coming at you on Mondays, starting February 21rst. While WHAT TO WATCH is subjective, and really more a recap of the show, WHO TO WATCH is us interviewing our favourite comedians, and those involved in the comedy business! While we at JH5 focus mostly on female comedy, we will highlight some of the guys we like! (Don Kelly, Trevor Thompson, and one of those Carter boys are just to name a few)

Why are we doing this? If you have read any of our previous posts, you will see that we, all of us at JH5, LOVE comedy. We love to watch comedy almost as much as we enjoy "smooching" with our spouses. (almost) We want to help energize the Ottawa community about comedy, and highlight those working hard on their craft, to give a bit of spotlight to them. We average 100 people per day on our site (let's make it more people!!) and we take 10 of those away for our mom's who are so proud, that they continue to click our site to see if we mentioned them. (trust us, if we mentioned them the comedy would STOP). We want this readership to grow, and help Ottawa become excited about comedy! We want to let you know who we like, and will have a Q & A with our faves, updating weekly! Perhaps this is just the comedian you have been looking for at one of your events? We will also provide their booking information!

So tune in here, bright and early Monday mornings, for WHO TO WATCH! Do you have a fave. that you want us to interview? Then post it in the comment section! We will do comics not in Ottawa as well, pending their desire to be interviewed. Our one rule on "WHO TO WATCH" is that we must have seen them live ourselves. We will not interview someone we have not watched live, because live is where it's at baby, and live is what we are promoting here at JH5!

See you on the 21rst where we have our first WHO TO WATCH with our red headed comedy Goddess, Jen Grant!

As always, thank you for your support, and spread the word that JH5 is the best place to find out about comedy in Ottawa, and hopefully soon in all of Canada!

Review Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club February 10th, 2011

Kristeen von Hagen

Not sure what to expect when the theme for the show is “Love Court”, but the audience is ready and enthused. The MC for the evening was none other than Kristeen von Hagen, who has been hailed one of Canada’s Top 30 Power Women by Elle Magazine. Bouncing back and forth from clean TV friendly comedy, to edgier “after hours” television type material, von Hagen, had total control of the crowd right from the beginning of the show. She interacted well with the crowd during much of her opening set. von Hagen is a seasoned veteran and it shows.

Darrin Rose

The first “headliner” of the two proclaimed headliners Darrin Rose, a star of Video on Trial and NBC’s Last Comic Standing, which the crowd seems to embrace right from the get go. Rose, with his laid back attitude certainly seems to enjoy partying all the time. He must have mentioned partying in his set at least one hundred times. Rose had the crowd laughing right from the beginning of his set. His nice beard, nice trendy clothes and gold chain around his neck really seemed to make an impact with the young ladies in the crowd. His interactions with the crowd were fantastic. His style was different. Sometimes naughty while still keeping it clean all at the same time. The crowd enjoyed it very much.

EDDIE DELLA SIEPE

When Eddie Della Siepe walked on stage with slick greasy hair and his 4 foot 9 frame the audience seemed a little reluctant to laugh. They were not sure what to expect. The first couple of minutes of his set were touch and go. But five minutes into his set, something changed. He became a fabulous comedy force to be reckoned wiht. He was fabulous and the audience really embraced his boyish charm. Siepe has a knack of making the audience feel they are all part of the jokes.

All in all, a good show with a solid talent, everyone walks away with money well worth the show. Definiately a “WHAT TO WATCH” for Valentine’s weekend, and a special showing on Valentine’s Day.

To reserve tickets contact 613-236-5266 and be sure to say JH5 sent you!

Skip Phillips, contributing blogger

Absolute Comedy Review: February 10, 2011

COMEDY REVIEW Feb 10, 2011
ABSOLUTE COMEDY
DERICK LENGWENUS/JEFF SCHOUELA/PIERRE BRAULT

As always, Absolute Comedy is packed and the young audience is buzzing with anticipation. The lights flash on, the Eminem song stops and the feisty MC, Pierre Brault starts his ramblings. Brault did some top notch warming up, although the crowd was already pretty interactive. He spoke to the group of people that were going to Antarctica for some reason, and referred back to that country various times throughout his set. He spoke to the drunken girls, and even spoke to the girl in the front row who was not aware that comedy etiquette involves NOT texting throughout the entire show.

Pierre Brault then brought to the stage Jeff Schouela, and the audience is confused why a professional comedian acted so nervous. Maybe it’s just his stage persona? Or maybe he knew that –apart from his abbreviation jokes- a lot of his bits didn’t work for this audience. While some of his dirtier jokes did very well, I’m sure he’s had better shows.

The host popped back onto the stage, and at this point has started look like a garden gnome on cocaine (This is a big compliment. Gnomes are hilarious.). He describes how the Americans at customs pronounce his name; it was exceptionally funny and the crowd could not have agreed more.

Headliner time! The moment Derick Lengwenus walked onto the stage, everyone loved him. He propositioned a couple for a threesome, and his endearing personality made it acceptable for him to verbally destroy the texting girl in the front row. About half-way through his set, he did an impression of the female reproductive system. Describing it would not do it justice. He ended his set with a very original Christopher Walken impression, then proceeded to make amends with Texty McFrontRow by giving her his CD for free.

Overall a great night, and definitely a WHAT TO WATCH for this weekend. To make your reservations call 613-233-8000.

Sophie Buddle, Contributing Reviewer

New Talent Night Review: Feb 9th Yuk Yuks

Tonight I am being self-indulgent, and reviewing the local New Talent AKA Amateur night at Yuk Yuk Ottawa. Yuk Yuk's is always open to letting newbies try their hand at comedy on Wednesday nights alongside veterans trying out new materials. This is not normally the show for "WHAT TO WATCH" as the show is already done and you cannot watch it again. But, just for fun, let's do "WHO TO WATCH" for tonight.

First, let it be known that I am an amateur comic who has no business reviewing other comics. That said, I will be reviewing this from my view, which is a feminist world view. (yep, we are known for our wicked sense of humour).

Second, as I know most of these people, I am just having some fun with it. One thing I have learned is that comics don't like reviews. No one likes to have bad things said about them of course, but comics have this odd thing where they also don't know what to do with positive comments. Every time I compliment a comic they are like "um, yeh thanks, let's not mention this moment of niceness to anyone ever again". I have found this an odd enigma and a sign I am truly not a comic, as I LOVE it when people say nice things about me. I am narcissistic what can I say. All that said, let's bring on the reviews, which you are free to comment below how wonderful it is written and how much you love me ;0)

The show was MC'd by Dave Atkinson. Atkinson spends a good deal trying to warm the very COLD audience up. It appears a third of the audience are there to watch media darling....um.. Jimmy Cassidy. (more on that later) It is cold outside and the audience remains cold, until Atkinson slowly, with his charming smile and self-depreciating humour, wins them over. He gets the crowd now very warm (and they slowly de-robe their coats and mitts) and we are ready for act 1.

Dan Ciggy comes up. Ciggy has a good stage presence, has some charm, and his jokes are actually well written. Too bad he is a misogynist. This is not a judgement call, one of his jokes states "I hate women, especially those with babies". But he wins some of the audience over, so there you go. He has his own style. that's all I will say about woman hating Ciggy.

Up next is Phil...i mean Peter Gunstra. Gunstra FIRES off what seems like 100 new jokes, 1/3 doing well, 1/3 doing very well, and 1/3 hit and miss, but with any miss, he has a way of making you laugh at the miss. Gunstra reminds me of Steve Buscemi: they are both kind of funny looking with AMAZING talent. Gunstra is a pro who will go far.

Up next is mr. Racism himself Josh Williams. Williams does his regular routine on "hey i'm fat" and goes into routines about racism. Williams is NOT a racist, but does jokes about racisms that are racist but not racist, that make you laugh, then wonder if you should be laughing, but then realizing you are laughing a well written joke that is poking fun at Williams on stage character that is clueless that what he is saying is racist. If you don't follow that last train of words, go watch Williams, it is worth it for these jokes! (PS if i was not clear, williams is NOT a racist.) (but he is tubby, that part is true)

Up next is a young new whipper snapper Aaron Power. I have yet to confirm if that is his real name or not. Seems a bit too perfect for a performers name. Power has a young relaxed dude way about him, and has some decent writing. My favourite jokes are about the Wizard of Oz. Poingnet and timely I know. But funny nonetheless.

Out comes Dave McConnell, and well, if you like listening about dead animals (tonight both dog and cat) you are in the right place! McConnell is known as a dark no nonsense comic, and he continues to get groans turned laughter through his set. He knows who he is, is unapologetic and if you don't like him, well he tells you where to go. Always enjoy watching people squirm as they try to decide if they love him or hate to love him. He does well. (PS, you can follow him on Twitter @Davegenius.

Out comes Kamar Hargadman. I have no comment because, well i have no comment. not my fave.

They comes the man they all came to see, one Mr. Jimmy Cassidy. Cassidy swoons on stage looking like a better looking Conan O'Brien (Atkinson's reference) and he does well with his crowd. At the end of his set I am confused about his sexuality, and have decided to hit on him next time I see him to make sure. Cassidy does well, and then spends the next hour noisily in the green room being interviewed by his classmates for a school project. But he looks good and was funny, so that's okay.

Chris Timms comes out next, looking like a white Vanilla Ice wannabe, with a tude that says "hey, I am 25 and I am angry, because white men sure have it bad in the world". Timms has some funny jokes for sure, and it is obvious he is in love with Dave McConnell. Or at leasts admires him from afar in the comedy sense. In fact the crowd likes Timms, but he is talking about hockey so I don't get any of his jokes. But others laughed so good job Timms.

Then pops in....OMG OMG OMG. Don Kelly! Yes, APTN's own Fish out of Water. How exciting. The first time I met Kelly, I asked him for an autograph....for my kids. My kids sure love him and his show. One of my local faves, my absolute FAVE Aboriginal comic (if not my fave. Ojibwa period) I am excited a professional such as him it hitting the local stage. He is trying some new stuff out, likely for his headlining gig next week at Yuk's (be sure to read our review on his show next Friday). His new material sure makes him seem older than he is. He is confused about kids today and the social media and gunfare. oh silly don. He also starts early on roasting some of the comics. Kelly is one of the best, and effortlessly entertains the crowd. He is also now blushing reading this, but not as much when he handed over the autographs for my kids!

They comes Skip Phillips. Phillips is one of my reviewers for What to Watch. He's a bit rough around the edges tonight, but gets some good laughs. I am just thankful he did not discuss his testicles tonight. Phillips will be at Yuk's tomorrow night to review the show for Friday, so check it out here, then run to Yuks!

Out comes Rabbi David Rotenberg. I have seen Rotenberg before and have had to do some internet search on some of his jokes, further recognizing the lack of knowledge Aboriginal people have about the Jewish community and vice versa. So tonight I am ready, I have Wikipedia'd Hannukah and am ready to laugh. While Rotenberg is telling his first joke, someone yells out "yay Jews". Hmm, Rotenberg comes up with some funny lines about how their are anti-semites and apparently Jewish cheerleaders. He recovers and does well.

Ben Capaday comes out insulting deaf people, short people, and tries for dark humour, but well, no more comment. I do enjoy his joke on sweatshops, but I will just say dark humour is an art form of not crossing from humour to all out racist. I am not sure this line is firm with this young fellow. (why are all these young fellows so angry anyway?) But he is new and learning, and if he does not get jumped by a group of deaf midgets after the show, he might be back to try again.

Then comes, and ladies start swooning: Trevor Thompson. Thompson is as gorgeous as he is funny, and he knows how to charm the audience. He focusses on the lone male in the front, who seems transfixed by Thompsons comedic rants and staring at Thompson's crotch. Thompson is always a favourite with crowds and the young ladies, but tonight it is I who is the most entertained. Thompson comes out with a joke about mental health that I am STILL laughing at. Friggin Brilliant, and I hope this becomes a regular joke as his career soars.

So that was tonight. Overall a very good value for New Talent night. JH5 does not normally review New Talent night because it is just that: New talent mixed with those trying new material. We always recommend the weekend shows for truly polished amazing comedy, but there is something special about Wednesdays. You are there to witness new jokes, bad jokes, and new people. You are there to watch rising stars. And you are there to watch people so bad that it is funny to watch them try. When you look at tonight, which is loaded with pro's and pro/ams, I think the audience is happy. but think in three years: Tonight they may have watched one of Canada's biggest superstarts, trying out their new material which may later be seen on huge festivals and comedy specials. the young Aaron Power may be in ten years as polished and amazing as Kelly or Thompson. Or he may not, but how wonderful to find out! So come out to Yuk's on Wed. to support local talent. Get some wings, laugh at some jokes and know that one day you can say "i remember watching Thompson at Ottawa Yuk's".

Comedy rocks people, get on board.

Comedy Review Feb.4/2011. Absolute Comedy: LENGWENUS, McMANN, EVANS

COMEDY REVIEW Feb. 3^rd 2011: DERICK LENGWENUS/SCOTT McMANN/ANDREW EVANS
It’s Thursday evening at Absolute Comedy and it’s another sold out show.
The well oiled staff is making sure that everybody is seated properly and have their food and drink served to them before the show starts at 8:30pm. 

For the most part the audience was a hip young crowd.  The energy in the room was great.

 
The M.C. for the evening was Derick Lengwenus.  The moment he hit the stage the audience is struck by his professional sounding voice.  And his voice was not the only thing that was professional.  He showed great improvisational skills. He bantered with the audience, and had them eating out of the palm of his hand.  He has a clean style with some physical stuff that was brilliant.  The audience will never look at the female reproductive system in the same way!

First up was Scott McMann.  His presence on stage is strong, complete with a twisted deviant sense of humour that flirts with the line.   And that’s fun stuff.

The headliner is Andrew Evans, which was a true pleasure.  From his opening joke –referring to his personal appearance- he had the audience in stitches.  An instant hit.  This comedian is one of the best I have ever personally seen.  I, and the audience could have listened to him all night.  His humour is clever and he seems to always provide the audience with a unique and honest twist on whatever subject he presents.  Bravo!

If you need a good laugh this weekend?  Don’t miss this show.  FUN FUN FUN

Jean Taillefer (Contributing Blogger) 

This show can be seen at Absolute Comedy until Feb 3rd, 2011
412 Preston St.
Ottawa ON.
for reservations call: 613-233-8000

Why To Watch

Why Watch?

As JH1 and a guest blogger go out this evening to watch and review comedy in Ottawa to give you the scoop on "WHAT TO WATCH", I would like to take this evening to address Why to watch. Why spend your hard earned money on comedy? And Why is JH5 spending time money and energy on reviewing comedy for you? Why oh why oh why?

Firstly, as anyone who is familiar with JH5 and our shows knows, we are huge fans of stand up comedy. There is nothing like the feeling of sitting with a crowd of people and being part of a collective audience watching a performer slowly reveal their inner side, in a comical fashion. The new generation, they are used to You Tube and online media. They think that Dane Cook is "da bomb" (is that what kids say nowadays) and that they get just as much entertainment watching their internet than they do with live comedy. This is like comparing sparking apple cider to a Vintage wine, just waiting for you to open it, seducing you to taste it, this is live comedy. You can pop open any old cork of cider/you tube comedy, sure you may get a small sensation of taste, but their is little about the event that is memorable. With live comedy, you get to slowly caress the bottle (the MC), you pop the cork and pour just a little to get a little taste (opener) then you smell your wine, to make sure it is a good year and to get a good feel for it (middle act) and then you sip, and heaven slowly touches your tongue (headliner). When you are done the glass of wine, as when you are done with good live comedy, you leave a little more relaxed knowing that you have been part of something special, something that you will remember and maybe even talk about the next day.

This feeling of good comedy, it is an experience. Unfortunately, people may have attended an amateur show, or people just trying out comedy and have missed what good comedy is. To watch good comedy, you need to hit one of the clubs. Not every comic is for every person. I have my favorites, the styles I like etc., but even when it is not my taste, the enjoyment is still there. This feeling, this experience of live comedy (good live comedy) is what JH5 wants people to get excited about again. Ottawa and surrounding areas has access to good comedy every weekend. Every weekend folks, the clubs are there waiting for you to come so they can entertain you.

So why does JH5 do the reviews? Why can't we just tell you comedy is great, go on and watch? We as an organization, want to let you the potential audience, know what you are signing on for. We are not going as high class critic there to tear apart the headliner (unless deserved, but honestly the clubs put a lot of work into who their headliners are, so we are generally going with someone of talent). We go to show you the reader what to watch. We review 2 comedy shows and give you a feel for mood, tone, topics, dark/not dark, props etc . etc. We will let you know how the audience on Thursday night enjoyed the show. We want to give you as many tools as we can to make a decision to get out there and enjoy some comedy. We also want to highlight some good work being done. We want to let you know who some superstars are. As we expand our website and our comedy section, we wish to fill you in on some of our favorites. For example, this evening at Yuk Yuk's JH1 is out in the field watching Daryl Lennox (sure to be a great time) but will also have a chance to review and showcase one of our local faves, Alex Wood. (so adorable, you just want to pinch his cheeks!). Our guest blogger is over at Absolute Comedy reviewing Andrew Evans. We are not familiar with his work yet, but after tonight we and you will be.

So this is Why we do what we do. We want to excite people about live comedy again. We want to entice you to skip the lame movie and popcorn, and go out and support live art form that will give you an experience to take forward in your life. Just like that sip of wine, it lasts a definite amount of time, but the lingering effects, they want you to come back and experience different brands/types and to slowly learn to appreciate what separates good comedy (wine) from the Dane Cooks of the world.

So go out this weekend, and take a sip!

Jh2