Lafflines are Sexy

I'm a huge fan of comedy. Not like the Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell popcorn flicks, but the actual craft of preforming comedy. I listen to a number of podcasts each week that feature current comedians who discuss their art and showcase new characters they've created. If you're in to this kind of thing, definitely check out Scott Aukerman's "Comedy Bang Bang."

So being a comedy fan, I was super stoked to see that E&A had included a comedy night on their March calendar of events. I had attended the comedy show at Havana's back in November, and it was hilarious!

This month's comedy outing was at Lafflines, in New Westminster. A bit of a trek, since I live downtown, but the venue was a block from the SkyTrain, so no problems getting there.

I kinda thought it would be held in a bar-like atmosphere, but Lafflines runs their shows at the Columbia Theatre's, Baby Grand Room. It's sort of a throwback to the dinner-and-a-show days; The venue had a definite Rat Pack vide.

Thinking we were headed to a bar, I was casually dressed - a bit too casually. I should have paid more attention to the calendar post. They always have an appropriate attire box, but I was in a rush and forgot to check it before leaving the house. But it wasn't really an issue.

When I arrived, I was surprised to find that Events and Adventures had reserved three large tables at the very front of the room, right next to the stage. It was a full turnout, but being a comedy show and fearing ridicule, the seats closest to the mic were the last to go.

I sat down at one of the tables and immediately started talking with the group. There were few members I knew from other events, but most were new and everybody introduced himself or herself. We ordered drinks and food and the laughter started early.

Forty-five minutes later, our host for the evening, Alycia Cooper, came to the stage. She had flown in from Baltimore to do a number of shows over the weekend. She was black and did a number of jokes about how easy it was for the club's owner to pick her up at the airport (since Vancouver's African-American demographic is a little thin). She also mentioned, a number of times, how she gets mistaken for Oprah.

Alycia informed us that the comic lineup for the night would consist of a mix of semi-professionals and amateurs. Amateur night can sometimes be a train wreck, so having some semi-pros there was a smart move.

The comics that followed all got laughs, but some more than others. I think in total, there were about a dozen performers. My favourite was a young amateur named River. He was super awkward, but in a hilarious sort of way. He looked kind of like a skinny bearded snowboard bum. His jokes were refreshingly raw and there was something about his timing that made him standout.

Some of the other comedians were pretty vulgar, notably 'Dirty Uncle' and an older lady who had a mouth like a sailor. Some used notes and some had more polished routines.

One young comic made a few masturbation jokes and then commented that his mother had come down to the show. "Well mom," he said, "I guess you now know why I took all those twenty minute showers." But Alycia, came back with the best line: "Son, there isn't a mother out there that doesn't know what you boys do during those twenty minute showers." 

That brought down the house.

I ended up taking the SkyTrain home with another member and we laughed the whole way.

The next morning I butchered at least ten of the jokes telling them to my friends. I don't think I am gifted with the craft.