San Francisco Bathhouse
January 24 | Reviewed by Diane Spodarek

The Wellington Comedy Club presented two of the 2008 Billy T Nominees, Steve Wrigley and The Lonesome Buckwhips, hosted by MC Benjamin. Transforming the space with tables and candles for this standup event was audience friendly. But you have to book a table in advance or sit on the side, which is okay unless like my friend, Kazz Funky Blue, you have nowhere to put your drink and wedges.

Wedges? That is funny to a North American like me because we call them fried potatoes. Or French fries. That is until the Iraq war in 2003 when France would not support the US, and in retaliation some restaurants changed the name of this carcinogenic food favorite to Freedom Fries. That’s funny too. Why? I don’t know. Eating grease-soaked potatoes named freedom as a patriotic act is just silly.

Comedy must be the hardest art form. The best comedians just tell the truth. We laugh despite ourselves, sometimes we feel uncomfortable and are relieved some one is saying what we know, what we feel. Like Lenny Bruce in the U.S. He wrote about everything, calling his scripts “bits.” In 1964 he went to jail on an obscenity charge. But that was just an excuse, Lenny was a political artist and, after all, he was Jewish; and, he was jailed the same year the US passed the Civil Rights Act. Bruce died two years later at the age of 40 from an apparent accidental drug overdose.

What truth? Whose truth? The three acts at the San Francisco Bathhouse have their own truths to tell. Is crossing a boundary enough? Is shattering a common belief funny because you don’t expect it? A sample: Benjamin revved up the audience talking about himself. He’s bald and says appearance is in the eye of the other. He’s seen as a skinhead in Hamilton but in Wellington he’s a Buddhist or a cancer victim (pause for timing), “both of which are equally annoying.” True? Insensitive? Funny?

Is 9/11 funny? How many years had to pass before people would – or could – laugh at this horror? 9/11 Benjamin says are just “Palestinians’ funniest home movies.” Insensitive? Racist? Funny?

Can you laugh at the flying body parts of poor Africans? (a song by The Lonesome Buckwhips) What about midgets? (Even the name midget is politically incorrect. They prefer little people to midget and dwarf.) Steve Wrigley walks across the stage bent over trying to iron a shirt on the floor while singing “hi ho hi ho.” He freaked when he saw a real midget at immigration in Los Angeles standing on a chair below a sign that said “no jokes.” He was afraid that Wizard of Oz jokes would fly out of his mouth and only managed to keep it shut by imagining being strip searched with little midget fingers up his arse. Funny?

Wrigley began his set by threatening to talk about his cock for a half hour. Thankfully, he had other material. And judging by the audience’s reaction, it was all welcome and funny. Men like to talk about their cocks and butt holes. I’m not a big butt hole fan, but judging from audience reaction, I’m in the minority. What is humour anyhow? What is so funny about butt holes? On the way home, my friend Kazz, who is a Kiwi said, “that’s Kiwi humour – always has been – we are politically incorrect when it comes to humour. We like to take the piss out of anything and everything, so it’s racist, sexist, you name it, and we will laugh at it.” Fair enough. However, I’m curious, is nothing sacred? Is everything up for grabs? Maybe butt holes are really funny and I’m missing out on some great laughs.

Relationships are funny. Guys get the big laughs when they claim to not have a clue about women, as if they are a mystery that will never be solved. I am happy to solve this mystery right now. Pay attention Steve: The secret to getting a girlfriend, and keeping a girlfriend is simple: Be kind and Be Clean. That’s it. Wrigley is funny, very funny, and he looks good on stage, knows how to work an audience, knows how to be timely, and draws the audience into his butt hole world, asking questions, using their responses for spontaneous bits to the delight of all. He just needs a better wardrobe, like the one in his publicity shot, it might give him better material in the relationship department.

The Lonesome Buckwhips are a different comedic act. They are four musicians with what appears to be a strong theatrical background. They perform original material with very clever lyrics, taking turns telling secret and sordid stories about their lives (such as brother shagging sister). As characters, they entertain with their own form of truth on what it is like to come from a small town and have no other choice but to shag your brother or go to war. They are: Miriama Ketu, Arthur Meek, Gareth Williams, and Ben Hutchison. Their sound is more pop than country with a steady, foot-stomping rhythm from keyboards, violin, and two guitars, one acoustic, one electric. All members play well and all sing beautifully. They work the songs mindful that there is an audience who is listening to every lyric. They are in control, spontaneous and never scream. There is too much screaming in the arts, in particular on the stage, both in Wellington and New York. It’s always phony, forced and boring, unless of course you are Sid Vicious.

Comedy must stay on top of the pulse that drives people to live, work, play and have compassion for each other. From the ‘get go’ comedians say, “I’m funny” and the whole world says, “Oh yeah? Prove it!” Are these three acts funny? Yes, I laughed out loud many times. Are they distasteful? Most definitely. What is funny? Is today any different from Lenny Bruce’s time, a time before everyone in the San Francisco Bathhouse was not even born yet – with the exception of yours truly of course. We must support those who play the comic card, because without them, there will be censorship. Whether self-imposed or from the outside – either way, it’s still censorship. Some of us (like in North America) already feel like we are trapped in 1984. (Hey someone tell George Bush 1984 is a novel, not a how to manual!). Is that funny? Is it true?

Benjamin says Wellington is exploding with comedic talent and it’s time the community had it’s own comedy venue. The audience agreed. So, support our local comics. Go to wellingtoncomedyclub.com for details. Benjamin says, “tell your friends about the Comedy Club, and if you don’t spread the word, drink and drive!”