2nd Hooters Comedy Review product reviews

Once again I found myself sitting in the elegant Regent Theatre not too sure what to expect. After all, these comedians consist of: a radio breakfast show host, an ex-TV show presenter, and a woman whose claim to fame is that she will make any bloke blush. "This," he said quietly to himself, "is going to be interesting..."

First on the stage, Mr Paul Ego... co-host of the breakfast show on The Rock radio station... familiar comedy raconteur for many years and winner of the 2000 Billy T comedy award... and what an opening act he turned out to be. It is said that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but this man can take it and make it high art, when he applies it to topics that capture everyone's attention. Audience interaction, comedic spins on current topics and events, and even a few snipes at famous people under the political spotlight... he had me laughing 'til I cried!

His audience interaction backfired a little when he confused our suburb of 'Highbury' with Auckland's snobby 'Devonport'... when a more accurate comparison would have been 'Otara, with less class'... but in a way his confusion and the juxtaposition made for better humour... not so much at the jokes working, but more with how far out they were. It was akin to someone describing a mountain search team sending in the rescue chihuahua, but describing it while thinking of a St Bernard. Had the locals in stitches.

Because of Paul, never again will I be able to ride in an aircraft and keep a straight face when the pilot comes over the PA, and I tell you, he'll never get near my fluffy towels on lawn-mowing day! By far, the funnuest 'old fart' on stage in New Zealand today!

After a quick intermission, it was time for Mr Jeremy Corbett to take centre stage. Now this man has been in the spotlight, be it on TV, radio or stage, for over 15 years. With local connections, it was easy enough for him to really engage with the audience...

His most memorable piece, for me, was when he attempted (successfully) to metaphorically compare male and female mentalities... "Women are like walking into the cockpit of a 747... while men are more like light switches... on or off, and sometimes not even that many options!" Everyone was howling with laughter during this patch, at least. Some of the humour didn't land, but as they say, you can't please all the people all the time, and Jeremy is a master at saving a cooling crowd.

Another quick break, time enough to grab a beer and jot down a few notes while the light were up... then time for the wild-card of the pack. The closing act tonight, a woman who's catch line is "a chauvinist's nightmare and a thinking man's wet dream..."... Jan Maree. I wouldn't agree actually. My interpretation of Jan Maree's performance was more along the lines of "What Billy Connelly would have turned out like if he had been born a Croation woman..." - rough, raunchy, no-holds-barred, and utterly unafraid to face every social taboo and challenge it to a drinking contest!

Recounting and revealing, her material was mostly autobiographical... and I tell you, I was SCARED to take up her challenge to "...meet me after the show at The Fish (a local watering hole she seems to have taken a fancy to) for a few drinks..." as made to the audience in general. Sure, she had me laughing, and laughing hard in places, but she also made a bit of a bad choice in closing material, especially considering some recent local events of a similar nature. Despite somewhat agreeing with her viewpoint, I honestly didn't think her close-out was a smart choice.

Overall, this is a great way to blow $40 and 3-4 hours of your Friday evening. If you need a stress-release, or just appreciate a good side-splitting howler of an evening, you'd be hard pressed to find a better option than a night at Hooter's Comedy Review. With more to come, and a constantly shifting array of talent each show, you should keep an eye on the local promoters' websites for details. The logo is unmistakable, and you should be safe finding details via the Shaggy Dog Promotions website. Go on, give your giggle gland a decent work-out! Kiwi comedy at it best... and you can still enjoy a beer or three!*

* May not be true for all venues.