Têtes à claques

I was talking with my distant cousin, Sylvain, recently and he pointed me in the direction of a site called Têtes à claques. According to my handy dictionary, that translates to “unpleasant faces,” which would pretty much sum up the look of the rather bizarre looking characters in these direct-to-web short comedic films. I kept forgetting to look up the site until this morning when I read an article online that announced that the folks at Juste Pour Rire had purchased the rights to these shorts and planned on selling them to various broadcasters all over the world. The creator of the shorts, Michel Beaudet, has maintained the rights for the internet, mobile phones and the Canadian and Quebecois television markets.

I took a look at the site and, to be quite honest, I’m not sure what I think about it. Part of the humour must come from the look of the characters, which are pretty much plastic figurines with Beaudet’s mouth and eyes spliced overtop to do the dialogue and the reactions, but I’m not sure how this has blown up into such a phenomenon. The site was launched in August and now gets about 250,000 visitors per day. That’s the sort of traffic ol’ Al could only dream of!

The most popular clip is a spoof of infomercials, advertising a the fictitious Willi Waller potato peelers. Just to give you an additional idea of the influence of this site, vendors in Montreal and area reported an increase in the sale of potato peelers during the Christmas season. There were many a happy Quebecois who found potato peelers in their stockings. Le monde est fou!

Anyway, if you’re a fan of short webfilms, then I encourage you to check out this site. Maybe one of my faithful readers can explain the appeal. Keep in mind, all the videos are in French at this point. They’re working on English versions, though, so when this is unleashed on an unsuspecting anglo audience, just remember where you saw it first! Til next time…

***UPDATE: Jan 25, 2007*** Alright, I took another look at the site and a few more of the clips. It's funnier than I first gave it credit for. Not every one's a winner, but there are plenty that are good! When I first made this posting, I doubted that I'd bother checking it out again, but now I can say that I'm becoming a fan. Til next time...

the Louis-José Houde experiment

I'm trying a little experiment here. Having seen the nifty clips that others have managed to include in their blogs, I thought I would try and do the same. I've attemped to link to a short clip of the stand up comedy of Louis-José Houde. Those of you who've seen the film Bon Cop Bad Cop will remember him as the fast talking coroner, Jeff.

He seems to be pretty much everywhere at the moment. Definitely one of the "in" Quebecois comedians at the moment. So sit back and enjoy this little experiment. By the way, it's in French, so I apologize to those readers that don't understand the language. Til next time...

Bon Cop, Bad Cop

I’m back in Montreal after a two week, self-imposed exile in London, Ontario. I think it would be pretty hard to find a city of comparable size with LESS to do than there is in my hometown. Mind you, it did host the LPGA Canadian Women’s Open last week, so I guess there’s some appeal. But for those of us who have no interest in golf, the town’s pretty dull. So once I got back to Montreal, I went out to catch a screening of Bon Cop, Bad Cop at the AMC Forum with Phil.

I had been to the Forum once before, but I guess I wasn’t really paying attention (amazing how often that happens, huh?) because it never even remotely occurred to me that I was standing on the hallowed ground of les Canadiens. It wasn’t until I saw the remaining block of old seating that the light bulb went on. Then Canadiena started jumping out everywhere… names of stores, the team logo, framed jerseys and memorabilia. Yep, Sherlock Holmes I am not.

So in retrospect, there was probably no better place for me to have seen this film. I’ll explain. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, because let’s face facts, it hasn’t gotten much press outside of Quebec (though admittedly more than the average Quebecois film), this is the first fully integrated, bilingual film in Canada’s cinematic history. The story follows the well-trodden path of Hollywood “buddy pictures” wherein two mismatched characters are forced to work together toward a common goal. In this case, it’s a Quebecois cop played by Patrick Huard and an Anglophone cop from Ontario, played by Colm Feore.

The average moviegoer in Canada will be hard-pressed to recognize either name, but I’m familiar with both their work. I can see why Feore was chosen. They would have had a rough time trying to cast that part had he refused. Mind you, that could have added a bit more hilarity to the mix. As it stands, I think they made the right choice. Huard, as co-writer of the screenplay, plays the Quebecois cop to the hilt. Considering he’s better known in Quebec as a stand-up comedian, he does an admirable job in the role.

The story is pretty straight forward: a serial killer has started systematically knocking off the powerbrokers in the professional hockey world that are responsible for selling off Canadian teams and players to the Americans. At first glance, it’s pretty cheesy, but I think that taking it at face value diminishes what Huard has come up with. The whole movie, from start to finish, pokes fun at Canadian stereotypes. When seen as a feature length farce/satire, one gains a greater appreciation for the whole production. There’s not a lot of subtlety there, but that’s the whole point. Part of the humour would be lost if no one caught the references.

The biggest question I have is whether the humour will translate outside the Montreal city limits. The language issue is one that, as Montréalais, we’re forced to confront on a daily basis, so we’re pre-conditioned to react to language-related situations. But what about audiences in Toronto? Will their complete obliviousness to the existence of the rest of Canada affect their senses of humour? Will the metro Toronto belief in the inherent inferiority of Canadian products (ranging from football to movies) transfer over in this case, as well? I guess we’ll find out in about a week since the Canadian release of the film is scheduled for the coming weekend, I believe.

I would be remiss in my commentary if I didn’t mention one more thing, in passing. I’ve cruised by some message boards to see the reaction of Francophones to the film and, though mainly positive, I did read remarks from those that believe the film is actually a Federalist vehicle, attacking the separatist movement by trying to demonstrate how people from the 2 main cultures in Canada can co-exist and work together. I think that’s pushing it a bit there. Movies should be a diversion—it’s an entertainment medium. Leave it at that. See the film for what it is: an enjoyable 2 hours. The only agenda this film has is to make a profit.

Here’s hoping that box office success will wake up the Canadian viewing public to the talent within our borders! Til next time…

In Conversation with John Cleese

Another Monday morning has reared its ugly head and, like many out there, I’m anxious for the next weekend to come. While I like my job, there’s something to be said for time off. And that, dear friends, is what I’m heading towards. By next week at this time, I’ll be sleeping in air-conditioned comfort back in the lovely Forest City of London, Ontario. Odd that I could be looking forward to going back there when I live in Montreal, but I’ve never claimed to be “normal.” Besides, the Just For Laughs festival will be over by then!

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending In Conversation with John Cleese. I figured that, if I was going to hit the festival, I should try to see one of the big names. And they don’t come much bigger than Cleese. The format of the show was pretty simple. Hosted by Ian Hanomansing, the show was essentially a live interview with Cleese, followed by questions from an eager audience. I’m not a diehard fan of Monty Python or Fawlty Towers, but I’ve seen enough of Flying Circus and the various films to have gained an appreciation for his work. That being the case, I imagine that I missed out on the significance of a variety of the topics about which he spoke.

I think that British comedy is more about the delivery than what’s actually being said. There’s just something about the dry sarcasm and quick wit that makes me laugh. That’s not to say that I enjoy all British comedy because, to be honest, it can be rather dry and I’m not always in the mood to pay attention. It seems to me that, if you’re not on the ball, you’re bound to miss something. The interview took somewhere in the neighbourhood of an hour, followed by a brief intermission and then questions from the audience. It was largely anecdotal, so I can’t really relate back too much of it, but I laughed.

One thing I do recall is that he believes comedy is becoming increasingly difficult because, as the envelope gets pushed further and further, there are fewer places to go with it. After all, we can’t go back to comedy from the 50s and expect it to garner the same laughs as it did at that point. Comedy is a reflection of a moment in time. What was funny at one point contributes to the evolution of what will become funny later on. Comedians (and to a lesser extent, writers) build on the works that came before them so, in that respect, sketch comedy owes performers like John Cleese a great debt.

All told, the interview lasted a bit under 2 hours, and I know the audience was disappointed when it ended. But that’s the way it goes, right? Had they not stopped it there, I’m sure the session could have gone on til the wee hours of the morning. At any rate, so ends my Just For Laughs experience—unless there ends up being more good Last Minute tickets available. Til next time…

Tim Minchin - Dark side

Alright, alright, alright. I’m addicted. I’ve admitted it. Are you happy now? Despite the oppressive heat that, thankfully, has recently broken, I love this time of year in Montreal, mainly because of the Just For Laughs festival (and Quebecois girls in skimpy outfits). I had originally planned to spend another quiet evening at home, perhaps doing dishes or watching TV, but mid-afternoon I decided to check the Last Minute Tickets section of the Just For Laughs site and see what was available. And lo and behold, I find that there are still seats available for Tim Minchin’s show! Guess I had plans after all, eh?

Like virtually all of the acts that I’ve seen thus far at the festival, I had no clue who this guy was, but the way I figure it, he wouldn’t be invited here all the way from Australia if he didn’t bring something to the table. The show wasn’t sold out, by any means, but that’s more an indication of his name recognition (or lack thereof) rather than the quality of the show. Minchin is a musician who manages to mix in some stand-up comedy along the way. It’s pretty clear to me that he’s spent far more time as a musician than a comedian, but he’s got potential. He won the Perrier Comedy award for Best newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005 to give you a bit more background.

Minchin spends a little over an hour singing about things like inflatable dolls, using canvas bags instead of plastic at the supermarket and the need for a good peace anthem for the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. While I can’t say I was doubled over in laughter throughout the show, I had a good time and would see him again. His quirky stage persona adds volumes to the show. Trust me, he’s just as bizarre as he seems from the picture. It’ll be interesting to see if he gains more of a following after this stint in Montreal. Keep your eyes and ears open. He’s worth seeing. Til next time…

The Nasty Show

Now THAT’s more like it! Five comedians (six, if you count the host), offensive content and alcohol. There’s a recipe for a fun night! I headed down to Club Soda a little before 9pm and walked headlong into the longest line I had ever seen for a comedy show. It went around 2 corners and down 2 blocks. Guess the show’s pretty popular, eh? I was a bit surprised that they managed to get everyone in and start the show on time, but by a little after 9:30pm, they were ready to rock n’ roll.

For those not familiar with the landscape of downtown Montreal, let me bring you up to speed. La rue Ste-Catherine is known for many things: shopping, strip clubs and peep shows, whores and the gay village, likely in that order of priority. Le boulevard St-Laurent divides the city into East and West and is home to trendy clubs and bars, for the most part, though it also boasts its share of strip clubs and XXX theatres. Club Soda, home of the Nasty Show, is located at the corner of St-Laurent and Ste-Catherine and let me tell you, there’s no more fitting place to hold it. It’s right across the street from a VERY scary strip club called Café Cléopatre and within easy access to a number of other dens of iniquity (for those interested in such locales, I’m sure I’ll do a full review if I ever get myself out of debt sufficiently to visit a few), not to mention the ever-present streetwalkers that roam the corner of Ste-Cat and St-Laurent. Though to be fair, the police presence during the festival scared off a number of the “vendors.”

The show itself ran a little less than 2 hours and was raunchy as hell. Bobby Slayton handled the hosting duties and kept the show moving well and the audience entertained. The rest of the line-up included Jay Oakerson, Dom Irrera, Patty Rosborough, Patrice Oneal and the token Canadian, Mike Wilmot. Despite probably being the “biggest name” amongst the group, Irrera was second man on deck and, to his credit, didn’t use any of his more well-known material. This show is pretty much a comic’s excuse to break out every offensive scrap of material that they would never dream of using on the Tonight Show. Nothing was off-limits. Truthfully, they went for the easy laughs, with plenty of sexual and religious content and racial slurs, but the audience just lapped it up. I think this may be the side-effect of all this political correct nonsense nowadays: people seek an outlet for all the things that are normally “inappropriate” and revel in it.

If there were truly any weaknesses in the show, it was the inclusion of Rosborough. She tried hard and was funny, but her act seemed pretty forced to me. I’ve never been a big fan of female comedians in the first place, so that’s probably my natural bias rearing its ugly head. So be it. I just think that men are better at doing raunchy comedy. Kudos to her for giving it a shot, though. Overall, she got a good reaction from the audience, so her act wasn’t a bomb.

Mike Wilmot closed the show and was clearly the strongest act. It must be a little nerve-wracking to be the closing act of a good show, but he came through. Though maybe it’s actually easier to go on last because the audience is already so warmed up that they’ll laugh at damn near anything? No clue. All I can say is that he was good.

Audience interaction highlight of the night: Jay Oakerson, a fat guy in his late 20s, had just finished doing his bit on why he doesn’t sleep with hot women (1. He can’t [fuck them]. 2. They won’t [fuck him].), when he asks the audience, “Where are all the fat girls tonight?” The guy beside me shouts out, “Toronto!!!” Huge audience reaction. Nicely done.

At any rate, I got my money’s worth and will happily go again next year. Til next time…

Stewart Lee-90s Comedian

So here I am again, mere hours away from tonight’s edition of The Nasty Show. But rather than dwell too much on that, I felt I should recap a bit about last night’s show, Stewart Lee. To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by the content. Sure, he had some funny moments, but overall, I think his style takes some getting used to. Before last night, I was completely unfamiliar with him, but a visit to his website showed me that he’s had a pretty active career.

If I were to describe his style, I would say that he’s a storyteller with a deadpan delivery. He doesn’t use the usual rhythm I’ve gotten used to out of stand-up comedians, preferring to gradually coax the audience along. His jokes are pretty clever and, often times, he gets laughs from the audience anticipating the punch line. The problem is, the audience isn’t always clever enough to follow along. Or at least last night’s wasn’t. To his credit, he made an effort to make sure that he won over the whole audience. Whether he succeeded or not is open to interpretation…

So would I pay to see him again? Good question. I think I would give him the benefit of the doubt and go back to see a different show (obviously not last night’s content). After all, one can’t expect to hit a home run every at-bat, right? Well, that’s all for now. Tonight: the Nasty Show!

Just For Laughs

My love of stand up comedy has been pretty well documented over the years. What can I say? I love to laugh. I prefer seeing a good stand up comedian than a band. I have no problem dropping $30 to see someone like Steven Wright or Billy Connolly (who I’ve seen 3 times, actually) rather than paying hyper-inflated ticket prices to see any number of untalented hacks music groups.

So now that I’m living in Montreal, I’m taking advantage of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival, taking place as we speak. There was no way I could spend the summer here and miss out on the festival, so once I got my internet hooked up this past weekend, I hopped online and started checking out the available shows. Most of Canada will be familiar with the gala events, as seen on the Comedy Network, but I wanted to see something a little bit more raw and unrefined. So that solved it: I had to check out the Club shows.

Naturally, club comics are a bit more of a risk, in terms of the quality of the content, than the higher profile shows, but I think I’ve found a good one. Yes, dear friends, ol’ Al grabbed a ticket for The Nasty Show this Thursday. To be honest, I haven’t heard of the majority of the acts that will be performing, but when I saw that Dom Irrera was on the bill, I had to grab a ticket.

I came across Dom’s work back in about 1988 when I picked up one of the Just For Laughs comedy cassettes. I won’t pretend that he’s a comedic genius, but the man makes me laugh and, really, that’s all I’m asking out of a comedian. In all reality, he’ll probably be using much of the same material I remember from back in the 80s, but that would be the case with most comedians nowadays. The only one I ever saw who put on completely different acts each time I saw him was Billy Connolly.

At any rate, after years and years of talking about seeing the festival, I’m FINALLY going to see a part of it in person. Til next time…

****UPDATE: I decided I didn't feel like waiting another day to enjoy the festival, so I picked up a "last minute" ticket to Stewart Lee's show at the Cabaret Juste Pour Rire. I know nothing about this guy, aside from the fact that he's British, so it's anyone's guess as to whether he's any good. Here's hoping he is!****