Saving the planet using one-ply toilet paper, the Pope and the Virgin Mary? Not much is out of bounds when comedian Ron James is looking to get a laugh and on February 12th, he brought his unique Canadian style to Brantford’s Sanderson Centre.
James weaved his monologue through the Canadian landscape, joking about nearly every province and territory in a way that builds such vivid details, it is easy to think you are on a road-trip across the nation, rather than in a theatre in Brantford.
The comedian’s trademark is his tendency to joke about all things Canadian, so it was no surprise that his monologue bared the markers of this by poking fun at everything from Tim Hortons’ as our national symbol to the sexualized nature of curling. He even went so far as to look at Canadian politics through the faces of Conservative and Liberal members.
Although it’s obvious that this former winner of Best Stand Up at the Canadian Comedy Awards loves to joke about his country, some of the biggest laughs he got from the audience came when he moved to the topic of aging. The 52-year old held nothing back as he discussed living in a technological world and the failure of bodily functions—and yes, this included fart jokes with sound effects.
The Royal Family, marijuana, cockfighting, NASCAR and polygamy are only a few of the other subjects James incorporated into his monologue to remind you that this is not the same man as the one you will find on his CBC show. The live version utilizes his ability to think on the spot and incorporates fresh and unscripted material. This uncensored and politically incorrect take on our world is just what the show needed to take it to the next level.
The show was interesting from start to finish, but grew in appeal as the night went on. It had me wishing it would not end. The fart jokes were a little weak (because, seriously, I have enough friends who can tell a good fart joke), although the lady sitting behind me could not resist bouts of explosively loud laughter.
His comedy tour will continue across Ontario until late April and you can visit his website ronjames.ca for further information.
