Bill Maher @ Massey Hall

So, I went to see Bill Maher do his stand-up gig last weekend at Massey Hall. I was very, VERY excited for this show...

I love Bill Maher. I love him. I have had a school-girl crush on him for years--presumably because of "Politcally Incorrect"....I loved the way he always lambasted right-wing dickheads on that show..I loved the way he called folks out on their ludicrous beliefs ( I just made a stand...sorry...I'm a left-wing, pro-choice, atheist....that's just the way it is...).

Anyway, I've loved Bill Maher for years. I was SO excited for his show. I mean--I've admired/loved him FOREVER!

So I went to his show and I was....disapointed. It was nowhere near as funny as it was supposed to be.

I've always enjoyed what he had to say. And he is/has been the only public person who has ever publically shared my opinions on politics, religion, morals, values etc. Anyway...let's not go there...

In addition to the fact that he didn't get onstage until 30 minutes past the scheduled show-time, it was way too warm in the theatre, which made it incredibly uncomfortable, and the woman behind me obviously had been a hyena in a previous life and evolution had failed her in that she retained her animalistic-laugh and inflicted it upon us every 15 seconds or so.

OK, so, Bill did his show. And it was.....um....sorta OK. Just not really that funny..which is kind of what I expect from a comedian...

I am a huge fan of comedy...and this show was NOT FUNNY!

Bill, I am no comedy savant, yet I saw your punchlines coming a mile away. Way too easy!

He had one or two original-sounding jokes that elicited genuine laughter from me, but that was it.

Fortunately for him, the audience was packed with devoted acolytes who had clearly consumed the Kool-Aid--they yukked it up at every single thing that came out of his mouth. Hell, they gave him a standing ovation before he'd even said a thing!

I was surprised by this--I always assumed his fanbase would hold him to a pretty high standard--after all, his comedy is fairly high-brow, based on current political & cultural happenings. While he's not opposed to telling the occasional dick joke, it's often followed by a reference to the U.S. Senate or an outrageous legal injustice.

While we're on the topic, here's a tip, Bill: Know your audience.

Sure, we're aware of who you are and the type of comedy you perform--however, we *are* Canadian, and while we are perpetually indundated by American media, we're not always aware of every miniscule political maneuver that occurs, nor are we necessarily familiar with every obscure redneck Republican politico whom you verbally decimate. Throwing a bone to your audience in the form of a (locally) relevent joke or two would be appreciated and wise.

Anyway, I still enjoy & respect Bill Maher, I just wish I'd had more side-splitting laughter moments that night.

Oh, and, it would have been nice to emerge from the show NOT to find the car window smashed in--but that's another story.