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“Comedy is tragedy plus time.” |
Finally, for those out there that don’t like to laugh, they might be best served by a quote from another lady of show business, Julia Roberts:
“Show me a person who doesn't like to laugh and I'll show you a person with a toe tag.”
I was driving to a gig with Kevin Foxx some time ago and we passed a cow pasture. Looking over the field as it whipped by, Kevin said, “I’ve always wanted to learn how to fight a bull just so when I go on the road with another comic, I could stop the car, get out, fight a bull in a field and get back into the car and resume driving without saying a word.”
To me, the thought is almost funnier than if it had happened.
This flight of fancy is the type of thought that effortlessly leaps from Kevin’s brain. A smart investor would be wise to hire him and try to catch some of his ideas as they spill forth.
He brings this ease of thought to the stage where some of his jokes sound like they could be delivered as patter between old blues songs (“I used to look at women's breasts, now I just look at guys with a full heads of hair.”).
There is an unflappable energy that surrounds Kevin on stage. He is a man comfortable and confident the way a person who is proud of their home would act as host for a party.
He is a familiar face in Vancouver both as guest and host on numerous shows.
Kevin’s act has a broad range, from new twists on conventional topics such as television and cats to darker more personal fare like addiction and divorce. Though he can make just about any topic funny, Kevin is quick to admit “he’s not for everyone.”
This may be true, but it hasn’t stopped him from winning over audiences the continent over.
In his travels, he often leaves a reputation on stage and off, a story worthy character even without risky matador antics.
If you want to know more, you can go to www.kevinfoxx.com
Kevin was kind enough to answer some questions for Vancouver Is Awesome.
When was the last time you laughed until you cried?
I find it very cathartic to laugh uncontrollably. It is like an emotional cleansing of sorts. The last time was a few weeks ago when my Girlfriend took a ridiculously bad picture of me. I looked like the dwarf from The Island of Doctor Moreau, we just looked at it over and over laughing hysterically. It may have been the worst picture ever taken of a Human.
What would be your idea of a perfect venue?
One that I can leave after the show. I once did a show on a 4-hour boat cruise. I was on in the first hour and bombed horribly, then I had to spend 3 hours aboard a boat with people that hated me. Had I been a stronger swimmer I would have gone overboard at the sight of land.
How did having a child affect your comedy?
Children are a gift and the greatest teachers life has to offer. Comedy is simply my job, my daughter is my life. A positive is that hanging with a young kid helps reignite the true artist in me. The one part of us that still believes in magic. Children's minds are limitless, that is key to creation.
What is one myth about live comedy you’d like to dispel?
Probably that Gandhi liberated India. India was on a fast track to independence and Gandhi lack of action probably slowed the whole process down. That and Comedians don't take the time to read questions properly.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in stand up world since you’ve started?
Besides allowing women to perform? Probably the ability of a Comedian to develop their own path and following via media sources outside of the mainstream.
Why is Vancouver a good place for comedy?
Vancouver is my home and I love it. Vancouver has a reputation of having the hardest comedy audiences and I like that. They don't just give it to you, you have to take it from them. It makes for better Comedians. I would put Vancouver Comedians up against any other city in Canada and we would crush them. (I would like to smack Toronto in the face with a leather glove at this point)
Who is one performer/group of performers you think everyone should see at least once?
Anyone serious about Comedy should watch Richard Pryor Live in Concert. In my opinion it is the best 77 minutes of comedy ever recorded. I also here that Cirque de Soleil is supposed to be something!
Every article about comedy has to have a pun in the title. What do you want yours to be?
What would you like yours to be? I think I will leave the Puns to the experts at the Hair Salons. It's not easy to follow Shear-N-Dipity.
What is a comedic premise you think needs to be retired?
I don't think there is one that should be retired. There are certain angles on premises that have become very tired, but just when you think a premise is dead a Comedian comes along and takes a brand new angle on it. I do however think it is time the comedy world cut Midgets some slack. Ladies...am I right? Fellas...you know what I'm talking about…
