Gilbert Gottfried
Originally uploaded by icemakk.
This past Saturday I had the pleasure and honor of being the emcee for Gilbert Gottfried to a packed house at the Comic Strip.
You may know Gilbert from Problem Child 1 & 2, the voice of the parrot in Alladin and many other great roles. He is a friendly, quiet, soft spoken man off stage but on stage the performer in him cuts loose with that trademark squint and raspy voice dishing out laughs in quantity! He had the crowd literally eating out of his hand all night.
Both shows were sold out with standing room only, which one would expect for such a great act, but it was also packed during the hockey playoffs AND on a game day for the Edmonton Oilers!!
If you have never lived in Alberta during the NHL playoffs you have no idea how hockey crazy this part of the world can get. Often comedy clubs can be very empty during the run for Lord Stanley's cup. Not this night. Fans were out in huge numbers and I am sure they could have sold one more show.
It was a lot of fun to be part of such an awesome show as the audience was so pumped, to see their idol, that keeping their attention seemed effortless for myself and the 2 middle acts (Mike Tod and Andrew Iwanyk).
Thanks to Rick Bronson for this wonderful gig!
The Edmonton Oilers have advanced to the next round in the playoffs. Calgary Flames try to cinch the 7th game tomorrow to do the same. Fingers crossed fo the Flames to win as I would love to watch the battle of Alberta again. It has been too many years.
If it happens I find myself at a crossroads as I cheer for both teams. I guess I have to give the nod to the Flames as they did give us the Red Mile in 2004. We just need to get by those pesky Anaheim Mighty Ducks and lousy refs first.
Sure it may make the comedy clubs a bit quieter but the good ones will weather this slight dip in attendance and hockey fans will have a chance to watch the best matchup of the entire playoffs.
Calgary has game 7 against the Ducks on Wednesday, which is also the comedian hockey night here in Calgary. Each week several of Calgary's finest comics, freinds of comics as well as some of the staff from the comedy clubs get together to have a good ol' game of "gasp, cough, pant, wheeze" hockey...to remind us why we are in the joke biz and not pro hockey players!!
We play late so I should be able to take in the game and then play.
Scott "Doomer" Dumas should be back on the ice after a week off from his spring flu from hell. Lets hope his little illness did not slow him down. He is not only a good comic but one tough mother to catch on the ice!! Last week I managed a hat trick without the speedy Doomer to contend with. Lets see if I can continue my goal streak! Stobo, you better be there too bud!
It's fun and any comedy folks/fans that are in cowtown are welcome to join us. Contact me for details. Not cult ring or secret handshake needed to get in!
Cheers
Daryl "right wing and defence" Makk
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