Laugh out as loud as you can
Jo Ann Vassallo speaks to the three globe-trotting comedians taking part in the Laugh Out Loud stand-up comedy show next week
Witty and swift in responding to my questions, stand-up comedian Silky claims that to be a comedian, "You need a face and a voice. If you haven't got either, you're only a phone call away from the freak show", but I doubt it's that simple. He really is an entertaining guy, a wee bit sarcastic and straight to the point but that's the kind of humour it takes to get an invitation on stage. Silky also claims he was really "blackmailed into gigging by a friend, and as the gig was a competition, and I got into the final, I've been railroaded into it." And that's how it all started. Funny guy, isn't he?
So funny, in fact, that he won the Out There award for artistic courage in a show at the Bakewell Arts Festival 2000, performed internationally, including gigs in China, the Philippines, the Gulf, Singapore, the US, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and all over Europe, including the Glastonbury Festival. He is now involved in running independent comedy clubs (Kill for a seat comedy clubs, UK). "My name is Silky, and I am a comedian, musician, writer and all the other things people say they do when they don't really have to get up too early," he writes on his web page.
His plans for the future? "I'd like to be financially secure from having made people laugh. I don't want to have any kind of fame that doesn't come with respect. I'd far rather stay as I am than have millions of pounds and idiots chanting 'garlic bread' at me while I'm trying to wine and dine my lady." Not only funny, but ambitious too.
He will come to Malta to perform in the XFM stand-up comedy show organised by LOL productions. His show is all set and ready to go. "It's like Malta itself. Surrounded by brilliant blue water and riddled with holes," he says.
Ian Stone will also be joining for the XFM show. He must have been born to be a comedian. "As it turned out, I really couldn't do anything else this well," he says. However, thanks to his sense of humour, ability to talk, courage to get onto the stage and an ego "the size of a small island, possibly Malta", it turned out to be okay. With his "topical" sense of humour he plans to take Malta by storm, although "to be perfectly honest, I've only just finished Edinburgh and I'm too knackered to think about anything much. I'm sure that by the time I get to Malta, something will occur," he adds...hmmm.
Mr Stone was born in northwest London, the first son of an average Jewish family. In 1991, he took his girlfriend's advice and stepped onto a stage. (Behind every great man there is a great woman). He has been globe-trotting since then, in a quest to make the world laugh. He's done it in Australia, Hong Kong, Holland, France, Ireland and Germany.
His most memorable gig? "The fifth gig of my career at the kings head in London. Dave Schneider had just been on and I thought he was amazing. He used to peel an orange to the tune of Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma. It was brilliant (you'll have to take my word for it). I did my thing and he came up to me to tell me how much he enjoyed my stuff. I was thrilled. Also, I recently did a gig at Camp Bestival in Dorset and I managed to threaten a two-year-old with a kick in the face and get a big laugh. Now that's comedy!"
Pete Johansson is also coming to Malta to perform at the show and had some interesting comments to pass. His parents "constantly pushed me towards a career in laughter. In retrospect I appreciate this life unencumbered by wealth," he recounts. "To truly be successful in comedy, you must eat the heart of a clown," he continues. "Nothing surprises me these days."
His greatest fear before performing is "that the concept of existence is not an illusion with no meaning and the fact that I can consciously exist is only for the sole purpose of measuring the good I do for a divine being. Also I worry I might look fat".
Mr Johansson's success followed his debut at the Montreal festival, Just For Laughs. He also landed a spot at the USA Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Co, as one of the new faces. "I did a pretty amazing show at HBO's Comedy Arts festival in Aspen back in 2000 when Jerry Seinfeld and his manager invited me to hang out with them", he claims. The rest of the stuff he told me is not for publication, although he was probably joking. He also told me that he loves getting paid and that "with every giggle I hear a tiny cha-ching in my personal cash register".
• The XFM stand-up comedy show is being organised by LOL Productions at the Oracle Conference Centre in Qawra on Saturday and Sunday. Bookings may be made by phone on 9942 5265 or online: www.laughoutloud.com.mt.
So funny, in fact, that he won the Out There award for artistic courage in a show at the Bakewell Arts Festival 2000, performed internationally, including gigs in China, the Philippines, the Gulf, Singapore, the US, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and all over Europe, including the Glastonbury Festival. He is now involved in running independent comedy clubs (Kill for a seat comedy clubs, UK). "My name is Silky, and I am a comedian, musician, writer and all the other things people say they do when they don't really have to get up too early," he writes on his web page.
His plans for the future? "I'd like to be financially secure from having made people laugh. I don't want to have any kind of fame that doesn't come with respect. I'd far rather stay as I am than have millions of pounds and idiots chanting 'garlic bread' at me while I'm trying to wine and dine my lady." Not only funny, but ambitious too.
He will come to Malta to perform in the XFM stand-up comedy show organised by LOL productions. His show is all set and ready to go. "It's like Malta itself. Surrounded by brilliant blue water and riddled with holes," he says.
Ian Stone will also be joining for the XFM show. He must have been born to be a comedian. "As it turned out, I really couldn't do anything else this well," he says. However, thanks to his sense of humour, ability to talk, courage to get onto the stage and an ego "the size of a small island, possibly Malta", it turned out to be okay. With his "topical" sense of humour he plans to take Malta by storm, although "to be perfectly honest, I've only just finished Edinburgh and I'm too knackered to think about anything much. I'm sure that by the time I get to Malta, something will occur," he adds...hmmm.
Mr Stone was born in northwest London, the first son of an average Jewish family. In 1991, he took his girlfriend's advice and stepped onto a stage. (Behind every great man there is a great woman). He has been globe-trotting since then, in a quest to make the world laugh. He's done it in Australia, Hong Kong, Holland, France, Ireland and Germany.
His most memorable gig? "The fifth gig of my career at the kings head in London. Dave Schneider had just been on and I thought he was amazing. He used to peel an orange to the tune of Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma. It was brilliant (you'll have to take my word for it). I did my thing and he came up to me to tell me how much he enjoyed my stuff. I was thrilled. Also, I recently did a gig at Camp Bestival in Dorset and I managed to threaten a two-year-old with a kick in the face and get a big laugh. Now that's comedy!"
Pete Johansson is also coming to Malta to perform at the show and had some interesting comments to pass. His parents "constantly pushed me towards a career in laughter. In retrospect I appreciate this life unencumbered by wealth," he recounts. "To truly be successful in comedy, you must eat the heart of a clown," he continues. "Nothing surprises me these days."
His greatest fear before performing is "that the concept of existence is not an illusion with no meaning and the fact that I can consciously exist is only for the sole purpose of measuring the good I do for a divine being. Also I worry I might look fat".
Mr Johansson's success followed his debut at the Montreal festival, Just For Laughs. He also landed a spot at the USA Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Co, as one of the new faces. "I did a pretty amazing show at HBO's Comedy Arts festival in Aspen back in 2000 when Jerry Seinfeld and his manager invited me to hang out with them", he claims. The rest of the stuff he told me is not for publication, although he was probably joking. He also told me that he loves getting paid and that "with every giggle I hear a tiny cha-ching in my personal cash register".
• The XFM stand-up comedy show is being organised by LOL Productions at the Oracle Conference Centre in Qawra on Saturday and Sunday. Bookings may be made by phone on 9942 5265 or online: www.laughoutloud.com.mt.