Spotlight On Niagara

Kenny Robinson: Never Too Soon for Comedy

Kenny Robinson: Never Too Soon for Comedy

By David DeRocco

Great stand-up comedy should always exist outside the reach of rules and censorship. However, in a world of pampered Gen-X’ers and hypersensitive Millennials, is there ever a time when it’s too soon to tell a joke regardless of subject matter? Not in the world of comic legend Kenny Robinson.   

“Oh, the sooner the better,” insists Robinson, now in his fifth decade as one of Canada’s most irreverent comedic provocateurs. “I am probably the guiltiest sucker in Canada of jumping on it before the corpse hits the ground, because for me there’s a prize in being number one, to getting the joke out before anyone else. I want to get the most number of jokes out there before anyone else. Doesn’t matter if it was Rob Ford when he was did something or said something or rumours of Trump having his golden shower parties in Russia, I try to jump in there and nail it as soon as possible.”

Robinson’s earned the respect of fans and fellow comedians alike with his reputation for nailing the “unspoken truths” often lurking in the shadows of typical PC social commentary. As someone who never shies away from raunchy, profane or sensitive subject matter, Robinson says today’s political climate makes it easier for comedians to test the waters with potentially controversial comedy.

“I find in fact once the President of the United States says ‘pussy’ it makes it easier for everybody else to say it,” said Robinson, a Gemini and Canadian Comedy Award winner for his work on both stage and screen. “Everything’s inspirational right now. Even in Canada we have this senator who met this girl when she was 16 at a church thing. His defense is he didn’t sex her until she was 18. I don’t think a senator should be messing around with anyone that’s not his wife. We have our own little bit of dirt and scandal here too.”

Robinson says there are tons of comedy gold to mine right here in Canada, a country that spends a lot of time laughing at the U.S. while ignoring some of our own faults as a nation.  

“What I find most funny about Canada is our reluctance to embrace immigrants considering we’re a nation of immigrants,” said Robinson, a Winnipeg-born Chicago bred comedian who’s been a staunch advocate for racial minorities both socially and in the comedy industry. “ We’ve got 150 years of being the polite neighbours to the rude bastards to the south. As a result we have to be the whiney kid in class who reminds the teacher he forgot to give us our own homework to do.”

Given the propensity of people on both side of the political spectrum to be outraged when they’re the target of humorous criticism, it’s becoming harder to make a joke without some special interest group feeling triggered and offended. As a comedy veteran, however, Robinson says he doesn’t pander to such sensitivities.

“I’d have to have a list of 75 questions before anyone came in the door if I was going to let that rule my career and my life,” said Robinson. “Did you come from a broken home, were you touched by someone, did someone in your life die from a fatal disease, did you ever know your father? One time in Vancouver I was doing a joke about (serial killer) Clifford Olsen. Some woman started crying saying her ex-boyfriend knew him in jail and that I had no right to talk about him. She ran out of the club crying and I said, ‘imagine, I’m the bad guy for talking about a child murderer.’  That broke the tension.”

Robinson, who along with fellow comic Darren Frost co-headline the “Rank and Vile XXX Comedy Show” May 6th at the Seneca Queen Theatre in Niagara Falls, says fans coming out should expect to be confronted by some challenging adult material.

“You’re going to get political material, family material talking about my children and family. You’re going hear material that’s sexual explicit. Basically everything you’d get if you turned on Netflix. It’s live and you never know what might happen. You’re going to get more than an hour of gut-bucket balls-to-the-wall no jive about it humour.”

Ultimately, the man referred to as “The Fabulous Kenny Robinson” says beyond the great stand-up comedy what you’re really going to receive is an injection of raw truth delivered by two of Canada’s funniest pros.  

“Somebody referred to us as the uncensored truth tellers. And that’s what you’re going to get. It’s funny because it’s true. We tell the truth and hopefully you share our point of view. Even if you don’t somebody’s got to say it. It’s like the Emperor’s New Clothes. Somebody had to mention the emperor had no clothes. Well, somebody’s also got to mention the emperor has a mighty small pecker too.”

For tickets and information visit http://senecaqueen.ca/.