Ron Roxtar for Curtains Up
Why is the heading the title of the actual Alan Cummings gala? Orny Adams was the only comedian last night to hit all the right marks with non stop angry energy on stage and keeping the audience laughing throughout his set. He was also the only comedian to receive a standing ovation after his set. The name on everyone’s lips last night was : Orny Adams and rightly so.
Orny’s comic genius in Montreal was to incorporate the language issue (which is a joke to begin with if you live here). “You speak French! We get it!” He joked of the hatred against the English. “The fire alarm went off in the hotel and for five minutes the announcements were only in French. I open the door and all the French people are running down the hall with a five minute lead.” Even a quick comment of “I went to Target the other day. I know you had it here for six months! Go home America!” showed Orny does his homework to add Canadian content to his show here.
It wasn’t all Canadian with jokes about “Have you noticed the older you get how much further back in the pharmacy you go?” or how “connected” we are that after taking a shower you can see you received 85 test messages. One of the best received jokes was about the cashier asking for ID after you just used a coupon to make sure the card isn’t stolen.
Orny Adams should get extra credit for embarrassing the front row girl who was texting in the middle of his show. He was able to turn it into a highlight of his act by sitting on the stage steps in front of her saying “I hope it’s important. I’m having a pretty good set here.”
Alan Cumming did a quick pre-audience singalong which he filmed for his instagram. He displayed his musical talent playing piano and singing. Alan had good stage manner. His punch lines and jokes all seemed to come off as cute even if they were dirty about former lovers removing tattoos or finding out which comedian backstage had a foreskin.
Photo: Ron Roxstar
Photo: Ron Roxstar
The real lull in the Cummings show was the almost infomercial of him being an advocate of foreskins. it seemed out of place and most of the audience with a half-hearted and confused laugh or applause.
Alan made a comeback by ending his hosting by singing a medley of Adele’s Someone Like You, Lady GaGa’s The Edge of Glory and Katy Perry’s Firework. Where everyone thought this was just a nice musical moment he turned it into a joke about how all there were the same song. Honourable mention to Sean Cullen. His best bits were about how a family of eight died saving a girl from drowning in a reservoir and “Who discovered tiger penis was a cure for erectile disfunction.”
Ron – ONE ON ONE WITH ORNY ADAMS
Ron: Orny, you’ve been performing 15 years at Just For Laughs. Tell us about it.
Orny : I came here as a new face and now here I am doing my first solo show. It’s certainly a thrill. I’ve done nine one hours with one more to go. My current tour and next DVD are called Get In the Hole.
Ron : What was the moment for you when you knew you wanted to be a comedian?
Orny : Yeah, it’s interesting. We had one comedy album in my family. It was Steve Martin’s Wild and Crazy Guy. To me that was smart comedy, yet goofy which is sort of what I make my comedy like. I had the opportunity up here four years ago to do a gala with Steve Martin so it really felt like it came full circle. When I was in college someone gave me a tape of three Woody Allen stand up comedy albums. I was just blown away by the writing and the persona which was so strong. That’s what I like. I like George Carlin. I used to listen to Robin Williams and count the beats. I had the opportunity a few years ago to share the stage with Robin Williams. He came out in the middle of my show and we did some improv stuff together. To me that was just amazing. Robin came and watched my show. it was such an honour to have someone I respect and thought was funny actually come to watch my show. My first Tonight Show, my first Letterman all meant something. They were all milestones for me.
Ron : In the fifteen years at Just For Laughs, what has been your major highlight?
Orny : The Steve Martin gala. At the end he gave me a bowing like gesture. I was like this is going to change my life! here we go! Then nothing happens (laughing).
Ron: I heard you pulled out of Teen Wolf do concentrate on your writing and comedy.
Orny : I love teen Wolf but I was booked up with shows and I didn’t want to pull out of dates. I may return to the show.
Ron : So what’s the future for Orny Adams?
Orny : If only we knew so I could relax. For now I wake up everyday and happy I’m working. I’m happy to make people laugh, day by day. For the future of comedy it can morph itself into so many directions. I think comedy is more popular than ever. You see more comics on T.V. and films. I think’s great and super cool.
Ron : Thanks so much Orny and continued success.
Orny : Thank you, buddy.
