Arj Barker - Ego No Amigo

On an opening night of a comedy show one expects a few teething problems. So, there was a ticketing malfunction that delayed the start of the show by half and hour. This merely raised the expectations of those milled in the Capitol Theatre foyer. As I gawked at the eager faces something struck me: There were a few youngsters in the crowd. A fact that I would usuallydisregard like a homeless person; noticed, then forgotten, but a fact that would seem to be the driving force behind Ego no Amigo, the comedy of Arj Barker. Arj arrived on stage draped in a satin mu-mu, professing his changed spirituality. He has found the meaning of life in his own unique brands of yoga, meditation and self-realisation. The crowd laughed like children at Arj’s insightful observations, covering from toilets to tsunamis: Arbitrary topics linked together by a self-deprecating anxiety expressed through a half-Indian, half-American stoner. Does it seem a little confusing? Does it seem a little Sponge Bob? I was lost completely when, after 20 minutes, the laughs from the crowd seemed to not come from witty punch lines and well-crafted jokes, but from the exchange between Arj’s quiet, cynical and very sharp mind, and his exploding rants of anger and profanity. The adolescent crowd mopped it up with bread and wanted more. So, Arj swore more and screamed more and the audience laughed more. Let’s get serious; anyone can make the word ‘FUCK’ sound funny, but look at Eddie Murphy now. Lots of clever jokes were lost on an audience that seemed on edge, anxious of whether mum was taping Pimp my Ride for them to watch when they get home. The MTV generationwere saved as Arj finished his gig with a ten-minute movie advertising his enlightened cult. I think he just ran out of swear words.

First published in Rabelais.