Tuesday’s are made for laughs

When we got invited to “Barry Hilton's: Grilling of a Lifetime” we knew we couldn’t miss it. To watch Top South African comedians take digs at one another just for gags I mean really.

The show held Tuesday night 13 August 2013, at Parkers Comedy club in Monte Casino was in honor of the beloved “cousin” Barry Hilton winning this years Lifetime achievement award at the 3rd annual Comic Choice Awards. This award called the Waldo is awarded to the recipient with the highest number of votes in a special category for comedians with 25 years’ experience. However, winning the award is not all sugar sticks and roses since the recipient of the award is put through a Lifetime Grilling before the actual awards. 

Now, for those of you that don’t know what a grilling in comedy terms is; let us inform you as we experienced it on Tuesday night. A grilling subjects one to worst possible jokes of oneself, insults, a bit of praise and for the most part downright abuse. On the night the panel of grillers included South African comedians: the new- Robby Collins, the well-known- David Kau, John Vlismas and Joey Rasdien and of course the old: Joe Parker (Lifetime Achiever Recipient 2012), Mark Banks and MC Mel Miller.

Each comedian took to the stage to basically dis not only Barry but each member of the grilling panel too. For some of us normal people being made fun of in front of a crowd of people may not be the funniest thing in the world but for a comedian it’s just part of the job, for the entertainment of others: a kind of take what you give situation. The show really came across more as a bunch of friends getting together to have a go at each other all in the name of laughs rather than an actual show. Each comedian brought his own creatively told, funny memory or story about his counterparts to the table which kept the night entertaining, interesting and of course super funny. We went to laugh and laugh we did. 

On the whole, Parkers is quite rad and chic venue for a comedy club. You can enjoy a drink or even food while relaxing on the comfy velvet clad chairs in between the laughs. We had a fantastic evening and strongly recommend that you make an effort to support South African comedy.

The 3rd Annual Comic Choice awards takes place at The Monte Casino Teatro on 24 August 2013. If you free head on over as in the words of Mel Miller, “there is no sound in the world better than the sound of laughter”.