Ron James is truly Pedal to the Metal
Award-winning comedian Ron James wasn’t kidding when he named his current 11-stop tour Pedal to the Metal.
Monday’s two-hour, high-energy, non-stop performance at Kelowna Community Theatre was indeed a side-splitting marathon, like watching the Energizer Bunny on steroids.
Nicknamed ‘the Road Warrior’ after his 20 years on the road, all of his routines are wellrehearsed, yet what made this roller coaster ride special was the ongoing references to the Okanagan Valley, lampooning our wine industry and Ogopogo as well as our province’s reputation for marijuana production and consumption. “No wonder Canada is legalizing marijuana. With neighbours like that (Trump), we’re going to want to get high.”
A few of his jokes fell flat: “Too bad it’s still winter (in Kelowna).” And moments later, talking about the lack of heavy snowfall (not last winter): “You clear your driveway by passing wind.”
A sold-out theatre laughed anyway. In fact, my companion had so many belly laughs that literally brought her to tears.
Even jokes about Stephen Harper playing the piano at Christmas, the Conservatives and Stockwell Day went over with this mostly-white haired conservative crowd although James joked: “If I go missing, drag the lake.”
He pointed to young people in the front row who may not have understood his historical references (like rabbit ears on black-andwhite TVs) and apologized: “I’m sorry but I still have your $50.”
Separated eight years ago, James noted it is now a different dating world, when a younger woman commented: “We should do that again.” His response: “You mean tomorrow. What I need right now is my slippers and a cup of hot cocoa.”
His targets ranged far and wide, reflecting his two decades of touring as well as real/imagined life experiences.
When a doctor found a lump on his chin, James was sent to a plastic surgeon for removal of a cyst. The waiting room was filled with what he describes as prehistoric lizards and when he emerged bloodied, he urged everyone to: “Run for your lives. I was a goodlooking woman when I walked in here.”
After the World Health Organization compared sugar to addictive drugs, James concluded: “Sugar Bear (Sugar Crisp cereal mascot) was a junkie and we didn’t know it.”
He also showed a serious side, to applause, on the need to provide remote First Nations’ communities with clean water as a Canada 150 objective and social media destroying the sense of community.
His topics ranged from Oprah and Disneyland to Scientology, Jesus’ flatulence and seeking directions in Newfoundland. James is also the consumate actor with his body language conveying the reaction of a young (but aging) person discovering hip osteoarthritis, contorting his face to look like a garden gnome and his father bending his knees further and further as he aged.
Ultimately, James celebrated his ongoing touring as a celebration of engaging with people and place, getting to know Canada from those he met on the road. And joking with a older First Nations’ woman who was hitchhiking and who told him: “You should be a comedian.”
James fits the classification of master comedian, doing sold-out stand-up shows, writing with peers like Mary Walsh, producing DVDs of his comedy specials, acting in Hollywood movies and voice work in animation. It shouldn’t be another three years before he returns to B.C. We can’t wait for another marathon.