Justin Kennedy talked to Darlene Taylor about his Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show “Ladies…?”, himbos and the ways computer geeks win over the, err, ladies.
Darlene Taylor: Discussing relationships isn’t really the Aussie way – unless you’re a Melbourne comedian it seems – so what inspired you to make “lurve” the focus of your MICF venture, “Justin Kennedy – Ladies…?”
Justin Kennedy: I’d never written about love before because it wasn’t really part of my frame of reference. I’d managed to get through most of my adult life without bathing in the glow of anything more than like like and as a result most of my comedy was about McDonald’s characters, mind tricks and the scariness of corn. After falling in love for the first time last year I wanted to talk about the profound effect it had on me. The show’s not so much about sentimental ‘lurve’ though, it’s more about how love can pass by perfectly normal people (I might be taking a liberty putting myself in that category but it’s my show so deal with it) and the justifications they make to believe it’s not such a bad way to live even though they’re all secretly hoping to be saved from it.
DT: The media release for “Ladies…?” contains the following sentence:
Justin Kennedy looks at how love and its lesser cousin ‘like like’ can so easily skip by the shy, while others from himbos to fed up computer geeks are finding ways to master the many mysteries of the mojo.
It sounds like the “ladies” (I’ll presume you’re using that word in a reclaiming the language way) will learn something about chaps if they pop along to see you perform. Perhaps you might like to share some insights into the mojo mastering techniques of “himbos”, “fed up computer geeks” et al.
JT: In my experience, himbos (big chiselled strapping types) are born with an abundant supply of mojo that sits dormant for the first twelve years then infuses itself into their subconscious when they get the shrubbery and therefore doesn’t require that much mastering. Much like an instamatic camera, they just point, shoot and see what develops.
Fed up computer geeks are far more interesting (though somewhat disturbing) as they’re often born with no mojo whatsoever and have to artificially create it themselves like an albino with a fake tan. These guys treat mojo like a science experiment and methodically break down the key components of attraction like female psychology, body language, social dynamics and indicators of interest so they can anticipate what a girl will say before she says it, and have the perfect answer ready to make the lady go all fluttery. Most of these guys are big Dungeons and Dragons fans and treat a new opening routine like an enchantment or a power up weapon that they would use on a surly wizard or a wood troll. It’s scary but strangely impressive at the same time. The worst thing is they’re really good at it, so ladies often have no idea they’re being D&D’d until they get back to (the geek’s) place and see their Star Wars doona cover, and they’ve probably even got answer for that!
DT: How much freedom does comedy give you to transcend and mock traditional ideas of what it means to be a bloke? Would you be talking about not falling in love until you were 34 if you were a rock star or an IT guy?
JT: I guess I’m in a unique position to talk about this because I’ve been both a rock star and an IT guy (good on you for doing your research). I certainly found at the time that crying about my sense of overwhelming loneliness wasn’t deemed too kosher by my band mates, however, it was expected of me to an almost unreasonable degree in the IT department. I think comedy has allowed me to find the happy medium. The good thing about stand-up is it gives you the opportunity to say, commend, subvert or lambaste anything you want, be it blokiness or people who won’t eat dairy. Whether anyone else would pay to hear it is up to them but you’ve got all the freedom in the world to say what’s on your mind.
DT: There are tons of young ones trying to be comedians these days. Not unlike your love life, you started in the funny business a little later than most. What advantages do you think there are in waiting until you’re older to begin a comedy career?
JK: I think I’ve certainly got a much better grasp on the concepts of desperation and regret. These kids today don’t know a tinker’s cuss about failure; their attempts at disappointment seem forced and don’t even get me started on compunction …because I’m not sure what it means.
But seriously, I wouldn’t say it’s any sort of advantage to get into stand-up at my age. I wish I had had the guts to get on stage when I was 18. You have far more opportunities ahead than behind you at that age. All I have now is the nagging suspicion that I might have missed my chance and wasted my life. Now that’s how you do regret kids!
DT: On your MySpace site, you list some impressive shows (e.g. “The Simpsons”, “The Daily Show”, “The Office” and “Blackadder”) in the television section. How much has your style of humour been influenced by a program like “The Office” where self-inflicted woes are very much on display? For example, it was argued in a newspaper article earlier this year that the “bulk of (your) material is about self-sabotage”.
JK: I like those shows but I wouldn’t say they’ve influenced me too much (although I did go around saying “….that’s racist” a lot after seeing “The Office” a few years back). I probably enjoy shows like “The Office” because I can relate to them from my own experiences. It’s true I deal in self-sabotage a bit because I’ve seen it so much in myself and those around me. We’re often our own worst enemy, with insecurities and stupid fixed ideas that impede our progress in life. Rather than sit in my bedroom listening to The Smiths and crying “I’m such a bloody nong!” my comedy is more about saying to the people, “We’re all a bunch of nongs. It’s alright, have an ice cream, you’ll feel better” or something like that.
DT: It’s nice to give an interview subject the chance to big themselves up, which leads me to the last question: Why should people go to your MICF show as opposed to not going to it?
JK: The lovely punter types of Melbourne should see “Ladies…?” because it’s funny, clever, honest and touching, with a unique twist on a well-worn theme that makes you feel good about being single and filled with hope for the future. You’ll also learn a secret about me that I thought I’d never tell. With that knowledge, how could you not see it?
Ladies…? can be seen Tuesday through Sunday at the Portland Hotel until April 29th.