Jamaicans aren’t so quick to run up, say local comedians
Published:Thursday | March 31, 2022 | 12:08 AMSade Gardner/Staff Reporter
Fathoming the now-infamous slapping incident with actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock in a Jamaican setting, comedian Dufton Shepherd said, “I think we as Jamaicans aren’t so quick to run up. We do comedy, but we ain’t no joke.”
The melee unfolded at the Oscars on Sunday night after Rock made a joke about the shaved head of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett, who has been open about her struggles with alopecia.
Shepherd, creator of the stand-up comedy series ‘Slightly Unhinged’, which unfolds at 22 Jerk restaurant in St Andrew every last Sunday each month, said he has never experienced such a reaction.
“Sometimes people don’t like what you say, but it’s a grumble, it’s a conversation,” the comic told The Gleaner. “Somebody may say, ‘Mi never like that’, but it’s never been physical. You have hecklers who will say stuff when you’re on stage, and sometimes it’s a banter, but you kinda squash it really quickly. Sometimes you have to put them in their place.”
Shepherd also produces two comedy nights: ‘Laughter at 22 Jerk’ and ‘Jokes at Jangas’ on Belmont Road in Kingston.
He said people will always be offended when it comes to stand-up comedy.
“Sometimes, people just choose to be offended. People are gonna be offended by stuff you say or even if you don’t say anything. In situations like that, as a comedian, I seek to educate, and not to humiliate, and having fun with it at the same time. Sometimes things are uncomfortable, especially if it’s the truth and somebody is putting a comedic twist to it. I have a belief that if you don’t do it or say it, then as comedians, there’s nothing for us to talk about.”
But comedian Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley believes some spoken words can cause serious damage.
“Clearly, words matter,” Daley told The Gleaner. “I definitely think what you spew from your mouth can be extremely damaging and disrespectful and hurt people on many levels, and that is why you must be careful about the type of material you choose and how you choose to execute it.”
Hailing comics like the late George Carlin, whose hard-hitting style injected his opinions with supported arguments, Daley said it’s all in the way the material is delivered.
“Chris Rock is one of the best comedians in the world, and he’s known for that kind of roasting of his audience members, and we love Chris Rock for that. That is why it’s sad that Will Smith brought his profession down to that level where you’re now putting a comedian (in a position) to start questioning their material and that, to me, is very damaging too when I can’t, as a comedian, feel like I can attack this point the way I would naturally attack it because I may offend some people and they may attack me on the stage. Hopefully, it won’t be a precedent, but that won’t stop me from trying new material, exploring and growing.”
Daley, whose Johnny Live Comedy Bar will resume on April 28 at a new location, Beatz, The Serengeti in St Andrew, said he has never faced physical confrontation for his material.
“Clearly, I’ve never pissed off anybody in the audience to that level, but I’ve had hecklers before and heckling is a part of the game. You may have a part of the audience or somebody in the audience who feels like they want to challenge you, which I’ve had on more than one occasion… . Luckily, I’ve been kinda fortunate to respond adequately to those persons before, but sometimes whatever comment they make may just lift your show to a different level. It depends on how you respond to it.”