Comedy Cook-Up to open a bag of ‘Trixx’ tonight
Published:Monday | December 26, 2022 | 6:40 PMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer -
The eagerly anticipated annual Christmas Comedy Cook-Up returns to a physical stage tonight, inside the Grand Ballroom of The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Organisers promise that comedy lovers will be served with non-stop skits, sketches and humorous stories dished out by an expansive line-up of outstanding local and international performers following a pandemic-influenced hiatus.
This year’s stellar line-up is headlined by sketch comedy television stars, Ity and Fancy Cat, and Christopher 'Johnny' Daley, who has received the IRAWMA Comedian of the Year multiple times, and Las Vegas-based Franklin ‘Trixx’ Agyemang, alongside other established comedians.
Trixx, who has performed on the Comedy Cook-Up stage more than three times, said the thrill of performing increases each time. “I would say I’ve done well in Jamaica because I’ve seen what happens with comics who do not well, so now, although I don’t have expectations, I expect to have fun,” he told The Gleaner.
As a youngster, he loved to entertain and often shifted into ‘class clown’ mode – demonstrating witticism beyond his years, acting in the role of the extra dramatic character in school plays and now and again, pulling a shameless prank on an unsuspecting target – being named the joker among peers. Before entering the world of entertainment, these same peers gave him the nickname ‘Tricks’, which he himself adopted but with a unique spelling.
“I’ve always loved to make people laugh; I think it’s just part of a natural need to make people laugh is why comedy is part of me and because I also love connecting with people – especially strangers – through my own experiences, how I feel and how I view the world. Even when I was on the radio and in my role as a disc jockey, I always tried to incorporate comedy into what I did,” Trixx said.
The comedian, who is of Ghanaian and Canadian heritage, has a deep love for Jamaica but shared that he tends to get nervous before stepping on to the stage in front of an audience of Jamaicans “because Jamaicans are not the type to tolerate people who are unable to deliver an uproarious performance". He also expressed angst, wanting to please all who attend the show, and while he aims to make everyone laugh, Trixx is not a comedian who caters to sensitive individuals.
He could also be described as a smiling assassin with a comical style that is observant, in-your-face and “very real”, he said. “I speak my mind, and I don’t care if anybody is sensitive. If you are one of those people who come to the comedy show to be upset, I’m not the comedian for you…I don’t cater to sensitive people at all.”
Trixx added, “I’m not going to come there and curse up the place and be all vulgar, but you’re going to get a very real perspective. I’ve developed a lot of new material since I been there last, but I usually don’t like to overthink my set. What I need to do is come there and then observe the audience and put together [so] until I’m in the space, feeling out the crowd and the other comedians. I won’t put anything specific together until tonight. My whole purpose is for all of us to have fun.”
The show will encompass a light-hearted delivery of the usual year in review. Though the event starts at 7:30 p.m., the fun will begin as soon as gates open at 6:00 p.m. as patrons will be able to enjoy great music, play fun games and delight in the giveaway prizes provided by sponsors, Courts, Courts Ready Cash, KFC, Bert’s Auto and Jambisco, said organiser Ian Ellis, better known as Ity. Persons who have not secured a pre-sold ticket will have to pay $6,000 at the gate.
Ellis assures that the much-anticipated end-of-year event is expected to evoke riotous laughter from all in attendance. “It promises to be a great melting pot of comedic fun as all the acts are preparing to bring their A-game. Christmas Comedy Cook-Up has, over the years, grown into a great stress-reliever and the best part is that it’s family-oriented [so] there is something for everyone to enjoy,” said the comedian and executive producer.