Slightly Unhinged: a mad display of comedy
Published:Friday | October 6, 2023 | 12:05 AMShanel Lemmie/Staff Reporter
Bolstered by comedian, Dufton ‘Duffy’ Shepherd, Slightly Unhinged is a mad display of local comedy. Hosted once a month at 22 Jerk in St Andrew, Jamaica, Shepherd said the show was his way of making his mark in comedy.
“It started off as a stand-up comedy special. One year we were gonna do [it and] the following year COVID hit and then I turned it into an online series that we put out every month, and since the lockdowns were lifted, I have continued a live show once per month.”
He explained, “Every stand-up comedian has to [make] his name or [have] in his repertoire a stand-up comedy special [that’s his]. And after the Mike Epps show, I was like ‘Alright, it is time for me. How to do it?’”
With a fresh line-up each month, Shepherd said the name is a true reflection of both his personality and the off-the-rocks philosophy of the show.
“First we were gonna go Unhinged because,” he chuckled, remembering the name’s inception. “A lot of people would agree with me, it describes my personality and where my mind will go and how I think of the world at time. I wasn’t comfortable with the name ‘Unhinged’ though, so I kinda slept on it for a couple days and I came up with ‘Slightly Unhinged’, which I think is absolutely tasteful, that can be said in any space. It is politically correct but when you say ‘Slightly Unhinged’ it brings a smirk to people’s faces.”
With the last staging in September also serving as a fundraiser for the Kiwanis Club of Young Professionals, the Slightly Unhinged stage has seen the likes of local stars like Kathy Grant, ‘Boasy Boy’ Floyd, Ian ‘Ity’ Ellis, Dahlia Harris and Bobby Smith.
Also creating space for newer acts, Shepherd debuted both Elias Fennell and Pacco who have both been in the industry for a combined less than six months.
Greater than just introducing new comics, Shepherd says his series is a place where the public can come get familiarised with Jamaican comedy as a whole.
“On the Slightly Unhinged stage we have had international comedians but it is about time that we show the world that we are [not] just jokes in a bar, we are not just sitting on the corner and shooting the breeze. We actually are pretty great stand-up comedians and we have had success all over the world. Through the ones that have come before me to the ones doing it now and we have younger ones on the rise. So Slightly Unhinged is one of the mediums where persons can experience that first hand.”With over a year’s worth of shows under their belt, the comic says the reception has been great.
“The reception has been great. It has been an absolutely amazing platform to introduce people [to] stand-up comedy in Jamaica [and] Jamaican stand-up comedy. And I’m not just talking about Jamaican topics but its for Jamaican stand-up comedians.”
Speaking on what the public can expect from the comedy series he said, “What can you expect at Slightly Unhinged? It’s name. As a verb, as an adjective, anything and everything. I try not to keep any topic off limits. I don’t limit my comedians at all because we should be able to address any topic comedically once we are not embarrassing, belittling or directly offending any person or group. And I say directly offending because comedy can be offensive based on who is the quote unquote, butt of the joke. The stage is about truth and comedy makes it that much more palatable.”