Comedy of Allyson Smith
In June 2009, Allyson Smith headlined Calgary Yuk Yuk’s and Broken City’s Comedy Monday. Having seen Allyson perform at Comedy Detour back in 2008, I knew she was worthy of R4NT’s patented 5 camera coverage!
Fact: John Woo still owes Reading For New Times licensing fees for his use of our camera technique during the making of Hard Boiled.
First inspired by Janeane Garofalo, Allyson is currently a big fan of Debra DiGiovanni but had few contacts in the industry when she first walked onstage in 2001.
“I started comedy and drama (teaching) on the same day. I went to YukYuk’s after I taught my first day of school because I was so angry at myself for doing the fallback plan… For becoming a teacher, instead of pursing what I wanted to do which was to be a performer and entertainer.” -Allyson
So how funny is Allyson? The quality of a stand-up comedian is inversely proportional to the quality of their website, providing they are able to sustain themselves strictly on comedy income. Inferior comics take part time jobs to supplement their income, slowly starve to death or desperately offer up some sort of schedule on their website to help fans find their next show.
As of July 2009, Allyson’s website simply states, “A new website it on its way!”
Sure, she’s a contender for Canadian Comedy Awards 2009 “Best Female Standup” (to be announced October 2nd). She’s played Massey Hall, and recently recorded a CTV Comedy Now special which will air in September.
But what is truly awe inspiring is to see a comedian able to sustain a 9 year career without the assistance of a modern website. Or as the most talented comedians like to say… “without cheating.”
Janeane Garofalo’s entire website is embedded Flash, and Debra DiGiovanni’s site features embedded private videos which visitors to her website can’t watch.
However they DO offer a schedule of events.
Well why don’t you just loop in a laugh track while you’re at it? What’s the matter Janeane & Debra? Can’t handle a fair fight!?!
While collecting footage for this video (and helping D4V record his interview), I watched Allyson perform in 3 different venues. The performance was hilarious each time, but also tuned to different levels of filthiness. Sadly, Allyson’s “It goes to eleven” moments can’t be represented on YouTube, lest the Internet’s pristine reputation become sullied.
“I live off Comedy full time, and half of that income is from corporate gigs. It could be a party with booze or a dry luncheon where I clean the act up a lot. I go through the act with the client on the phone. Is the audience over 18? Can I say shit? Can I say fuck? We go through the list. Sometimes the combination of what is allowed or not can be pretty surreal.” -Allyson
In retrospect, I’m lucky to have caught the word-of-mouth which led me to Allyson’s Calgary shows. I’m no comedyologist, but if a random night of stand-up comedy was as fun as my Allyson evenings, I’d hit comedy clubs more often.
Supplementary interview footage is available for review and recycling under Creative Commons Attribution Share-ALike license. The two good photos above by: David Gluzman. Allyson Smith events can be sought on her official website or Facebook profile.
- Comedy of Allyson Smith
- by Gordon McDowell
- Published on August 8th, 2009
- Photos:
- of Allyson by David Gluzman
- Website:
- asmithcomedy.com
More from Gordon McDowell:
-
Blood Diamond
What guy cares about diamonds, period? Gangsta rappers looking for bling… and homosexual pop stars. That’s it. If you are neither one of those, and you’re buying a diamond, then you’re looking to get yourself a wife, or you need to cut glass.
-
Bono Asks for debt relief
They can’t afford to provide a decent education to their children. We’re calling on the leaders of China and Japan to please forgive some of the US debt.
-
Who Makes Movies?
The MPAA has expanded the scope of their anti-piracy campaign, with spots specifically targeting horror fans, Bridget Fonda fans, and porn lovers. We salute the MPAA in their struggle against all that is evil.
-
CO2 – We Call It Death
When I first saw “An Inconvenient Truth”, I was touched deeply by Al Gore’s naivete. To bring science and facts to the global warming debate, is a bit like bringing a knife to a gunfight. Al, nice try. But the only way to fight stupid is with even more stupid. I’ll take over now.
-
How to Receive Both Infrared and Visible Light
As the little grey men walk across the scorched surface of our planet, I shall witness their approach… by monitoring the INFRARED SPECTRUM.
-
Brownie points with Slumdog Millionaire
That's what your woman has really been craving every time she goes to see a chick flick, but she doesn't know it. In fact it is scientifically impossible for a woman NOT to watch the Slumdog Millionaire end credits and not feel deeply satisfied.
Other recent features:
-
Sónar 2010 – Barcelona, Spain
The festival attracts a lot of outsiders, but the Mediterranean, Spanish and more specifically Catalan nature of the people makes the festival what it is. Catalan people are passionate and this passion is infectious. The atmosphere is electric in Barcelona as a city and heightened by music and intoxicants at Sónar.
-
Summer Party Naval Styles at Seven RestoLounge
Oysters, like wine are affected by terroir and these Miyagi’s flavor profiles ranged with one showing a cleaner, almost tropical profile and the other being more salty, marine driven. As I was devouring the seemingly endless plates put in front of us, I sipped on a glass of fine sauvignon blanc.
-
R4NT Radio March 2010
R4NT Radio March 2010 um wow it’s been far too long since the last edition edition, featuring: Hector Hernandez, The Infesticons, Blockhead, Gramatik, Emika, Thunderheist, Parov Stelar, Eddy Meets Yannah, Anti-Pop Consortium, The Slew, Lighterthief, Andreya Triana, Parasyte Woman, Mathon, Venetian Snares, and Funki Porcini.
-
O Restaurant & Lounge revisited
Calgary has a diverse set of urban communities, most of which have the ubiquitous strip mall watering hole. In the South West community of Marda Loop, a reinvention of this paradigm has been established.
-
Predictions 2010.. and beyond!
So 2010 eh? Almost but not quite (no year zero they say) another decade? It seems like just yesterday that the world was waiting for Y2K. R4NT started publishing in March 2001, so we’re not quite 10 years old yet, but in internet years we are already a senior citizen.
-
Invictus
No matter what, the reality of Nelson Mandela is something that deserves screen time. Should this film even remotely intrigue the masses to take interest in this figure, the world would likely benefit greatly from it.