BY MATT HOWELL
Laughing is a great way to stay warm, so this was the perfect time for the K-W Comedy Fest to be in town.
The event, which started in 2010, took place from March 5 to 7 at venues across K-W, including at Centre In The Square, and featured 20 stand-up comedians and performers showcasing their acts.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes star and longtime comedian Shaun Majumder was this year’s festival headliner, and he absolutely slayed the opening night gala.
The comedians who performed on opening night had a mix of dirty and clean comedy styles, but all had the crowd in stitches.
Halifax native Nathan Macintosh was the MC for the evening, and has seen some pretty crazy things while being a comedian.
“I was doing a show in South Africa, and some woman threw her bra on stage. I don’t even remember why she did it. She took it off and it fell into her nachos, so it came on (the stage) with cheese,” Macintosh said.
Two of the other performers that night were Tim Harmston and Mary Mack, who are married and live in Minnesota. When asked what he would be doing if he wasn’t a comedian, Harmston had a clear vision.
“I’d be running a fishing charter somewhere,” he said.
“Or a guide service that takes people into the woods.”
Massachusetts native Alingon Mitra talked about how comedy can be done anywhere, and for anyone.
“I did a show once in a country club. It was set as a variety show, and there was a belly dancing troupe, a comedian and this rock musician, but the people who turned out were the people who generally just eat there, so it was like 70- and 80-year-olds just very confused about what was going on,” Mitra said.
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region was the K-W Comedy Fest’s charity of choice, and received money and food donations for more than 6,000 meals.
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