Chris Taylor, creator and star of the satirical television comedy The Chaser, delivered a well researched and amusing inaugural Taylor Lecture, as part of the 2013 Adelaide Fringe.
While acknowledging that he is not a stand-up comic, Taylor’s excellent timing and capacity to deliver ripping one-liners ensured that the crowd laughed more than they probably have in any traditional lecture.
Taylor’s promotional material stated ‘Entry is open to everyone, except Nicole Cornes, who evidently doesn’t have a sense of humour’. Nicole Cornes, wife of a famous South Australian footballer and one-time Federal election candidate for Labor, famously sued Channel 10 for defamation over an off-hand joke made by comedian Mick Molloy on a football panel show. Taylor uses this as an example of how comedy is being judged (literally) without perspective or common sense.
To further his point Taylor also speaks about the consequences of The Chaser’s infamous ‘Make A Realistic Wish’ sketch (about children with cancer) highlighting that, despite the caustic humour of the skit, the major backlash to it did not originate organically but that it was flamed by talkback radio and the media almost 48 hours after the program had aired. Taylor is clearly frustrated by Australia’s willingness to be offended by amusing trivialities when overseas atrocities are ignored.
Having spent time in Egypt participating in a political sketch comedy show prior to the Arab Spring, it is apparent that Taylor’s personal experiences have clearly accentuated the irrationality of these over-reactions in his mind. With obvious emotion Taylor expressed his concern for a colleague, and good friend, from Egypt who has disappeared in Syria, where he had been blogging about the violent and volatile conditions there.
As this is a lecture and not a performance Taylor reads from his notes. However, the impact of his observations was occasionally weakened by the need to follow the script.
His intelligent commentary, laced with a great deal of humour, evokes hopes for a second Taylor Lecture in 2014.
Chris Taylor – The Taylor Lecture
Laughing Stock Productions
Paradiso Spiegeltent, The Garden of Unearthly Delights
9 – 11 March
Adelaide Fringe
www.adelaidefringe.com.au
15 February – 17 March
