The “OK, Dope” comedy tour came through Campbell River on Saturday night (Sept. 16).
Hosted by comic Nash Park, the stand-up show featured the observational comedic stylings of Emily Woods and was headlined by Marito Lopez in what was a fantastic night of laughs.
Park warmed the crowd up for the headliners. Discovering his passion for stand-up comedy after moving to Victoria post-high school, he is the co-host of the “OK, Dope” podcast along side Alex Foreman.
It seemed like no topic was off limits for this trio of performers, including the Freedom Convoy, drugs, racism and even sex. For instance, Nash spoke to the audience about some personal strife, such as his recent divorce.
“I haven’t been single in, like, really ever,” Park said. “I hit my head the other day while I was alone. It is the saddest thing you can do as a recently divorced 33-year-old. It’s sad because for a split second, you forget you’re completely alone. I was by the sink and the cupboard was open. I came up and smoked my head and was like ‘ah, ah’ and turned around and I was still alone,” he went on as the audience cackled in amusement.
Park also spoke about scientists imitating a dinosaurs roar, which he described as a “con job”.
“You can’t re-create a sound no one’s heard before,” said Park “It’s like releasing an album of Creed’s greatest hits.”
Afterward, Nash gave the stage to Emily Woods. Woods has travelled worldwide for the past five years, including stops in B.C. and the United Kingdom.
Woods spoke about what it’s like to be a local within the confines of a city, specifically B.C.’s capital.
“I’ve lived in a lot of different places. A lot of people ask me ‘When do you feel like a local in a city?’ Is it after one month, three months, a year in Victoria? Do you feel like a local when you get really into mushrooms and paddle boarding?”
After an intermission, it was Lopez’s turn to make the audience laugh. Although he was outnumbered in terms of his ethnicity, he didn’t let that deter him. In fact, the comic originally from El Salvador who now makes his home in Toronto via Calgary, embraced the differences between he and the crowd.
“All you guys in the crowd looked like you walked off the set of ‘Storage Wars’,” Lopez said.
In particular, he spoke to one onlooker, and tried his best at making him laugh.
“This guy is my favourite dude right here. He’s not even laughing at my jokes. You look at me right now and you’re thinking ‘They should build a wall’,” he joked, referring to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s border wall.
The “OK, Dope” tour will continue Sept. 21 when headliner Damonde Tschritter graces the stage at Tofino’s Clayoquot Theatre on Sept. 21.