What does it take to make a cat laugh?
On May 26, My Kitty Café in downtown Guelph was transformed into a comedy club for one night only in support of the cats available for adoption through the café. The Laughing Cat fundraiser featured five stand-up comedians from Guelph and Hamilton, and was produced by local cat-lovers Erinn White and Marty Younge.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
“Who doesn’t love as many cats as possible in as little square feet as possible?” White asked the audience as she introduced the show.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
The comedians may have been the ones in the spotlight, but nine adoptable cats could also be seen popping out from behind the couches throughout the show. White and Younge ensured that the atmosphere was comfortable for the cats, keeping the volume and lighting to a minimum.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
The first comedian to take the stage was Devin Bateson, a Hamilton comedian who made the trip to Guelph to be a part of the feline fundraiser. Bateson joked about his drunken misadventures, along with why he believes he is a functioning shopaholic. Instead of making jokes about cats, Bateson decided to make jokes that he thought the cats would like. He ended his performance going over the various shenanigans about his relationships and had many interesting experiences to share.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
Mirali Almaula was the next comedian to take the stage and, unlike Bateson, did not share the same affection towards the felines in the room. She referred to them as “little tigers” as she winced at them running in front of the stage. Almaula joked about the idiocy of first impressions, casual racism, and her often embarrassing dating and flirting experiences.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
Jordan Scherer was then introduced as both a comedian and well-known dumpster diver, which got a confused yet hilarious reaction from the audience. Scherer joked about his experiences with a dumpster as well as an embarrassing Tinder mishap. Scherer’s set relied on a lot of crowd work and was a hit with the interactive audience.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
Next up was Hayley Kellett, known in the community for her work with The Making-Box. Kellett joined the bill to support other homeless cats much like her own three rescue cats. Kellett joked about her disfigured cats, aging, and embarrassing but funny sexual experiences.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
Mayce Galoni, a favourite from Yuk Yuk’s, headlined the show. Galoni described My Kitty Café as “wholesome” compared to the dingy bars he has grown accustomed to in Hamilton. The use of irony played off well with his innocent look while he joked about being offered cocaine in a bar washroom, as well as accidently getting himself into a bar fight.
[media-credit name=”Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion” align=”aligncenter” width=”640″]
Along with the other comedians, Galoni had his fair share of jokes involving cats and mentioned that no one owns more cats than his family, joking about it being an illegal amount in Ontario. Galoni ended the show off strong as he described his opinions on transgender and women’s rights.