If nothing else, a good comic knows to strike when the iron is hot.
Graham Clark will capitalize on that point Jan. 27 when he rolls out his latest comedy show, Vancouver鈥檚 Next Top Mayor.
Taking place at Little Mountain Gallery off Main Street, the show鈥檚 format will see Clark and fellow comics taking interactive stabs at who鈥檚 going to run the civic political scene come October. The comics will also canvas audience members for potential platforms the city鈥檚 next mayor should pursue.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking at Mayor McCheese,鈥� said the comedian, podcaster and 鈥淗e鈥檚 been the successful mayor of McDonaldland for many, many years. You don鈥檛 see him around as much anymore, so I鈥檓 thinking he might be looking for a job. Mayor McCheese is someone I鈥檝e got my eye on.鈥�
Clark鈥檚 inspiration, of course, comes from news earlier this month that Mayor Gregor Robertson won鈥檛 seek re-election Oct. 20 after 10 years at the helm of the city. Turning that announcement into a comedic fodder came by way of good timing and a bit of happenstance.
Clark mounts themed comedy nights on a semi-regular basis alongside co-conspirators from Hot Art Wet City. Next week鈥檚 show was booked long before a theme was established, so he took to the Twittersphere for suggestions and offered a $50 reward for the best idea. His missive to the masses happened hours after Robertson鈥檚 announcement and the plan was hatched.
鈥淚 was like 鈥榯his is perfect,鈥� because it鈥檚 in the news and it鈥檚 going to be a fun, silly thing to do,鈥� Clark said.
A veteran in comedic circles and stages, Clark is not typically one to incorporate politics into his routine. For starters, it鈥檚 takes too much time and upkeep. The 24-hour news cycle is such that jokes need to be constantly tweaked, refreshed and re-packaged.
鈥淏esides that, there鈥檚 not much else to do with that topic, otherwise it鈥檚 too tragic to handle,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 that release valve with a topic that鈥檚 omnipresent in everybody鈥檚 life. It鈥檚 better to have a laugh at it than let it grind you to bits.鈥�
Clark isn鈥檛 all funny business on the topic of civic life and civic duties. He takes voting seriously, as he does educating himself on platforms and issues. And he鈥檚 not blind to the fact the city he lives in is becoming increasingly unaffordable for him and other artist types in particular.
鈥溌槎勾接郴璱s a city that changed a lot in the past 10 years. You can鈥檛 ignore it, even if you鈥檙e completely apolitical,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淪ome cities you go to, and you think, 鈥業t鈥檚 always been this way.鈥� We鈥檝e seen 麻豆传媒映画transform from one place to another in a short amount of time.鈥�
Vancouver鈥檚 Next Top Mayor kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 27 at Little Mountain Gallery, 195 East 26th Ave. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. For info, see .
