Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Trevor Eastmond - CONTRIBUTED
CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS Crack-Up 2005, the twin series, will be held on December 26 and 27, 2005, at the Hilton Kingston hotel, each show starting at 7:30 p.m. This information was revealed at the show's launch on Wednesday at Jonkanoo Lounge, Hilton Kingston, New Kingston.
The show is rated 'M' for mature audiences only. Pre-sold tickets to the sacks of laughter go on sale on December 19.
Dr. Orville Taylor, sociologist, columnist and talk show host, who was guest speaker at the launch, endorsed the show. "I'm very happy to be associated with this. It's about time that people recognise that comedy has begun. It's now a business; it takes an extremely intelligent person to be a comedian. Dem going laugh dem way to the bank," Taylor said.
Taylor spoke to comedy as being a necessary element in the society. "Comedy has other kinds of functions. It's an important part in the tension management in the society and, unfortunately, as a society, we have not learnt to make fun of ourselves. We're not a funny society; we just learning,"
Taylor said.
Donald 'Iceman' Anderson and Christopher 'Johnny' Daley will lead the laughter as hosts of the show. Ian 'Ity' Ellis made a live telephone link with Iceman in the U.S.A.
"Yeah man, Johnny and Iceman going be there to endorse the thing. Cause once it a gwaan we affi deh deh, cause we ah head cook and bottle washer," Iceman said. Johnny was in Europe at the time of the link up.
The Jamaican contingent on the line-up is from the Laughter League. Among them are Ity and Fancy Cat, Owen 'Blakka' Ellis and Elva Ruddock, with special performances by Theatre Xpressionz and Calbert 'Tubeless' Morris. "I just want to bring love and to say that I'm happy to be here to see comedy grow from Ranny Williams days 'til now," Fancy Cat said.
Top comedian from Trinidad and Tobago, Rachel Price, as well as Louis Antoine, also from Trinidad, will be on the show. Trevor Eastmond from Barbados and Fernando Clarke from St. Maarten complete the Caribbean connection.
Title sponsors for the comedy show, Cash Pot, were represented. "Supreme Ventures, through its premium brand Cash Pot, is very pleased to be associated with the Caribbean Christmas Crack-Up event. This is entertainment, this is where we are," said Sonia Davidson, assistant vice-president, Corporate Communications and Customer Service.
"We are extremely pleased to be hosting this event once again. We are proud to be sponsors this year. Ellis International, they have represented Jamaica, both locally and internationally, in a positive light so the Hilton Kingston couldn't wait to be a part of this event," said Celia Steele, sales and marketing manager at Hilton Kingston.
Ellis International also organises the International Comedy Festival in July and the monthly Crack-Up series at Backyaad, sponsored by Red Stripe Light.
