Money for nothing and the laughs for free
Dave Jaffer
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Pinette: Has disappointed more than 10,000 women
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Comedic great John Pinette can't pay back his Canadian fans, except maybe in laughter
"I say nay nay." If you're a John Pinette fan, you'll know these words and what they mean. If you're not and don't, you should probably ask yourself why you don't like to laugh.
Pinette, whose roly-poly physique and expressive, cherubic face is always a focal point of his act, is one of comedy's unsung heroes, and a performer par excellence. He's opened for Sinatra, starred (in drag, no less) in a Broadway musical, and had the most successful one-man show in Just For Laughs history. But would you recognize him on the street? The answer is probably nay nay, but it's okay, since he's not usually anywhere long enough to get recognized.
"I'm basically paid to travel. I tell jokes for free. I'm paid to pack, unpack, go through the security line, wait in line at the food court at the airport. That's what I want to be paid for. I've been making people laugh for free my whole life."
Early in his career, Pinette opened for Michael Bolton, which he recalls was a character-building experience.
"I would have to go up in front of 10,000 women. This is when I just started to have some headliner material, and some time under my belt, as far as like a good 45 minutes. It takes a while to develop that. Well, I was just starting to. Ten thousand women screaming for Michael Bolton and my ass walks on stage. It was humbling.
"Some cities were okay, some cities were just... they were screaming 'Where's Michael?!' and I would cry in the shower like Glenn Close in The Big Chill." As we both laugh,
he adds, "That's quite a visual isn't it? That'll keep you up at night."Regarding Sinatra (whom Pinette always refers to as "Mr. S"), the story is a little shorter, and a little more to the point.
"He said, 'If anybody hits you, call me.' He was a really great guy, really very nice." He pauses here, setting up my favourite punch line of the day: "He thought I was Gleason, they didn't tell him."
A seasoned JFL veteran, Pinette's got big love for the fest and its city. "As always, I'm looking forward to being in Montreal," he tells me. "What the Canadian audiences have given me, I can never pay back. Having that kind of crowd in front of me makes me a better comic."
John Pinette Gala
Théâtre St-Denis (1594 St-Denis), July 20
| U say just another comedian... I say nay nay... |
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You gotta see him to believe how funny this guy is. I bought the tickets for his Gala a month in advance and there were only 15 seats left. We laughed till our throats were throbbing then we laughed some more. Now every time I step in a line for food I start laughing.
Extremly funny, will defently book for next year as soon as I know when.
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Mohammed Nassif
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