You seem to be one of those comedians who likes offending people for our own good. Do you make yourself squirm sometimes while writing for your stand-up performances, or even during them?
“I may take some time to think about how someone may react to a piece, but when I do that I am censoring my material. When you start censoring, you may as well just do kid stuff and TV. I am an adult, and I expect the people in my audience to be adults.
You seem to be one of those comedians who likes offending people for our own good. Do you make yourself squirm sometimes while writing for your stand-up performances, or even during them?
“I may take some time to think about how someone may react to a piece, but when I do that I am censoring my material. When you start censoring, you may as well just do kid stuff and TV. I am an adult, and I expect the people in my audience to be adults.
“I actually don’t like offending people (or animals). When I perform, I do just that, it is a performance – I am deep down a Thespian – that wants to be funny.”
Do people ever tell you that you’re a horrible person for offending their demographic (any Catholics keen to shut you down for those priest jokes?)
“I had a heckler once call out… I didn’t really make out what she said, but I think it was either ‘sex offender’ or ‘pervert’ or some combination of that. I had another comic tell me I offended the 20-something males in the club. I thought, ‘Wow! I talk about things that 20-something males would relate to; like sex, drinking, masturbation, gay fantasies, bestiality and breastfeeding!’”
How big a role does your heritage play in your routine? What are some major differences between your shows in NYC, Rome, and now Melbourne – have you had to adjust your routine according to culture?
“I am Italian-born and a practising Roman Catholic. Neither of those inhibit me from talking about either. Are You Offended Yet? Is a show about what I believe is really offensive. CEO salaries, paedophilia, children swearing, rape, violence against women/children/planet, and the fact that it is the 21st Century and we still can’t feed, clothe and house the world. And yes, I will say some things that people may find offensive and others will fall over laughing at.”
Armando will be performing Are You Offended Yet? at the Loop Project Space & Bar from April 12 – April 20. It’s at 7.30pm Tuesday – Thursday. Tickets $12.50 – $17.50 and available from armando.com.au or at the door.
Cayce Hill
