Khaled Khalafalla’s show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is called Jerk, though his friendly and insightful demeanour certainly seems to contrast this. Having talked about everything, from race to relationships in the past, Khalafalla’s newest routine has evolved alongside him and explores fresh territories.
“This show is broader,” Khalafalla says of Jerk. “It represents where I’m at with my thinking. I started comedy when I was 21 and had a lot of questions about my own race and identity, and how I fit in. On the outset, it kind of looked like a gimmick but it was just that time in my life. Last year’s show was all about relationships, my grandmother and mortality. This year I talk a lot about drugs and sport.”
On the topic of drugs, Khalafalla confesses he was once a dedicated weed smoker, which quickly steers the conversation toward Australia’s anti-drug campaign. The one that features the infamous stoner sloth. “That was the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” laughs Khalafalla. “Then it got eaten alive. I think people enjoyed taking the piss out of it, without giving it much credit. Here’s the thing, it really struck a chord with me, because that’s what I felt like every time I smoked. It makes you exactly like that. I think the whole backlash was because it was perceived to be treating people like they were stupid. The thing is though, you’re targeting people who are waking up at 3pm, eating cereal and watching cartoons for eight hours.”
Back to the topic of his new project Jerk, Khalafalla describes further facets of his performance: “There’s more about relationships and why I don’t like going to clubs any more. Coming of age stuff. I’m 27 now and it’s that scary time, where every year is a countdown to 30. I’ve been thinking a lot about my own work ethic and the things I’ve done wrong from 20 to 25, which includes drugs and stupid things. I’m starting to play a lot of sport and look after my health. There’s still some stuff about race. That will always be an undertone. I talk a bit about filming some stuff in Afghanistan and entertaining the troops. And how it was weird that essentially, I looked just like a lot of the guys they had pictures of, that were targets. That was funny to me.”
When comparing the Australian comedy scene to that of America, Khalafalla says: “There are a lot more comedy clubs, per square mile, in the US. It’s a more inherent part of culture. You can go to a cinema, a comedy club or on a picnic as one-of-three pretty on-par activities to do. While here in Australia, you might suggest a cinema or a picnic but when you mention a comedy club, they say: ‘Oh, that’s exotic!’ It’s different.”
Learning through his experiences on stage and off, Khalafalla describes his development as a comedian with a succinct analogy: “Have you ever torn a muscle when you’re working out? The whole thing is tearing your muscle a tiny bit, until it gets to a point where it doesn’t hurt anymore. If you want to get better, it has to keep hurting.”
By Bel Ryan
VENUE: Trades Hall – The Meeting Room, 54 Victoria St, Carlton
DATES: March 24 – April 17 (except Mondays & April 9)
TIMES: 9.30pm (Sundays 8.30pm)
TICKETS: $18 – $27.50
