You’d need a crack team of psychologists to conclusively understand Pablo Francisco’s mental state. In conversation, it’s hard to tell where Francisco ends and where the innumerable personalities living inside his head begin. For the past couple of decades, the US standup has bewildered audiences the world-over with his spot on impersonations of celebrity icons, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ozzy Osborne and Chris Rock.
“I know everyone does an Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he says. “But they don’t do it like I do. When I do it it’s a different one, he’s getting older. It’s like, ‘I’ll be back,’ no ‘Ow, my back.’ Sylvester Stallone – he sounds like he’s having an orgasm. It’s goofy stuff that shouldn’t hurt anybody.”
The nonsensical rapidity with which Francisco introduces these voices into his standup could lead to the presumption that he’s all style, no content. Yet, despite how frequently he slips into mimicry, it’s not a total gag. Rather, a closer look reveals there’s a critique of the contemporary pop-culture obsession lying beneath the mish-mash of voices.
“We all see something that we just go, ‘Oh my God,’” Francisco says. “I love it when people put out their ideas. That’s fantastic, but don’t do it to the point where you have a TV show about everything. When I see those things I just go, ‘Wow, we can watch people play poker and just sit in that room?’ I recognise it, you recognise it. And it’s stupid, but it’s interesting, just like my act.”
Francisco’s reflective reasoning doesn’t last long. He seems more comfortable offering a demonstrative explanation, courtesy of The Voiceover Dude: “I’ll make fun of Mark Wahlberg. He’s in every movie for crying out loud. ‘Mark Wahlberg’s back again. He’s in Sydney. “Hey Sydney, what’s going on?” Then he’s in Melbourne: “I’m in Melbourne now.” That’s right, he’s in every fucking city, every movie, every TV show, every commercial.’ I’m surprised that he doesn’t make a big statue of himself. It’s hilarious, but everyone loves him, so why not make fun of him?”
Francisco’s MICF appearance is limited to just one show, joined onstage by Steve Kramer. Having been absent from our shores for a few years, Francisco’s eager to bring himself and his internal and external crew of friends back down.
“Australian crowds are like family, but a cool family,” he says. “Here in the United States it’s family, but over there it’s like the cool family – the family that lets you stay out late and the family that lets you drink a beer at their house. It’s a good family. So we’re really, really excited to come down. We’re going to mix it up a little bit, make it a little different. Steve Kramer’s part of the show. He does the animation for our one-hour special. We’re just looking forward to getting down there and trying out our new stuff.”
Francisco’s prominent use of impressions has no doubt led casual observers to regard this as his lone comedic tool. While it seems inevitable the likes of Stallone and Wahlberg will appear in the act at some point, Francisco’s shows are also packed with more in depth material. Nevertheless, he’s not peeved about being recognised purely for the impressions.
“I’ll be known as the comic who does the movie previews voice? That’s OK with me,” he says. “I don’t mind at all as long as I can use the voice to make fun of other people or to actually make fun of myself. But I’ll never cross the line and bully anybody, because there’s no reason to do that.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
