Wreck Shop International Comedy CompetitionBy Vejay SteedeA crew of high quality East Coast comedians invaded the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium for the finals of Image Entertainment’s wonderful comedy competition ‘Wreck Shop’ this weekend.Each entertainer had won a previous competition held earlier in the year when they tickled audiences the best during their respective heat.The finals drew a capacity crowd to the ample performance space on Saturday night, proving that high quality stand-up comedy is still very popular in Bermuda.The rules of the competition were made clear from the start: we would see three contestants for 20 to 25 minutes each and then we would be asked who we liked the most.The winner would be declared based on the level of crowd noise they garnered; simple.The show started on time (8:30pm), which was a mark of great pride for Image Entertainment Organiser Nadanja Bailey.Before the revelry began in earnest though, Mr Bailey presented a check for $2,000 to Youthnet Representative Claire Mello, encouraging her to continue the great work her organisation is doing for Bermuda’s young people.Comedienne B-Phlat was introduced soon after and she wasted no time winning the crowd over with her warm charisma and razor sharp wit.The veteran Philadelphia funny lady delivered about 15 minutes of stitch-worthy material in her capacity of Emcee for the evening, providing the perfect foundation for the all-out hilarity that was about to ensue.The first contestant to take the stage was Richie Redding, winner of the first event in the series.Richie exaggerated his petite size, goofy demeanour, and unapologetically rhythm-less whiteness to full effect, winning the crowd over with consummate ease.Just as in his first appearance in the Wreck Shop, Mr Redding employed many tried and tested comedy devices, shocking the audience with his bold, often tasteless observations on race, relationships, and cultural mannerisms.The funny part is; the more offensive this little white dude got, the louder the crowd laughed, screamed, hollered, and rocked in their seats!His comedy was raucous, politically incorrect, culturally insensitive, and, well, just really, really funny.Mr Redding, of course, led the way by including a healthy dose of self-deprecation in his set, demonstrating quite vividly that laughing at oneself is a very healthy exercise indeed.The next contestant was Queen Aisha.This plus-sized African-American Queen drew boisterous laughter from the crowd by poking fun at her size, making reference to local delicacies (including the world renowned Art Mell’s fish sandwich and our beloved Rum Swizzle), demonstrating what she learned in belly dancing class, and sharing an hilarious account of her first visit to Africa.Aisha was warm and witty throughout, navigating through a set that saw the audience vacillate between rapt and apathetic with considerable comedic agility.Her finale required a volunteer from the audience, which proved quite a chore to secure.Aisha had to actually come into the audience and request a handpicked thin man come assist her on stage.Soon after, the thin man from the audience was fully saddled on Aisha’s back, and the crowd was roaring with laughter!The final contestant was a racially sensitive Puerto Rican called Cory Fernandez.Mr Fernandez whined about growing old, moaned about how friends change over the years, complained about deejays that talk too much, and made sharp observations about the difficulties of knowing whether a person is doing better or worse.His style was observational, and he was on point for most of his time on stage.The crowd ran hot and cold for Mr Fernandez as well, laughing when appropriate and meeting him with silence when he polled the audience; but even that was funny.In fact, all told, Cory Fernandez was my personal favourite competitor on Saturday night. His set was endearing, nostalgic, and very, very funny.The crowd preferred Richie Redding though. He once again earned the biggest ovation when the audience was polled, and thereby became the first ever Wreck Shop Comedy Champion.Mr. Bailey presented Mr. Redding with his $1,500 cash prize and, after a touching address from Mr Bailey and B-Phlat, the audience filed out of the auditorium.Perhaps the best part of the evening was the fact that the Ruth Seaton James was filled with patrons.It was good to see this quality comedy series being supported, and, hopefully, that support will encourage Image Entertainment to continue with a second annual Wreck Shop International Comedy Competition.