Popular local comedian 'Bootsie' is coming to town with a whole new cartload of laughs next weekend, and his latest one-man show promises to be another sell-out performance, part proceeds of which will again go to charity.

"A lot of the material is very new, and I am doing six different characters: a gay, a drunk, a schizophrenic, a handicapped child, a little boy and a Jamaican lady," the comedian says.

If, at first glance, the choices seems tasteless or insensitive in these politically correct times, the man whose name is synonymous with humour stresses that it is not his style to make jokes at the expense of people who are different. Rather, he likes to make his audiences aware of certain issues in a light-hearted way, and give them pause to think.

"I touch on subjects like raising a child, discrimination against disabled persons, alcohol in the family, the environment, AIDS," he says. "There are a lot of issues that we deal with every day in our society, and I try, with light-hearted humour, to bring certain things to light that people are afraid to talk about. For example, I lost a brother to the AIDS virus, and nine times out of ten you don't make yourself aware until it hits home. I don't want people to think I am taking advantage of making fun of people."

In fact, he says his disability segment, used only once before, proved a real show-stopper.

'Bootsie' as he prefers to be known, describes his latest show, entitled 'The Best of Bootsie', as "a collage of material selected from pieces I have only done once over ten years, so for many, many people they will be very new."

His motivation, as always, is topical issues.

"When enough things happen socially then I do a show," he says. "This one is based around some of the things that have happened recently, and they will make for an interesting show."

"The Best of Bootsie" takes place on September 1 at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts. Doors open open at 7 p.m. and show time is at 8 p.m. Tickets ($25) are sold at 27th Century Boutique. For further information call 298-3678 or 297-1279.