Bermuda's only comedy club opened the summer entertainment season in fine style on Friday night, launching the first in a series of four night comedy sets for top local and international comedians. I had the good fortune of catching the Saturday night show, and I certainly left the club feeling thoroughly entertained.

Bootsie's Comedy Club provided the backdrop for a rollicking night of laughter, enlightenment, and good old-fashioned grown and sexy fun. The setting was intimate, and a modest crowd of around 30-or-so folks made the scene; a fact that made the comedians' jobs a bit easier seeing that they could see every person in the place quite clearly.

Under-attendance aside, the quality of the acts that were presented on Saturday night was quite good. Bootsie himself started the show; delivering a few humorous anecdotes between welcomes and please-come-agains. Local funnyman Klymaxx graced the stage next with his homegrown brand of rated R commentary. Then international act Brooklyn Mike closed the stand-up comedy portion of the evening in satisfying style.

Klymaxx started a bit slowly, but soon showed what his many years of local joke-telling have done for him. He presented some often hilarious material during his set, which lasted around 20 minutes, and was, overall, quite solid. Stories about the roach army that lives in his home gathering forces for another strike, and "Gretchen" (you had to be there!) stood out; and were made quite comical by his use of spot on British accents. Why all the characters had British accents is probably connected somehow to why the imperial forces officers in 'Star Wars' had British accents: no one really knows, and fewer even care! Good stuff!

The headliner was Brooklyn Mike, and he definitely did not disappoint. He covered such standard comedic fare as relationships, children, nationalities, self-esteem, and sex, while also taking the time to poke fun at a few local inconsistencies. He was a consummate professional throughout, and had the crowd keeled over in laughter quite often in his generous hour-long set. He did stop a bit abruptly though, in order to let the Mosely versus Mayweather undercard play on the club's big screen TV. I understood the reason for his abrupt ending, of course, but I, for one, wanted more!

Good thing there were two more shows left. I didn't make the Sunday or Monday performances personally, but if they were anything like Saturday night's, then all in attendance can't wait for Bootsie's next show.

One thing that Brooklyn Mike mentioned is that Bermudians really need to patronize Bootsie's Comedy Club. Not only because it is the Island's only bonafide comedy club, but because it is black owned (something very rare in Mike's experiences abroad). Unfortunately, we do still live in a world where those details matter, and, truth be told, we have plenty of reasons to support any man trying to bring laughter to the people in these times.

Last weekend's show was just the first in a long season of comedy scheduled for Bootsie's. Keep your ear to the ground and check for upcoming events, because this is an establishment we really cannot afford to lose. Get your laugh on Bermuda! And please, support your own!

Comedy and music for Mother's Day, Page 38