By Melissa Smalley
Comedy lovers young and old were treated to an evening of laughs last week, as the Cariboo Christian Life Fellowship hosted stand-up comic Leland Klassen for a free show in 100 Mile House.
Pastor Rick Barker tells the 100 Mile Free Press it was a full house at the South Cariboo Theatre Sept. 20 for the family-friendly show and that Klassen – known across the country for his appearances at Just for Laughs and other comedy festivals – delivered plenty of chuckles.
“It’s pretty amazing when you can stand up for two hours and make people laugh the whole time,” Barker says, noting the comic’s self-deprecating humour was particularly well-received among the younger members of the audience.
Barker says he and other members of the church were thrilled to hold the free event in the community as a way of helping to take people’s minds off this summer’s wildfire crisis.
“We really wanted to simply just laugh,” he explains. “We need to laugh. It’s been a pretty surreal and serious time for everybody.”
The evening also included an element of Canadian celebration, Barker points out, as the event was, in part, to make up for the church’s Canada 150 festivities which were sidelined by the wildfires.
“We had a whole month planned for Canada 150, with concerts and a comedy night, and unfortunately all our plans went up in smoke, so to speak,” Barker says.
Partnering with the movie theatre for the event was a bonus, Barker says, passing on thanks to owner Jackie McKay for letting the church use the space free of charge.
Barker says he looks forward to hosting similar fun-filled events within the church and throughout the community, to align with one of the church’s mottos: “We’re serious about joy.”