Don’t like Bernie Law’s jokes?
Blame his grandmother.
“I've been telling jokes since I was a little boy,” said Law, of Kinsman Court in Fonthill. “My grandma was from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and she lived on Church Street here in Fonthill. She’d tell me and the other kids funny stories from the old country, after which she'd laugh and cackle. I memorized her stories and jokes, and started telling them to people, who all chuckled. I’ve been telling jokes ever since.”
Law will be fulfilling a lifelong dream when he joins a team of stand-up comedians at the Meridian Community Centre on Saturday, July 30, for “Comedy Night in Pelham,” presented by the Garden City Comedy Festival.
Festival Director David Green told the Voice that this will be the triumphant return of comedy to the MCC after two years of shutdown due to the pandemic.
“Previously, we enjoyed five sold out shows at this venue,” said Green. “We are very lucky to have Jeff Leeson, one of the funniest guys on the planet, as our headliner for the evening. For over 22 years, Leeson has been astonishing audiences with his off-the-cuff, improvisational style. He has been described as a human fireworks display, and has been featured on Sirius/XM radio, Spotify, and two comedy specials on Amazon Prime.”
Alongside Leeson will be Law, local performer Keh Dee, and Nathan Teixeira, from Kitchener, who recently opened for former Saturday Night Live cast member Tim Meadows.
“This is bound to be a wonderful community event that brings people from the town together through laughter. I can’t wait to see Bernie wow the crowd!” said Green, who will serve as host for the evening.
Tickets are $25 individually, or $200 for a table of eight. They are available online at www.gardencitycomedyfestival.com, or by calling 289-668-3425. Doors open at 7 PM in the Accursi Room, with showtime at 8 PM. A fully-licenced bar and snack food will be available.
“I like to laugh and have fun,” said Law. “Laughter is a tonic. I played old-timers hockey in Welland for 25 years, and in the dressing room, I would always tell a couple of jokes, either before the game or after, which the guys always enjoyed. Some guys can tell a joke, some guys can't. I worked at Gillespie Pontiac for 40 years as the financial controller, and would tell jokes at the dealership, at our Christmas parties, and at business meetings. If there was a microphone, I was up there, flipping off a couple of stories.”
If there was a microphone, I was up there, flipping off a couple of stories
Law has literally hundreds of jokes in his repertoire, which he has committed to memory.
“I used to write the jokes down on little pieces of paper, and put them in my wallet. But it got so thick, I couldn't carry it anymore. Now I have them on a stack of business cards, but mostly in my head,” he said.
Green saw Law in action one day with his string of jokes, and signed him up for the comedy festival.
“Bernie has a physical delivery to his humour, reminiscent of Red Skelton,” said Green.
Law jokes about his family, and his Irish heritage.
And yes, he still tells Newfie jokes.
“The Irish settled in Newfoundland, so I think they are fair game,” he said with a laugh. “I don't touch any political stuff. I’ve got lots of conservative friends I don’t want to insult.”
And there won’t be any Rodney Dangerfield style jokes about his wife.
“She’s the queen,” said Bernie in a reverent tone.
Law was reminded that Pelham is largely an agricultural community, and that locals could be bringing over-ripened fruit to the event to hurl at comedians who might cross the line.
“There won’t be any X-rated stuff, at least not from me,” assured Law.
