Just For Laughs: Bobby Slayton Interview

Friday, 10 July 2009 14:06

bobby_slayton Bobby Slayton has rightfully owned up to his nickname “The Pitbull of Comedy.” The 54-year-old comedian, who has failed to lose any of his edginess over the years, will be hosting this year's The Nasty Show at the Just For Laughs festival, and after a long absence from the no-holds-barred show, he's happy to be back. Slayton even took time off from his stand-up show at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas in order to attend the festival. So what makes Bobby so special? Although many comedians can go the distance with their comedy, Bobby goes beyond that, and for him, nothing is off-limits. Throughout his career, Slayton has touched on everything in his comedy, from homosexuality, to sexism, to religion, to minorities, all in good fun and with just a hint of seriousness. This is the reason he is so fitting a host for The Nasty Show. Easily one of the most popular attractions at the Festival, it allows comedians to talk about anything and everything, no matter how sensitive a subject or off-limits it may seem. “I think the show is honest and refreshing because you could say what you want to say and no one cares. The only time people don't laugh is when comedians try too hard and gross people out. But if it gets a laugh, we'll talk about anything,” said Slayton, speaking from a Planet Hollywood parking lot in Vegas.

Slayton may be a natural comic, but unlike so many other comedians, he didn't always dream of being funny for a living. “[Stand-up comedy] found me. If you talk to a lot of comedians, they say they always wanted to do stand-up comedy. It never crossed my mind. I moved to San Francisco from New York in 1975 and I just became the class clown and parlayed it into a c bobbyslaytonfullshot areer. The two things in my life that just fell into my lap are my wife and comedy. And there's been ups and downs in both.” Through a simple twist of fate, Slayton built a lucrative career, headlining his own shows while appearing in numerous films such as Dreamgirls, Get Shorty and Bandits. He even appears on Comedy Central's list of 100 Greatest Stand-ups of our time. And Slayton knows very well that he is funny. When asked how funny he was on a scale of one to ten, he easily said ten. “Comedy is all about having bravado and confidence and talent comes after.” Of course, there is such a thing as being too confident, so Slayton took a step back. “If people are expecting you to be hilarious, you let them down, so let's go back to a three,” he joked.

Bobby will take a break from his show in Vegas to step on familiar territory. The comedian claims Montreal is his favorite city to perform in, and who could blame him? Montreal is a city that proudly embraces multiculturalism on its streets, different religions in its various churches, mosques and synagogues, and homosexuality in the buzzing gay village. The city's vibrant feel gives it an unabashed sexiness that no other city in North American can compete with. The Nasty Show contributes to that feel, no matter how dirty or scurrilous the comedy may be, since it gives audiences the opportunity to laugh, gasp and be slightly offended all at the same time. “The audiences in Montreal are great, and the people who come to the show are people who are ready to laugh. They're definitely one of the best audiences in North America.” As for the show itself, Slayton's says new and returning audiences won't be disappointed. “This year could be the best Nasty Show ever. I think we have three pros on the show and two new people and I think all the guys this year are going to be just outstanding.”