Fear of a Brown Planet Returns
Let me just state something that I found painfully obvious – I was not the intended target audience of Nazeem Hussain and Aemer Rahman’s stand-up comedy in their show Fear of a Brown Planet Returns.
It’s quite obvious why they could be popular – Australia has a large multicultural community, and very little of the existing comedy festival caters directly to that audience. Some of their jokes are brilliant in that aspect, as it plays on the cultural differences while still being accessible; jokes about growing up, about family members, about problems in the workplace – all of this had the audience laughing.
The point where it started to lose people are jokes about stabbings, war, and torture or just straight out racism. I don’t know whether Hussain and Rahman felt impassioned to use their audience as an opportunity to make a political or societal point, but it is taken a little too far with jokes about blowing up certain Channel Nine shows, and then going to the funerals and blowing up those as well. I would be concerned about anyone who found that funny, let alone the people telling those sort of jokes.
Hussain and Rahman clearly know their stuff – they have a great sense of timing, they’re good at impersonations, and they deliver well. But comedy is about making people laugh. Successful comedy is about laughing at similarities and finding common ground. In trying to engage with their target audience, the material in Fear of a Brown Planet Returns quickly divided the audience into clearly delineated ethnic subgroups. I found this a shame, because before we entered the show, we were clearly all there for the same thing – a good night out, and the opportunity to laugh. We entered together, and yes, we laughed. But when we left the show, we left separately.
This sounds like a review from someone who expected Akmal.
I went to this show and absolutely LOVED IT.
And yes – I am a blue eyed, blonde haired 28 year old. Their “intended audience” certainly wasn’t Australia’s “multicultural community”. Half the time they were speaking to white folk like myself – so obviously white people were also part of the “intended audience”.
This review is horrific! you’re so out of touch with comedy matt! even the herald sun rated them yesterday!!!
I thought it was brilliant. one of the best comedy shows i’ve ever seen. MOVE OVER AKMAL!
Ah, good, someone heckled me! I was a bit worried that I would feel the pressure to be nice and post a glowing review.
While this review was edited and gained a few terms I wouldn’t use, I stand by it – the guys were good, but their content was a bit hit and miss. And when it missed, it often tanked. If you liked the show, good for you.
Incidently, I’m not a fan of Akmal. But there’s plenty of room for all of them.
Enjoy the rest of the festival.
Sorry Matt, but I didn’t feel that this show divided the audience at all; rather that it helped bring people together by mocking and satirising everyone equally, whether it was digs at Nazeem’s ‘Uncle Coconut’, Aamer’s mum, or at Channel Nine. As for losing people with jokes about straight-out-racism – the guys certainly didn’t lose me. I laughed throughout the show. Maybe you should try reviewing something a little less confrontational and more mainstream next time – sounds like Hughsey might be more your cup of tea…
PS. Matt, you better be concerned about me – I laughed my head off at the Channel Nine joke!
If the guys didn’t lose you, that’s good for you. I just didn’t find jokes about killing people funny. I guess I don’t find suicide bombing comedy material, Richard.
It’s all good Matt – that’s the thing about comedy, it’s all so subjective – which makes it bloody difficult to review!
There’s quite an art to appearing ignorant & self righteous at the same time, but this reviewer has managed it.
Well done on inserting more ‘I’ than a Helen Razer-special, but perhaps you’d be better actually working on your ‘I’ rather than poorly critiquing comedy shows that you clearly don’t understand.
Good day.
Why do people get so pissed off at reviews that don’t praise everything? I saw this show and I just didn’t find it that funny. Just because you make jokes about touchy stuff doesn’t make it hilarious on its own. I also felt awkward and uneasy when the show was over and I’m not a white kid from the suburbs.
“There’s quite an art to appearing ignorant & self righteous at the same time” Well done, Janice- you’ve clearly mastered the art of which you speak. Reviewers are allowed to dislike shows, and your rather weak attempt to sledge the reviewer by claiming they didn’t understand the show reveals your own ignorance of how reviewing works.
I agree with the msg they’re trying to communicate, but at the end of the day it is meant to be a comedy show and I didn’t find it that funny…
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