Jamie Kilstein

He was an unknown when the Sydney Comedy Festival booked him a few years ago, but these days Jamie Kilstein is, if not a household name, at least a known quantity thanks to his daily news podcast Citizen Radio. Most of the audience at this show were listeners, judging by the applause that followed every mention, and it was clear that the other comics on the bill – Michael Hing and Jack Druce – were relishing the chance to do their edgier, more politically-flavoured material. Both gave strong sets, the young Druce being particularly good, and were warmly received by the crowd. MC Matt Okine was in his element, despite an early attempt to do some audience work not really taking off – and his Penrith Red Rooster bit went down a storm.

 

It’s clear how much doing a daily show has affected Kilstein’s comedy: sheaves of papers with new hot-off-the-brain material sat on a stool, while the first 15 minutes of the show was basically straight reportage from his near-arrest at Occupy Melbourne earlier in the day. In a lesser comic’s hands this sort of scattered approach would seem disorganised and weak, but it actually worked remarkably well: an off-the-cuff piece would flow into a familiar rehearsed bit, which would then be followed by a rant read straight from the page and delivered with the pace of a machine gun. It made his performance flow more like a rock’n’roll set than a monologue, which was appropriate given the venue.

 

It helped, of course, that his material was good. His vegan bit is killer and if his assertion that no-one who’s ever gotten off to lesbian porn should be allowed to oppose same-sex marriage was good, the following bit on oppression-porn had the room falling about. He also did a lot of material that was not politically based, such as on his manipulative friend who took his Dave Matthews Band tickets in return for letting Kilstein watch him have sex. No part of that story left Kilstein with any dignity. Really, Jamie? Dave Matthews?

 

With Citizen Radio taking up more of his time, it’s anyone’s guess when we’ll see him again. Hopefully it’ll be soon, though.