Melbourne International Comedy Festival review by Steve Bennett

Sean Michaels is very keen to let you know he has no issues with gay people. In fact, he spends so long emphasising that he has no issues with gay people that you start suspecting: this guy’s got issues with gay people.

Because although well-intentioned, making so much of what – at least for most liberal festival crowds – is so inconsequential, feels out of place. And when he says a gruff tradesman in the audience couldn’t possibly be gay (why?) and has jokes such as ‘he is what he eats... an arsehole’, he’s probably not quite as progressive as he believes. He says he’s probably about 90 per cent hetero on the sliding scale, but mulls on gay sex with apparent concern, ‘What if I like it?’ Well, Sean, then you would probably be gay.

His stance is a little understandable giving his upbringing. In the small town of Tamworth where he grew up, his mildly liberal attitudes set out as a target for victimisation, but now he lives in cosmopolitan Sydney, where he feels more at home.

His delivery is slick and energetic, with strong impact and good timing, but his material tends to be superficial, with little to engage. He talks of a refugee, well-qualified with a masters degree in chemistry back home but a supermarket security guard here in Australia. However apart from highlighting the cruel irony of the situation, there’s no real joke. He also has what he claims is a ‘cute rape joke’ – yet never explains why the seven-year-old in his story who says the loaded word without knowing its meaning would do such a thing. And on the possibility of going to jail, he’s back to cocks up bums again.

Michaels starts his set with shorter jokes read from cards which demonstrate an ability to write decent material, but the longer stories lack purpose, insight or strong punchlines – suggesting an hour (even with the aid of an opening act) is too much of a stretch for his current abilities.

Review date: 5 Apr 2014
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett