Last night I went to see comedian Katherine Ryan perform her latest stand up show Glam Role Model at the Brighton Komedia. If you watch TV chances are you have seen Katherine Ryan. She's the female comic who is allowed to speak and doesn't get edited down to appear as 'silent blonde sidekick' on TV panel shows - a fate all too often meted out to other women who appear on comedy panel shows. Why is this? Perhaps it is because of her Canadianess that refuses to be quieted. Or her delivery that can border on brash and can't be ignored. Or maybe just because Katherine Ryan is plain funny. Too funny to edit down to give the men more air time for their bon mots.
It is often the fate of comedians who appear on TV panel shows to meet with an audience expecting a repeat of their TV show safe performance. I'm not convinced Katherine suffered this last night but if you're a father and you have brought your teenage daughter with you (mad props - comedy is excellent for father-daughter bonding) I suggest not sitting in the front row, you know, for optimum comfort on the journey home. Also if you are on your third date.
I'm not saying if you sit in the front row of a Katherine Ryan gig you will be torn apart. I am saying be prepared to laugh along when she suggests you try out a Beyonce move that has the potential to unsex your male partner. Hey maybe even try it out when you get home!
But harassing the audience is not really the aim of Katherine's show. Instead she talks about being a single mother, the father of her child who she is totally, definitely friends with - in front of her daughter, the cult of celebrity and how teens today grow up with social media.
I'm not saying if you sit in the front row of a Katherine Ryan gig you will be torn apart. I am saying be prepared to laugh along when she suggests you try out a Beyonce move that has the potential to unsex your male partner. Hey maybe even try it out when you get home!
But harassing the audience is not really the aim of Katherine's show. Instead she talks about being a single mother, the father of her child who she is totally, definitely friends with - in front of her daughter, the cult of celebrity and how teens today grow up with social media.
| Katherine is one of those comics who tells it like it is - whether or not 'like it is' is particularly palatable. This is not some 80s style 'didja ever notice..?' set. It's actually an angry 'why are we allowing this to happen?' under the guise of light pop culture critique. | It's like flicking through Heat magazine and accidentally stumbling upon a feminist essay. |
She treads the very thin line of being able to point out the faults of celebrities such as Tulisa whilst solidly remaining #TeamTulisa. Particularly when discussing our reaction to Tulisa's sex tape vs Jennifer Lawrence and the Fappening.
The blurb for Katherine's show goes: "The product of a strict Irish father and a glitzy Canadian 'stage mom', Katherine Ryan won neither friends nor pageant titles growing up. Try as she might to shed her questionable perspectives and super sparkly nature, she's not sure we can ever truly escape our childhood indoctrinations." We don't, perhaps, escape our childhood indoctrinations but Katherine definitely helped us notice them.
In between celebrity chat Katherine talks about abortion, her divorce and infidelity. It's like flicking through Heat magazine and accidentally stumbling upon a feminist essay. And liking it.
Squeamish Kate
The blurb for Katherine's show goes: "The product of a strict Irish father and a glitzy Canadian 'stage mom', Katherine Ryan won neither friends nor pageant titles growing up. Try as she might to shed her questionable perspectives and super sparkly nature, she's not sure we can ever truly escape our childhood indoctrinations." We don't, perhaps, escape our childhood indoctrinations but Katherine definitely helped us notice them.
In between celebrity chat Katherine talks about abortion, her divorce and infidelity. It's like flicking through Heat magazine and accidentally stumbling upon a feminist essay. And liking it.
Squeamish Kate
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