On This Special Day

I first met Andy Kind in 2007. He was developing his craft as a stand-up comedian and he also happened to be a Christian as well. My boss at work linked us together with the thought that perhaps Andy could do some workshops. It turned out to be one of the best things that’s happened in the time that I’ve been at the YMCA. Not only did Andy do the workshops, he also put on monthly trips to the Frog and Bucket up in Manchester on a free night where they did the Beat the Frog competition.

These acts of kindness I was to discover later were very much like the offer Jesus gives to invite those who won’t be able to pay you back to banquets and feasts. Andy in his way was giving people who would never pay him back an insight into some much loved experiences and occasions. Typical of Andy, though, he never acknowledged even this as he was working out his Christianity slowly but surely. He definitely didn’t set himself up as the standard by which all believers should be met. In that sense Andy typified the quality of humility – not thinking of himself higher than he ought. This is quite a feat for Andy …

Over time working on various projects and get-togethers, Andy turned out to be a really good friend. I enjoyed spending time in his company. You know how it is with a comedian you can easily fall into the expectation that everything they say must be funny, or you have to be funny to show him how you can be just as good as him, or maybe in the hope that he’ll say those magical words “That’s really funny, I think I’ll use that in my next set”. Getting over this, though, I felt Andy and I were able to relate on a level that went beyond one-liners and got to the nitty-gritty of life’s issues. It wasn’t about things being overbearing and sombre, but serious things were addressed honestly.

Andy kindly let me have a look at his world and what he does and how he does it. He was very good to me and my family in one way or another. I recall spending a lot of precious moments with Andy and he has been tremendous for me in understanding more about love, grace, compassion, fallibility and what it is to walk by faith and not by sight. Andy is a dear friend for whom I give God much thanks just for the time we’ve shared together.

Now that may read as somewhat anti-climactic as if it’s come to a tragic end, and I don’t want to give that impression at all. I do hope our friendship will continue to grow and blossom. It’s just that he’s moved to Manchester now and more appropriately for the benefit of this particular time, after waiting eagerly Andy has found the one with whom he’d like to spend the rest of his life. Today my friend and brother in Christ gets married. Now that’s good news. That’s great news. So I thought I’d use the opportunity to celebrate with this blog and again reaffirm my love and admiration for Andy knowing that as a dear brother I’ll continue to pray with and for him as he’s committed into the institution! Hopefully the experiences will be beautiful and bring out the best of Christ in life, even in the hardship and challenges that await as well as the brilliant times of intimacy.

In honour of the occasion it was only fitting to dedicate the song below to the newlyweds.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

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For A Laugh

I cannot recall the last time I watched an entire stand-up comedy show on television. You know the likes of Richard Pryor, Lee Evans, Bill Cosby, Billy Connolly, Jack Dee or whoever. Now on one really wacky outing I purchased a Robin Williams stand-up routine on DVD. That was years ago and not too long after I gave it away. I remember back a few years and a friend treated me to go to a theatre and watch Harry Hill and that was good.

One of my good friends at the moment is Andy Kind who is a stand-up comedian by trade – and a good one as far as I know. I admire stand-up comedians and one of my current heroes looks to them as almost modern day prophets who can actually convey a lot of observational truth on the state of the world.

Tonight for the first time in a long time I sat through a stand-up routine – Chris Rock: Never Scared. Chris Rock is not Richard Pryor or Eddie Murphy or Bill Cosby. I can see why he’s so popular and highly rated, he’s a clever guy. I didn’t find what he did laugh out loud hilarious and watched on with some bemusement as to how the audience was ‘rolling in the aisles’ at the material. I guess my American cousins would wander why I find some of the stuff I find so hilarious that way. For all that I understood why it was funny and yet beyond that I saw how the material when you scratched the surface and sometimes raw on the surface was social and political commentary that was thought provoking as well as humorous.

I still need to understand why there’s a need for such a propensity to profanity. There’s something as well about the return to sex-related jokes that seems to always be a winner. Talk about basic instincts – it’s as though because it’s so raw and so close to home and so in touch with the human experience that it’s the easiest thing to get a laugh out of. Right there with the profanity and the vulgar there’s a reference to sex and violence that depicts a lot of society and cannot ever be addressed without the push to make us laugh about it.

I don’t want to have to filter so much rubbish to get the gems from such a performance. I would love to see people just being creative without having to hit those marks. I would love to admire the cleverness of these men and actually take a journey that’s positive and life-affirming and building, possibly towards the heart of the gospel and kingdom living. I understand that because of the way of the world this may not be that likely, but that’s why I pray for comedians like Andy Kind and his mate Tony Vino, so that they can push through some light in the dark world of comedy.

Isn’t it ironic that something that produces a reaction that should leave us feeling better about ourselves, something that is so appealing in a child – laughter – isn’t actually used as a medicine to heal but a method to make us laugh at how ridiculous life really is. When I read about laughter being a good medicine and contrast it with what it takes to make people laugh today I so long for people to enjoy the real fullness of joy to be found in God’s presence where you can have a laugh and it’s at no one’s expense, but for everyone’s uplifting.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
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