AFTER a long hiatus, that was too long, the much-loved Chow Pow Comedy Jam is set the return to the Aubrey Barker Road Garage Bar and Grill, beginning from tomorrow night, starting at20:00hrs.

The going promise is that it’s going to be a night that’s “so funny it guh hut yuh”, for the cost of $1,000. The event is organised by well-known local comedian Kirk “Chow Pow” Jardine, who is happy to see the return of his signature event.
“The Jam has been the cornerstone of open-air comedy shows in Guyana. Since its inception, it has attracted a wide cross-section of Guyanese who not only bask in the ambience of the Garage Bar and Grill, but also enjoy the opportunity to dress as they like, eat, drink and laugh out loud at the same time,” Chow Pow said.

The Chow Pow Comedy Jam has its roots in Linden, with the first show being held at the Lichas Hall in Linden. Encouraged by the support for the show, Jardine took it to Georgetown.

“It was sold out two days in advance. On the night of the show, people brought furniture from their homes just so they could sit comfortably and laugh,” Jardine recalled.
That same year he continued to host the shows at the Garage Bar and Grill.
“It progressed to the point where we even brought in Jamaican Owen “Blacka” Ellis and Barbadian Trevor Eastman to perform,” Jardine recollected.
Now that the show is back, Jardine said Linden will not be forgotten.
“Work is in progress to take the show back to Linden during the Christmas Season,” he said.

Jardine emphasised that the show is kept relevant by utilising a mixture of both seasoned and new, upcoming performers so that the show doesn’t become repetitive.

“Producers have been using one set of comedic actors,” he commented. “When you look at the comedy shows that are staged across the country, one would believe that there are just a handful of good stand-up comedians in Guyana, who have been repeating the same routines with the same faces, and that is what we do our best to avoid.”
According to Jardine, that’s just not the direction the Comedy Jam has ever gone in, it always tries to keep things fresh.

“If you go back to past Comedy Jams you will find that the cast is always different. What you will find is a diverse group of entertainers whose talent complement each other to wow the audiences,” Chow Pow said.

Aside from Chow Pow himself, this go around, the cast of the Comedy Jam includes regulars like Jermaine Grimmond, Kwasi Ace, Uncensored King Michael “Credit” Ignatius, Mark Luke-Edwards, and even Junior and Senior Calypso monarchs Jovinski, Onicka Joseph, reggae artiste Alabama as well as social media personality Melly Mel.
A special segment of the programme is expected to be dedicated to women.
The Garage will take on a theatre setting for the event. Jardine also sought to reassure that security will not be an issue at the venue.

“We have never had an issue of security at the Garage, but just in case, we are prepared,” Jardine assured.