Local comedians try to be profound

‘Dead Talks: Ideas Worth Rejecting’ preview

By Mercedes Deutscher, Social Media Coordinator

MT Promises Productions, creators of Comedians in Cosplay Doing Comedy, are back at it again with their new show DEAD Talks: Ideas Worth Rejecting, a parody of the widely known international TED Talks series.

The Other Press was able to get a preview on the show with Megan Milton, who is co-producing the event alongside Tanner McCoolman. Milton is also the producer and host of The Old Crow Comedy Sho in New Westminster.

Milton spoke about how DEAD Talks came to life:

“I know this person who’s constantly bouncing from dumb side hustle to dumb side hustle,” she said. “I went on a rant about kids from nice families having so much self-esteem they can’t survive adulthood. My coworker said, ‘I look forward to your TED Talk.’ I was like, holy shit this is a great idea for a show! When I suggested the show idea to Tanner, he ran with it.”

DEAD Talks features a plethora of talented local comics, and Milton shared with the Other Press some of her favourites.

“I’m excited for the headliner, Simon King’s ‘Keynote’ speech. I don’t really know what he’s doing yet but he’s very, very excited about it. When Simon King is excited about something it’s bound to be amazing. Chris James is emceeing and he does character comedy (and prank calls alt-right internet radio shows). He’s created an entire Thought Breeder™ character for the show and that’s going to be great as well.”

Co-producers Megan Milton and Tanner McCoolman, The Comedy Shocker’s Mark Hughes and Sam Tonning, Queerprov’s Julia Stretch, Blanket Fort’s Emma Cooper, Askon Mohammadi, and Rory Dunn will also be sharing hilarious, if not questionable, ideas at the show.

“We’ve done a great job of mixing up the topics and style of humour on the show,” said Milton “Everything is satire. People are going to express lots of passionate fake opinions. We have talks about business, morality, philanthropy, and just absurdly stupid things. Everybody will laugh at something.”

Advanced tickets for the show cost $10, but Corporate Plus tickets are also available.

“For $350 you get a name tag, a lanyard, and eye contact with Simon King, if he feels like it,” said Milton. “You will also be the only person at the show with a name tag, so everyone will know you are very important and have lots of money.”

If the show turns out successful, Vancouver can expect more ideas worth rejecting in the future.

DEAD Talks: Ideas Worth Rejecting will take place at the Fox Cabaret on February 9. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m.