Tag: Chris Parker

By Lisa Clark

Chris Parker is dancing to his own private dance mix of bangers (such as Stupid Love by Lady Gaga) from his phone on stage while the audience files in. He says it’s silly to wait behind the curtain, and anyway he wants to hang out with us and not feel left out. FOMO is a big part of the generation addicted to their phones and the connection with other people that it represents. He’s creating a real party atmosphere and maintains that throughout.

Chris is larger than life, loud and passionate, cheery and cheeky. Exuding fun and mischief, he is having a ball on stage and it encourages the audience to join in. The final song on Chris Parker’s opening house music playlist, Avril Lavigne’s Complicated, is significant and takes us back to his 12^th birthday party with all the complicated and awkward memories it evokes.

While exploring his youth, he talks about how the use of his mobile phone has changed over the years. About how important it is in making plans and communicating with friends and loved ones, how group chats have become increasingly complicated. There are now so many ways of chatting on every app and how everyone is creating content and constantly in fear of feeling locked out. He himself has become popular on Tic Tok and live streaming on Instagram which went viral during lockdown, though he doesn’t delve into this (that was a previous show). He knows he’s part of the problem.

He goes into a deeper dive of his 20s and how awful they could be. How it was easier to make friends, though not necessarily ones that are good for you, how he came out and lost his virtue. I’m amazed at how he was able gloss over these massive experiences so flippantly with easy jaunty jokes. He’s our dear eager to please friend, making sure we’re here for a good time.

Give Me One Good Reason Why I Shouldn’t Throw My Phone Off this Bridge is the kind of show that’s feels like hanging out with a vivacious friend, in this case at a rowdy party that never gets too wild. Because Chris is in his 30s now and would rather cuddle up in front of the TV at home with his husband than party all night with the ravers.

It should be no surprise that Chris is a great comedian, he’s won New Zealand’s top comedy awards, the Fred (named for Fred Dagg, a character by John Clarke) and the Topp Awards (named for the iconic Topp Twins). He’s also well-known there for Winning Celebrity Treasure Island and coming runner-up on Series 3 of Taskmaster NZ. The show is funny throughout and he ends with a string of social media drafts that are an excuse for rapid fire quick gags. The audience came out raving to each other, bursting with praise for him and I was pretty impressed with a grin on my face too. We really had a fantastic time at the Chris Parker party.

Chris Parker performs Give Me One Good Reason Why I Shouldn’t Throw My Phone Off this Bridge at The Westin One

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/give-me-one-good-reason-why-i-shouldn-t-throw-my-phone-off-this-bridge

By Jess Welch

If you’ve never heard of Chris Parker, I implore you to fix this oversight as soon as you can. A multi-award winning comedy star in New Zealand/Aotearoa, he is a non-stop whirlwind with tales of both the bizarre and the relatable. ‘High energy’ doesn’t do him justice. It’s exhausting, but so much fun to watch. From the moment he leaps onto the stage, the audience is in for a wild ride and it is worth every single second
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Equal parts ‘every-millennial-at-a-crossroads’ and ‘this-could-only-happen-to-him’, the laughs come thick and fast and without feeling shoehorned into a theme. His hopes and worries are painfully familiar for the largely millennial audience, but are universal enough that every single person in the room is swept along, laughing to the point of smothering snorts and clutching their stomachs. With only the barest hint of existential dread to keep everything in perspective, it’s ultimately a feel-good hour of fun that will leave you giggling and maybe with a renewed sense of hope for the future.

Parker’s seemingly natural ability to tell stories is, at times, literally breathtaking. He effortlessly paints vivid images that can’t help but leave you gasping. His skydiving story is absurdly brilliant and the perfect way to end the show on a high note. It’s a story you wish you could tell your co-workers the next day, but could never do justice. I recommend bringing all your co-workers and friends along. Trust me, it’ll save time.

The night I went, the vast majority of the crowd were from New Zealand, where Parker has graced the screen on their versions of Taskmaster and Have You Been Paying Attention? amongst many other things. While it’s understandable, hopefully his reach grows far beyond his homeland as the festival continues. From the wild clapping and cheering at the end of the show, I’m surprised it didn’t shake the whole Westin hotel and cause noise complaints from the occupants.

There’s no doubt Parker has what it takes to be the next big name here in Australia too. And judging by the packed room on night two, if looks like if you don’t book soon, you might miss your chance.

CHRIS PARKER – LOTS OF LOVE is on at THE WESTIN ONE.  https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2023/shows/lots-of-love