Organic is a fresh and fruitful show. Starting off with a fantastic supporting act, comedian Joel
Osborn, and the main act, Barker himself, it’s safe to say that the theatre was filled with plenty of
laughter. Barker touched on a variety of topics, such as Uber riding in Brisbane, a comparison on
Las Vegas and (yes) BrisVegas and even touched on animal cruelty and the Melbourne Cup.
There were plenty of interesting tangents and topics touched on. The highlights included Barker’s
move into a more nutritious diet, including eating organic fruit and veg and sticking to gluten-free
food. Not to mention a take-down on the palaeolithic diet and how bread could have changed
cavemen to upright walking human beings. This whole tangent was prefaced by a brief discussion
on his wife, who ultimately was responsible for putting him on an Organic pathway and way of life.
Before all this, we are introduced to Barker’s wife by admitting that he never considered murder
until moving in with someone you love for the first time. Whilst the joke was evidently an
exaggeration, it was surprisingly true. The joke portrayed the feeling of getting to know someone
very well, including all their different sides, and the eventual annoyance of living in the same space
with someone you love for a long time, it’s definitely no honeymoon.
Barker entertained crowds effortlessly. With his American perspective on Australia, in particular
Brisbane, it was constantly exciting to hear what he would comment on next. He discussed Uber
rides and the awkward position that both the driver and the rider feel as they both attempt to get
the best rating from each other (as Uber riders can be rated as well as the drivers). Or, for
instance, the difference between Las Vegas and BrisVegas (which only has a grand total of one
casino which happens to be opposite a library).
Whilst jokes were made towards Brisbane living, it all came down to an appreciation of the city and
the fact of how much he’s enjoyed being in Australia. As we all know, a riveting story often has
drama and action, and Barker experienced this himself, though not in Australia. Unfortunately, an
hour after one of his shows, he was punched in the back of his head after a show, and still
managed to make a joke out of the situation, as comedians do with their own life and experiences.
When Barker told friends about the incident, they would ask if it was someone from the show that
had done this, he responded something along the lines of “So I’m that bad of a comedian someone
waited in the crowd and tracked me for an hour to punch me in the back of the head”. He also
happened to comment on and subvert the common phrase “King Hit” by acting as a King and
declaring, “Hit him”. Barker will continue to make people laugh, those that eat organic or not, gluten
free or not, there’s something in there for everyone. It takes a true comedian to take a dark
moment and realise, “Hey, I have a story now”.
By Joanna Letic