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Local Guides
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The Imponderables
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by
Ric Taylor
September 27 - Octobe 3, 2007 |
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Some of the greatest bits you’ve seen on Second City Television
or Saturday Night Live owe a huge debt to growing up in Hamilton
or attending McMaster University. Former Hamiltonians Eugene
Levy, Dave Thomas, Martin Short and Ivan Reitman have become
household names in comedy but it’s been quite some time since a
new crop of comedians has caused such a stir — that is until the
last few years.
Eric Toth and Tony Lombardo met at Cardinal Newman High
School and the two class clowns immediately found kindred
spirits in one another. Each began their post secondary education
thinking they were going to be teachers, but when Lombardo was
in a local rendition of Tony and Tina’s Wedding they’d befriend
actor Jon Smith and later Dave Brennan, and their lives would be
changed.
The four immediately clicked, and after trying out their stuff
at Yuk Yuk’s amateur nights, they were hooked. With the idea of
‘answering the unanswerable via sketch comedy’, the four wrote a
show that immediately struck a chord, so much so that The
Imponderables sketches would influence the troupe’s very name.
They’d begin honing their craft locally at The Staircase but it
wouldn’t be long before they’d take their comedy to the next
level, and they’re now based in Toronto. While Los Angeles or
New York might seem more of a breeding ground for their
aspirations, they are reaching out to the world thanks to the
Internet. But wherever the next few years take them, The
Imponderables will always be a product of the environment they
grew up in.
“Growing up in Hamilton was a treat. There was comedy
happening constantly,” smiles Toth on their early experiences.
“Our favourite characters were the shirtless head bangers riding
their 10–speeds to the Beer Store on Barton Street, and the guys
hanging out at Tim Hortons with the hood of their cars popped
open talking about the guys they beat up at a dance club.”
With comedians Jason Rouse and Manolis Zontanos making
more of a name for themselves, Hamilton is suddenly rekindling
some of that comedic gold of old. Perhaps more people in Canada
can appreciate the comedic approach these Hamiltonians offer.
“Hamilton has always reacted positively to our comedy,”
offers Toth. “It remains one of the most supportive cities for
comedy, a reputation shared by so many comics in the
community. I would argue that if we didn’t have that initial
support we may not have kept going. I see troupes in Toronto
start out and struggle in a city where there is so much
competition, pretentiousness, and elitism.”
“Yeah, I like the fact that even though we are mostly located
in Toronto, everyone still knows us as Hamilton boys,” adds
Smith.
“Jason Rouse represents everything that is right with
Hamilton,” interjects Lombardo.
“Jason Rouse is all of our fathers, but with different moms,”
deadpans Toth. “That’s a fact, you can print that. It’s about time
the world knew the truth.”
Whether you’re from the SCTV or Kids In The Hall
generation, if you understand the parody and the premise, then
The Imponderables’ mix of slap stick and wit should be for you if
you give it a chance.
“We used to always think our shows were more like the
audience was a bunch of our friends hanging out in a basement
and we were just there telling them funny stories,” explains
Smith.
“We’re actually quite alienating at parties,” follows Brennan.
“It’s not on purpose, but if we’re in a room together, we always
end up in these weird spitball bits of riffing that start going places
that the rest of the party can’t or doesn’t want to keep up or catch
up with.”
“I remember when Rebecca Northan was directing us for our
huge premiere at Second City and we were kind of worried about
the material,” recalls Lombardo on some sage advice. “We were
used to doing this stuff at The Staircase for 50 or 60 people, but
in front of 350 person Toronto audiences, paying double the
price? She told us, ‘The Imponderables is a style of humour. It’s
something you’ve got to get with. Your job as an Imponderable is
just to do it. It’s like, ‘Hey audience, we’re going on a boat ride,
and we’re leaving the dock now… you better jump on because it’s
going to be an awesome ride — trust us.’”
With that simple leap of faith, audiences across the country
have been hooked by The Imponderables’ wacky sketches, but the
Internet is bringing The Imponderables to a new audience via a
website that has some serious comedic cred behind it. Right now,
few comedians are as hot as Will Ferrell and now he and The
Imponderables have a connection.
“At some point we decided we should spend some cash and
go down to L.A. and do a showcase for some big wigs,” recalls
Brennan. “Then, we got an offer from CW Network to buy our
Parking Ticket sketch. That’s when we realized that perhaps
Hollywood producers don’t go see shows anymore; they have
lackeys who scour YouTube!”
“No, we’re not going to Will’s house for Thanksgiving,”
smiles Lombardo. “But at one point this summer we decided to
start filming more stuff for the Internet and putting it on
funnyordie.com. Hours after that meeting with our production
guys, we get an email from Funny or Die about how they want to
start a Canadian arm, and that if they had the backing of The
Imponderables, Canadians would listen up.”
“We were flattered, obviously and so we now are partners
with them,” continues Lombardo. “We exclusively premiere all of
our stuff one their site first, and they shove it down 100,000
people’s throats! It’s crazy how popular it is.”
“We realized how many more people can see our material on
the Internet than through our live act,” reasons Toth. “Let’s
assume that in the last three years we’ve played in front of about
50,000 people all over Ontario. In one Funny or Die email our
latest video was sent out to 100,000 people from all over North
America. Still, it’s hard to compete with football–in–the–groin
videos.”
With their growing Internet presence and with news of a new
CD and possible television series, The Imponderables may soon
become household names themselves. Fans around the world will
have lots to laugh about but for mirth makers, little can replace
the genuine response of a live audience. And for The
Imponderables the live setting is where they feel at home —
particularly when they’re back in their home town.
“We love being back in Hamilton, everything feels right
here,” says Toth. “We never would have left Hamilton, but there
are so many comedy venues in Toronto it was easier to live there
than to commute in to do shows and then get back at night for
work the next day.”
“My family is still here, so I come back every week at least,”
interjects Lombardo. “I’m here so much; I’m starting to hate it
again! It’s awesome!”
“Let me tell you, if it wasn’t for Facebook I would not have
been able to connect with so many old friends who I have missed
over the years,” exclaims Toth. “So we’re really hoping that people
we went to elementary and high school with show up — at the
very least for beers afterwards!
“Plus, for anyone who wants to settle any old scores with us
you’ll now know where to find us, so bring it,” smiles Smith.
“As to the content of the show, it will be a healthy mix of
new hits and old classics,” offers Lombardo. “The Imponderables
tell a good–versus–evil tale of mythic proportions, featuring an
equal mix of high–technology and magic, hand–to–hand combat,
and a central core of championed values. Its biologically–
enhanced heroes, the Imponderables, are pitted against a rag–tag
assortment of villains and a demonic wizard on a planet known as
Xenon Prime 3.”
Brennan concludes, “And there’s swearing and nudity!” V
[RIC TAYLOR]
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