Jimmy Flynn performs to a sold out crowd

Comedian Jimmy Flynn took to the stage Wednesday night for a sold out show at the Community Cultural Centre, the second of five performers to hit the centre during St. Jean Baptiste Festival week. - Stephen Dafoe Photos

By Stephen Dafoe

Morinville – Maritime comedian Jimmy Flynn brought his trademark brand of humour to a midweek audience Wednesday night, giving the sold out crowd at Morinville Community Cultural Centre plenty of belly laughs.

After three-and-a-half decades of performing across the country and around the globe, the secret of Flynn’s success is not so much his down home humour or comedic timing, but his love of people and utter joy in making new friends. That desire to meet new people and make lasting connections is sincere, and Flynn has been as touched by his audiences as his audiences have been touched by him.

“They say laughter is the best medicine,” Flynn said. “There’s a guy in Hamilton, Ontario had a double lung transplant and a heart transplant. He’s one of the only people that survived that operation. When he got his new lungs he didn’t know how to laugh. So he got some of my CDs and it made him laugh. And he came down to the show and he thanked me. That’s what gives you goose bumps.”

Flynn recounts another story of a man who survived cancer after being told he had six months to live. The man recently e-mailed the comedian to tell him he’d listened to the CDs so many times he not only knew all the material, he knew when Flynn paused to take a breath while delivering the material. “He said it took him through his darkest times,” Flynn said. “That’s the reward.”

It is a simple philosophy the entertainer brings to his show – a love of people, a love of having fun, and a sense of remembering to remain young at heart. “Big people were once little people, but got big,” he said. “But they’re still little people in their minds. It says in the Bible, ‘Be like the children,’ right? So if you can make people clap and sing and bring some of their childhood back to them. I know people come to my shows and they thank me [saying] it was the best night they’ve ever had in their life. That’s quite a statement.”

But for Flynn the reaction to his show seems to know no geographical or age barrier. He meets friendly and welcoming people wherever he goes because he looks for them wherever he goes by his positive outlook on life. As a result, his shows are well received wherever he travels because of the infectious enthusiasm he brings to his performances. “Your face is a mirror of what you are,” Flynn said, reflecting on his own philosophy of life. “If you walk around smiling [and] I do it all the time. You go to the mall and just smile at somebody. They smile back at you. A smile and a joke and away you go.”

And away Flynn went for two hours Wednesday night, telling stories, jokes, and uplifting the audience with song. From his opening jokes to a final standing ovation that turned into a hand-clapping join along on his final number, Flynn left his Morinville audience feeling good about the show and themselves.

But feeling good and laughing is something the comedian feels is extremely important today.

“There’s hard times going on in the world today,” Flynn said, adding he was spending the next two days performing in salve Lake. “Those people have been through a traumatic experience. I hope my show will bring a bit of humour back to them.”

While Flynn is entertaining audiences in Slave Lake, Country performer Joe Hikk and his band will be at the Community Cultural Centre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and showtime is 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and a limited number will be available at the door.

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3 Comments

  1. It was a great show. I laughed long and hard, it sure felt good. It is exciting the variety of entertainment that St. Jean Baptiste Festival Committee and Art of Conversation have lined up for this week of celebration. This along with the CCC and previous events have opened a new door for Morinville in the area of arts, culture and entertainment…Way to go…We are on an exciting journey.

  2. This was my first time in the MCCC and I think it is a fine facility. Jimmy Flynn is a good entertainer and he was really able to get the audience involved. Kudos to him.

    My one gripe about this facility is that it does not have a designated smoking area AWAY from the main doors. I did not appreciate having to walk through other peoples cigarette smoke when I entered and exited the building. No person should be subjected to that type of abuse.

  3. What a wonderful night. Art of Conversation you picked a winner with Jimmy Flynn- a night filled with laughter, good company, fantastic service, an awesome venue and a truly great performer. Thank you Thank you. Can hardly wait for this evening. Our town is truly coming of age. I question whether I should check the upcoming events in nearby cities when there is so much here.

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