There’s no doubt that 2019 was a trying year in many ways – but that doesn’t mean it was all doom and gloom. In fact, some of Malta’s funniest people consider it a landmark year for things to giggle at. These are just a few of their favourites.
Standup comic James Ryder zeroed in on the day it was ‘raining fish’
“Early in the year a terrible storm destroyed a fish farm, which meant that thousands of fish were set free. But, unfortunately for them, the high winds and waves meant they didn’t make it to freedom – instead they were blown onto land.
“The funny side of things wasn’t that these poor fish were literally falling from the sky, but the fact that people started to collect and sell them. It was a good show of typical Maltese spirit.
“Oh, and the second funniest moment for me would have to be the Archbishop getting whiskey instead of wine during a mass service. Out with the Merlot, in the single malt!”
James is the resident headliner at Step-Down Bar in Sliema.
UK-based stand-up Steve Hili picks a story that has it all: politics, money, and sex. Or lack of it in this case…
“The last 12 months have been a bit mad on many levels, but as far as comedy value goes, nothing beats the ex-PN treasurer who hit the headlines in September when a video surfaced of him asking for help in accessing codes to watch adult movies on an TV box.
“It later transpired that he was doing all this for a client of his (he runs a computer shop), which is a bit disappointing when you consider that his pleading with whoever was watching to ‘please give us the correct updates’ almost sounded like a post-apocalyptic plea to send water or supplies. ‘We’re desperate, we don’t have pornography and we’re not sure how long we can go on without a pizza-delivery-guy plotline!’
“The only sad bit about the tale is that our hero ended up losing his post as Nationalist treasurer because of it. Let’s just hope he at least got a happy ending (ahem) in his quest for the codes.”
Steve Hili is one of the writers of the Comedy Knights, which is being performed at the Salesians Theatre, Sliema, until 12 January. His popular Adult Panto returns in June.
Actress Pia Zammit couldn’t help but giggle at social media’s reaction to MEP Roberta Metsola refusing to shake Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s hand
“This iconic moment in time afforded an unexpected guffaw during a turbulent political period.
“I particularly like the fact that it’s a woman standing up to a man in a patriarchal country. She's so cool, calm and collected about it too, effectively saying: ‘nope, sorry I won't soil my hands. Plus, look, I have pencil – I mean business’.
“The reaction on social media was particularly priceless. Instead of resorting to our usual partisan corners and hurling insults, the whole nation seemed to take this gesture on board (well, save a few government internet trolls, of course) and have fun with it. It showed a rare instance where we have the ability to laugh at ourselves.”
Pia Zammit is currently performing in the Comedy Knights at the Salesians Theatre, Sliema, until 12 January.
For Malcolm Galea, there was comedy to be found when things came tumbling down
“The funniest moment for me was the partial house collapse in Pieta last summer. One of the many development projects going on got a little too ambitious in its excavations and it caused a wall to collapse from the house next door. The inhabitants were minding their own business one minute, and before they knew it, their living room was exposed to the world.
“Admittedly this certainly isn’t funny for the poor people who lived there – especially as they are yet to regain access to their home and belongings – but since nobody was hurt in the incident, I’m classifying it as comedy rather than tragedy. It just goes to show that, in Malta, you need to make sure that your house is always presentable because you never know when it might be on show to the world. I’m quite grateful that my bathroom wall isn’t on the outside of my house. The world isn’t ready for that sight yet.”
Malcolm Galea is directing The Importance of Being Earnest for the MADC at Teatru Manoel, opening 31 January.
Playwright and comic Chris Dingli was most amused when ‘a hole’ was in the spotlight
“My favourite funny moment was the press interview given by Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg, about the gap in the road in the new Marsa flyover. A video emerged on a local news site of a journalist referring to it as a ‘pothole’, with the Minister repeatedly insisting that it was not a pothole.
“Yes, we know it was supposed to be a gap in the road for an expansion joint, but the conversation was so one-sided, with both digging in their heels and not really listening to the other person, that they just went round in circles. The journalist kept trying to catch the Minister out on the definition of a pothole and the Minister was too focused on inserting jabs at the Opposition into his answers, which made the situation even more ridiculous. As a result the conversation went nowhere. It was so absurd to watch, that you forgot you’d just wasted three minutes of your life watching it.”
Chris Dingli is one of the writers of the Comedy Knights, which is being performed at the Salesians Theatre, Sliema, until 12 January.
Do you agree with the comedians choices? While the views expressed above are certainly debatable (ahem, Malcolm *cough*), they are the comics' personal choices and should be taken with a pinch of salt! Which was your favourite funny moment of 2019?