Mark Palmer is iConfused

23 May 2011

The cleanest stand-up comedy that I have ever seen and, surprisingly, it was just as funny as any other. Personally, I feel that it is far more difficult to have a stand-up act that doesn't incorporate swearing, cringe-inducing or offensive topics, than one that does. The show is called iConfused and is based on the concept that although all this technology makes life simpler, it still doesn't answer all the important questions and, in the end, just leaves us all incredibly confused.

Mark Palmer points this out in his wish to have applications that could translate what woman are saying and an application that will warn men about what will happen when they move in with a woman. So instead of sitting and wondering about this confusion, Mark makes it funny, entertaining and makes you say, more than once, that is so true. The idea actually came from the fact that with being a comedian if you want to be noticed in the rush of the industry you have to be online to be seen and heard. The thing is, that he doesn't only speak about the phones, cars and all the gadgets, he broadens the idea to all areas and speaks about airports, criminals, exploding loafers and even how the different generations are brought up.

Couldn't do oral

So who is Mark Palmer exactly you may wonder? Well, I sat down and had a chat with him after the show and found out some interesting things. Back when he was at school, he says that even as a prefect he couldn't stand up and do the daily reading or even say an oral in front of the class, but for some reason that is not the case, as I had the opportunity to witness. He actually studied Law through UNISA and worked at Old Mutual before he became a comedian. The first comedian to inspire him was Billy Connoly and he is a huge fan of Bill Cosby. Funnily enough, Mark and comedian David Newton were room mates at one stage. (Can you imagine the chaos that went on?)

The show runs every Tuesday to Saturday at 8:30pm at On Broadway and will be ending on 4 June. Mark will then be performing his other show, "Best Medicine" at the Grahamstown Festival.