By Dora Houpis
Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, comedian Joe Avati can see the difference between his generation and today’s youth. In his unique comic way, his new 25th anniversary show in St Albans, tells the young generation to “Have Some Respect.” He explains how to Dora Houpis.
Your new show “Have Some Respect” tackles “cancel culture” and kids today. What’s wrong with “cancel culture”?
Cancel Culture basically gives the right to anyone, who shouts loud enough and has enough of an influence, to criticise, cancel anything they want without going through due diligence. It’s really affected the arts industry, in particular comedians who generally don’t cancel anything. Comedians have been attacked publicly for it and I hope, in my show, I can help spruik the message about how cancel culture can destroy people’s livelihoods. There’s really just no place for it not just in comedy or the arts, but online and society as a whole. The encouraging thing is that when I talk about it in my show, the audience absolutely loves it. It gets a huge round of applause!
What’s wrong with kids today?
There’s not anything actually wrong with kids today. They don’t know any better than what they have been taught. The question should really be: “What is wrong with today’s parenting?” In one generation, we have gone from being scared kids of our parents to now having parents scared of our kids. There is a reason kids aren’t allowed to make major decisions until they are 18! Ha,ha!
What’s wrong with today’s “woke” generation and how should society be instead?.
This is something else that gets a great response in my show so you know people are over this emerging woke culture. The woke culture are a minority of people with a big voice who feel like they should dictate to everyone about how to think and what to say. People should be able to do what is best for them and be whoever they want to be without hurting anyone else in the process and without shoving it down people’s throats. The woke generation need to realise that just because they can do whatever they want to do without forcing their beliefs and ideals onto others. Let people live their lives I say.
What were you like as a child? You write you were scared of your parents and the “death stares” you got when you were naughty.
I was an extremely shy child. The death stares kept me from doing anything wrong. Death stares don’t work today because today’s parents joke around a lot, so kids don’t take them as seriously when they are trying to teach them the difference between right and wrong. My dad had two speeds, serious and angry, so you knew when he was upset and to stay in line!
You’re a father yourself now. Do your parent’s discipline work on your son, or do you have a different style?
I am definitely channelling my inner ethnic dad, but it doesn’t work because my wife is the ‘’good cop’’! I am away from home a lot, touring, so it’s hard to consistently administer discipline. My son is a really good kid, he’s not very naughty. He makes me laugh a lot and I touch on parenting him in my new show quite a bit. It’s given me a lot of new material!
You are working on a children’s book titled, “When I Was Your Age”. What will the book contain?
The book is a typical day in the life of a kid today who has ethnic grandparents who reminisce with the young about how different life was when they were their age. Throughout the book, I aim to teach my own son what life was like when I was his age. So, the idea is for parents to read it with their child and have a laugh to themselves about how different life was when they were kids. It’s one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done!
*Joe Avati will be performing his “25 Live: Have Some Respect”, at the Club Italia Sporting Club,128-132 Furlong Road, St Albans, on Saturday, September 17. Details: www.joeavati.com.au.
