Prince Albert comedian Kelly Taylor was the “Man of the Year” at the sold-out Roast and Toast Gala for S.H.A.R.E Prince Albert on Saturday evening at Plaza 88.
Taylor has been a frequent roast master at the annual event, having emceed on three previous occasions. Before the evening began, Taylor joked that he was lazy and willing to sit back and listen before coming up with a few lines of defence.
“I still have got to prepare the final words, Taylor said.
“I’m looking forward to more or less just sitting there listening because I go last. I get the last words, so I think I do like this one more.”
Taylor wasn’t complaining, however. He noted that he always liked to get one last joke in as emcee too.
“That’s funny, because even then as an emcee I took it upon myself to give the last word,” he said. “Even when the guy was done anyway, I always try to get the last word.”
Taylor was excited to have another opportunity to support S.H.A.R.E. and the community.
He said it was a chance to raise money and ridicule him at the same time. Funds raised at the Gala support targeted ongoing vocational and recreational programming for adults dealing with mental health issues.
Roasters included his siblings Tara Taylor, Graham Taylor and Keith Taylor (who substituted for friend Bart Holt), Garth Bendig and fellow comedian Jody Peters.
There were also two surprise roasters with The Unknown Comic, later revealed to be former “Man of the Year” Malcolm Jenkins and radio personality Lew Harrison.
Before the event, Taylor said he had theories on who one of the mystery roasters was but did not know who the second one was.
“I can still prepare fast enough as I’m out there and just go like that. But I am excited to see who it is, for sure,” Taylor said.
Jenkins was assisted by Prince Albert Deputy Police Chief Farica Prince, who after several off-colour jokes dragged him off the stage.
He said that S.H.A.R.E. Executive Director Robin Knudsen gave him the freedom to ask any of his friends to be a roaster.
” No one wanted to do it and they because it’s either they don’t like people, don’t like public speaking, or they know I get the last word and then I know I get to come back on them,” Taylor said.
The roasters included family and friends and fellow comedian Jody Peters.
“I got stuff on him (Peters) too,” Taylor joked.
He added that he was looking forward to his brother Graham Taylor’s performance.
“He’s inappropriate all the time,” Taylor said. “He’s incredibly inappropriate, so he’ll set the standard of, how low we’ll go and then I’ll just follow that I guess.”
The emcee and Roast Master was former “Man of the Year” city solicitor Mitch Holash. Taylor was prepared for the worst from Holash.
“I do this for a living, but he does it on a professional level as a lawyer and he’s so smart. I watch him as a guy who talks for a living, and I’m in awe of how good he is,” Taylor said.
“It’s like there’s no way I’m going to look better than him because he’s got it down and he’s so smart, so funny, so fast, I’m sure he could do stand up too if he wanted to and take a massive pay cut,” he added.
Taylor concluded that he was looking forward to a great night for a great cause and the catering of Randy Witter.
After supper, Knudsen talked about how the organization benefits Prince Albert and introduced board members in attendance.
Final fundraising totals were not available as of press time.
