Hash cookies, strip clubs and gun-toting Christians – there’s no subject Eddie Ifft considers too taboo in his quest to land the ultimate punchline.
The Pittsburgh native has shocked and surprised sold-out audiences all across the globe; his free-thinking attitude towards never shying away from even the most sensitive of topics has earnt him festival appearances alongside names like Dave Chapelle and Jerry Seinfeld.
But Eddie disagrees with the suggestion that he's America's dirtiest comedian. Instead, he sees his comedic routine as the perfect vessel to joke about the modern day values of political correctness. “I wouldn't say my jokes are dirty,” he explains. “But I would say that some people might find me offensive and I think, that maybe, those people shouldn't go to comedy shows.
“I like to challenge people; I like to challenge the way they think. So I like jokes that make people think, 'Oh, you shouldn't talk about that', but then you find yourself laughing at them.”
That's not to suggest Eddie's broadminded sense of humour has always gone down well with audiences. Early in his career, a fight erupted in his hometown after he made a few wisecracks about the Titanic. He's had a gun or two pulled on him, too. “I've had a gun pulled on me while I was on stage, and I've also had a guy threaten to go get a gun. It was pretty scary.
“I said to his friend: 'Is he serious?' And he was like, 'Yep'. So then I was like, 'Well, that's it for me people', and I just left and walked out of the bar.”
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That hasn't stopped Eddie from jetting around the world and unleashing his brand of witticism in countries like Australia, China and South Africa. So, is there a particular crowd Eddie ever finds impossible to crack? “Sometimes a very ultra-liberal crowd can be tough,” he says.
“Like, I mean obviously an ultra-conservative crowd would be tough, but they're not into comedy. My friend and I talk about it all the time, and we think the biggest censors in the world are the liberals. I mean, I consider myself very liberal … But sometimes the people who call themselves left-wing are actually the most militant and restrictive.”
Perhaps this is why Eddie is drawn to the laidback culture of Australia. He is a regular at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival and has appeared on a slew of television programmes like 'Thank God You're Here' and 'Rove Live'. There was also that one time when he was tackled on stage by a midget. “He's a friend of mine, and I wanted him to come onstage and sing karaoke with me and he wouldn't. Then he went, 'Alright, fine. What song are we gonna sing'? And I said, 'I'm A Little Teapot'.
“The crowd went crazy and he came up behind me and just nailed me. The crowd gave us a standing ovation. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen.”
Another of Eddie's most vivid memories of performing in Australia was when he had to get off stage three times in one night on the Gold Coast because, simply put, the crowd was too rowdy.
Nevertheless, he'll be making his triumphant return to the glitter strip later this month, where he'll be sharing the stage with home-grown favourites like The Umbilical Brothers as part of ‘Laugh Your Pants Off’. “You never know what I'm gonna say – especially up there. “The crowds get a little rambunctious and they like to party. I feel like a substitute school teacher with them and it's just control the audience time. It's not a show you'll see anywhere else with any other comedian. I try to make it a train wreck; I want the show to go crazy and off the rails.”
Eddie Ifft Dates
‘Laugh Your Pants Off’ at Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast Saturday March 22Forum, Melbourne between 10th—20th April
