LOCALS comedians have expressed their dismay at the action of penalising of a comedy club owner over content deemed offensive, calling the act “a dark day for comedy” in Malaysia.

They said the crackdown on Crackhouse Comedy Club and its owner Rizal Van Geyzel has also diminished the platform available to local acts.

On Wednesday, Deputy Federal Territories Minister Jalaluddin Alias said City Hall (DBKL) had decided to revoke the club’s licence as well as blacklist the owner for life so that he would no longer be able to apply for a business licence in Kuala Lumpur.

Shamaine Othman, 38, who used to perform at the club, said the venue was home to all Malaysian comedians.

“It was Asia’s first ever dedicated comedy club and so many comedians, local and international, have graced the stage.

“Local comedians have performed Crackhouse sets for Netflix and major comedy festivals such as Just For Laughs and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Imagine shutting down Lee Chong Wei’s or Nicol David’s training court,” she said.

She said it was extreme of DBKL to ban Rizal for life. 

“Even if there were issues with permits, there could have been some kind of mediation.”

Shamaine said it would not discourage more comedians from setting up their own space.

“I think they will just have to be more careful about getting the necessary permits and also about ensuring it’s a safe space for comedians and comedy fans.” 

When asked if she will now be extra cautious on what she says on stage, she said she will continue to say what stand-up comedy fans expect when they attend a show.

“We have always vetted our materials on open mic nights. These shows are there for us to see if our material is kosher or not.”

Stand-up comedian Preshant Menon, 26, said following the Crackhouse clampdown, the comedy scene is likely to be quiet.

He said Rizal’s blacklist was unnecessary, adding the owner could pursue his business interests out of Kuala Lumpur.

“When a hero stumbles, the cowards rejoice. Nothing feels better to a coward than to watch a brave guy fall.

“Ironically, it’s the funniest joke our country has seen in recent times, amid everything else. I believe comedy will revive and come back stronger than ever,” said Preshant, who has performed at Crackhouse.

Comedian Harresh A.U, 31, said more acts have been stepping up by organising their own shows.

“They have been putting in more effort than ever. None of the comedians are here to incite a war, we are here to entertain people,” said Haresh.

However, Haresh said he will be more selective of the kind of audience he wants.

“Evolution is a big part of comedy. Tragedy shapes us and sometimes we reshape tragedy. We are creatures of change. We seek change. So yes and no, we will always find it funny,” he said.

He described DBKL’s actions against Rizal as a crime against humanity.

Singaporean comedian Sam See also comedians will not be deterred from opening their own venues.

“They will be hesitant at the start, but I believe that some would now be even more defiant than before.

“You can’t put out a fire by blowing on the source, and comedy, along with all live entertainment, has blazed and will continue to blaze through Malaysia, in spite of the efforts of those who try to extinguish it,” said See, who was one of the early performers at Crackhouse Comedy Club in 2014.

He said comedians will regroup and come back with more support.

Earlier in July, Crackhouse Comedy Club was ordered to close following an act in which a woman had removed her outer clothing and hijab to reveal a mini skirt and a spaghetti-strap top underneath.

The woman, Siti Nuramira Abdullah, later pleaded not guilty to causing disharmony among the Muslim community.

Her boyfriend, Alexander Navin Vijayachandran, was charged with uploading insulting content on social media.

Rizal is also facing charges of posting offensive content on Facebook, including a video in which he called Malays “lazy”. – August 19, 2022.