Comedian is Fish Out of Water

Aboriginal comedian closing the cultural divideDon Kelly is on stage, talking about Indian status. For a comedian who happens to be native, as he prefers to be perceived, this presents some tempting possibilities.

"I learned something interesting in church," begins 48-year-old Kelly, who is a half Ojibway, half Swedish, First Nations citizen.

"Far be it for me to even compare, but I learned that I've come close to one of our Lord Saviour's accomplishments. For example, I learned that Jesus turned water into wine. When I was in university, I turned a student loan into alcohol."And:Kelly performs in some 75 shows a year, hosting gigs and radio specials.

He also stars in the TV show Fish Out of Water--which plays up Kelly's "urban aboriginal" shtick, whereby he visits remote communities and learns traditional skills--which is halfway through filming its fourth season on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.Comment:  For more on Native humor, see 1491s Make Humorous Videos and Adam Beach the Comedian.