Look here nuh, friends, I feel very good-looking right now. I know that laughter generally improves looks, so even ugly people look beautiful when dem laughing, and is a whole heap of laughing I've been doing these last few days.

And unnu know that laughing is also the second best way to relieve feelings of stress, right? And if you don't know what's the number one way, I really can't help you!

Anyway, I had whale of a time up here in the chilly regions of North America last weekend. Yeah, peeps, although the temperature's definitely getting cooler and cooler in Canada, I was getting warm and keeping busy with some hot Jamaican-flavoured laughter. I had the pleasure of being part of a nice likkle comedy experience that tun up Toronto on Saturday night, and elevated Edmonton on Sunday evening. Trust mi, friends and others, it was fun and laughter of the highest degree as mi deck out on mi dapper-snapper get-up, and turn on di 'kin-teeth' till di niceness buck! Yeah, it was a good look!

righteous respect

The experience had me doing business with some new promoters who, although relatively young, are very mature, well organised and completely professional in their dealings. Major big-ups and righteous respect go out to Italo Bryan and the hard-working members of his promotional and hospitality team, especially Bentley Rawn and the food maestro War Chef.

I also had the pleasure of sharing the comedy stage with some extremely hilarious entertainers like Canadian-Caribbean comedian of the year, Jay Martin, high-riding former Jamaican Comedy Buss champion, Rohan Gunter, and young Keesha Brownie, who's the hottest female comedian I've seen for a quite a while. And I've seen quite a few. All the performers brought their A game and the audience reciprocated with roars of laughter. It was really a good ... .

popular trend

As you might realise, I'm trying to keep current, and I'm just discovering that describing something as 'a good look' seems to be a popular trend nowadays, so I almost said it again. But mi nuh want overdo di thing. Still, my weekend was absolutely alive with the sound of laughter, so let's just say that it was, ah, well, definitely 'a good sound'. How dat sound?

And hear this, much more laughter - this time the heart-warming and inspiring sound of children's laughter will also be ringing in my original home town of Trench Town this weekend as well. Yeah, because this coming Saturday, October 13, Ity and Fancy Cat will be hosting their annual children's treat at the Trench Town Reading Centre in front of the Bob Marley Culture Yard. You want to know why dem doing the treat? It's part of the comedy duo's thrust to give back to the community that nurtured them. Yeah, as simple as that!

According to the post on their Facebook fan page yesterday, 'there's nothing as enriching and fulfilling as the act of giving back to one's community'. In other words, they do it because 'it's a good feel!'

Yes, sharing one's prosperity with one's community is certainly a good look. When the air is filled with the beauty of music and laughter, it's a good sound. Being able to contribute to making a child's life happy fills one with a great feeling. Fi real!

And with all the gloom and despair that's floating around, we need more of that laughter look, more of that laughter sound, and whole heap more of that laughter feel!

box-mi-back@hotmail.com