Kevin Hart’s performance at Vancouver’s Stanley Park during The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival left many fans perplexed and disappointed over the weekend, with some expressing their frustration at spending hundreds of dollars for what they perceived as an unexpectedly short set.
Among the disappointed attendees was Jessica Mattice, a resident of Langley, who attended the festival on Saturday night where Hart headlined. Mattice described Hart’s performance as lasting “felt like 15 to 20 minutes,” which left her and others in the audience bewildered.
Mattice also noted that it was unusual for the headliner to have such a short set, as typically, the headlining comedian performs for a longer duration at comedy shows. She pointed out that the two comedians who performed before Kevin Hart seemed to have longer sets in comparison.
The confusion about the length of Hart’s performance was exacerbated because the audience was required to check their phones and smartwatches before the show, preventing them from tracking the time themselves. Mattice recalled that Hart abruptly exited the stage after saying, “Thanks Vancouver!” leaving the audience feeling like he had just started and the show was over.
Additionally, Mattice mentioned that the two opening acts started about an hour late, adding to the overall frustration of the attendees. This was in stark contrast to her previous night’s experience when comedian Russell Peters performed on time for over an hour.
The disappointment with the event prompted numerous upset fans to flood the event’s Instagram page with comments, labeling the festival as a “waste of money” and concurring with Mattice’s assessment that Hart’s performance was 20 minutes or less.
UpdatedNews.ca reached out to the event’s organizers for comment on the situation but has not received a response at the time of reporting.
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Some attendees initially speculated that there might have been a security issue during Kevin Hart’s performance, given the presence of a significant number of security guards, but no such information was communicated during the event.
Interestingly, during Russell Peters’ set on Friday, security reportedly apprehended an individual who had allegedly breached a fence and was headed toward the stage while carrying what the police described as an “edged weapon.” This incident likely added to the heightened security measures during Hart’s performance.
The disappointment was particularly acute for those who had purchased VIP tickets, including Jessica Mattice, who had spent $240 for her VIP experience on Saturday night. She expressed her dissatisfaction, stating, “It was ridiculously expensive for 15 minutes.” Mattice also mentioned that she found Kevin Hart’s stand-up routine to be less entertaining than his movies and had expected a longer and funnier performance.
The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival had previously toured several other Canadian cities over the summer, featuring headliners such as Jerry Seinfeld in Halifax. Notably, comments on the event’s Instagram page for those performances did not indicate any dissatisfaction with the length of the comedians’ performances.