Mayor tests humour on audience

Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan tries his best to entertain the crowd during his comedy debut at the Clyde heat of the national Raw Comedy Quest.

Mr Cadogan performed out of competition to a packed-out Olivers Restaurant & Bar in Sunderland St last week.

The Clyde heat was the final of seven heats held around the lower South Island.

The national competition, for stand-up comedians with three years’ or less experience, has been a launching pad for some of the country’s biggest names in comedy for about 20 years.

Seven rookie comedians took the stage in the Clyde heat, several of them for the first time.

Five took part in the competition round.

Two comedians — Josh Greer and Ray Thomson — impressed the judges enough to reach the Southern Lakes semifinal at Rhyme and Reason Brewery in Wanaka on Saturday night.