Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords) playing 6 NY-area shows, including two at the Bell House next week

If I were to sit back and take stock in which comedians I hold in the highest regard, I would guess that about 90% of them are from overseas. Maybe it’s the accents. Maybe it’s the fact that their stateside appearances are rare and therefore more meaningful. Maybe it’s because I am sick of the American perspective of everything. Either way, one face that’d be prominently chiseled onto my Mount Rushmore of great contemporary non-American comedians would be New Zealander Rhys Darby. Like most Yanks, Rhys fell onto my radar via his impeccable performances as Murray Hewitt on the HBO series Flight of the Conchords. I have seen him many times over the past years, and although I initially thought his brand of sound-effect-based stand-up was a little corny at first, the guy just grew and grew on me. His show Short Poppies, a mockumentary series from 2014 where he plays a new character in each episode, was a superb showcase of this man’s insane comedic agilities.

So on that note I am happy to report that Rhys has SIX NY-area shows coming up including two shows at the Bell House on Friday November 28 ( tickets for early and and late). The other four shows happen at Comix at Foxwoods between November 20 – November 22. These rare US appearances are not to be missed and you’d have to be a psychopath not to want to be marked “present” at at least one of them. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and check out “Short Poppies” on Netflix.

Videos starring Darby are below…

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