Showcasing Vancouver’s extraordinary local talent and delighting audiences with left-field fun, Talent Time offers an evening of madcap marvels at the Biltmore Cabaret every first Wednesday of the month. Whether featuring a mariachi band of elementary-aged children, stand-up comedians or a duo that plays accordions strapped to each other’s backs, Paul Anthony and co-host Ryan Beil present with outrageous energy to match this chaotic affair.

“If you look for it, there’s so much going on and there are so many interesting people out there,” explains Paul. With an aim to expose Vancouverites to “something that they wouldn’t normally be seeing on an average night in Vancouver,” Paul founded Talent Time in February 2008. Over the past three years, the event has seen fast success. Not only does it regularly attract an audience of 250 rowdy participants, Talent Time is also being aired twice every day (at 11pm and 1:30am) on Novus Network. The event has even attracted the interest of local production company Paperny Films, which is currently pitching the variety show to TV networks. Both Paul and co-producer Rob Brownridge hope to use the larger television medium to open even more eyes to the wonderfully weird entertainers of Talent Time.

As a rule, Paul looks for acts “that are uplifting and inspiring,” which may seem a curious word choice when reviewing past performance line-ups. The Talent Time stage has been shared by child songster Nehmy Cepeda, who belted out Celine Dion classics; Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling Supergirls Tenille Tayla and Nicole Matthews, who took the floor to beat each other to a pulp at the show’s Octoberfest celebration; and Schitty Batman, Vancouver’s low-budget response to caped crusading. “It’s that raw energy of expression that I find so compelling,” Paul explains.

This genuine support for eccentric performance separates Talent Time from large-scale variety shows like America’s Got Talent, for which the goal is to determine who is and who isn’t a star. “What is a ‘star’?” scoffs Paul. For him, it is the authenticity of a performer that makes an act interesting. Besides, the goal is not necessarily to promote camp acts, but rather to ensure a good time.

“What I hear time and time again is that people leave feeling better than when they came in,” says Paul. This may also be attributed in part to the Vitamin D lamps that shine on the crowd. Required to light the audience for filming purposes, Paul decided that using Vitamin D lighting was a way to achieve this effect while “giving back to the people,” a theme that seems to permeate many of the host’s endeavours, including his introduction of the “cover charge piñata.” At intermission, a healthy dose of good-hearted violence is ensured by means of a piñata full of candy and cash. Audience members take turns assaulting the papier-mâché figure and, once the piñata has been defeated, are provided an opportunity to rush the stage to collect their eight-dollar cover charge amid the loot.

Stand-up comedian Kyle Bottom, having made his Talent Time debut at November’s Halloween Holdover show, notes that for a performer the event offers access to an audience that differs from the usual theatre or comedy supporters. This is exactly what Paul had in mind when establishing the variety show. “I want people to see that there’s stuff going on outside of their specific scenes,” he explains. Looking out into the gathering, it’s clear that the host’s ability to consistently bring quality and unique acts to the stage has attracted followers of diverse interests and varying social groups.

And these followers are dedicated: Paul receives tokens of appreciation from people enthusiastic about the event and its contribution to Vancouver’s cultural landscape. With gifts like a mechanical horse and a portrait of Paul painted onto black velvet, even the cover art for the recently completed Season 1 DVD of the show was donated by graphic designer and Talent Time fan Jesse Bannister.

Clearly, this variety show has done more than just entertain the socks off of audiences. In its celebration of the bizarre and the fantastic, Talent Time has succeeded in uniting communities, and continues to expose the city’s hidden local flair. As for his own talents, “I can peel a banana with my toes,” Paul says, “though I haven’t done that on the show, yet.”

Join Paul Anthony on Wednesday, December 1st, 2010, at Talent Time’s “Christmas is Extraordinary!” show. The live show is held at the Biltmore Cabaret (2755 Prince Edward Ave). Showtime is 9pm and cover charge is $8 — but hone your piñata-whacking skills, and you just might win that cash back.