How much stock do you put in the end of the world?
For Canadian comedy icon Bob Robertson - not much. But that didn't stop the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee from lampooning the Dec. 21, 2012 apocalypse craze in his new book Mayan Horror: How to Survive the End of the World in 2012.
Robertson, who with wife Linda Cullen form comedy duo Double Exposure, will be in Prince George Wednesday night to read from his new publication at Books and Co. at 7 p.m.
But don't expect it to be your everyday reading, not when the subject matter is as out there as what Robertson has put together.
"[A book reading] is kind of a dry process. Even Margaret Atwood is pretty dry. After five minutes, you start to nod off," the author said. But Robertson, who has been on a national tour with his book, which was released Nov. 25, said he's been told his reading comes off more like a stand-up comedy act.
"When I read in Prince George, it's going to be a lot of fun," he said.
Robertson answers the tough questions, such as: are oven mitts useful against the earth's molten core? Should you start collecting pairs of animals? Who are the Mayans? Is Maya Angelou one of them?
"The book is obviously a humour book. There's no way I believe the world is going to end," said Robertson, who said he was compelled to start writing after getting fed up with the people who wholeheartedly buy into the apocalypse hysteria perpetuated by the Mayan calendar and Pastor Harold Camping (who has erroneously predicted the last day twice this year).
But the last straw for Robertson came when he read an interview with writer/actor Seth Rogen, who related a story about Star Wars brain George Lucas wanting to rush something into production to beat the Dec. 21, 2012 deadline.
"I thought, 'OK, enough's enough. It's time to spoof the whole thing," Robertson said.
Since the Mayans were kind enough to be vague about the end, this allowed Robertson to make up his own worst-case scenarios and subsequent survival methods ranging from earthquakes or floods to the seven plagues of Egypt.
Although he has written comedy for years and put together newspaper columns, this is Robertson's first shot at book publishing. Vancouver-based publishing house Anvil Press took on the first-time author.
"With all the columns I've written for the Ottawa Citizen and the Globe and Mail, you pick a subject, write 700 words and bam, you're done," said Robertson, who explained writing a book required an element of continuity. "On top of that, it's a lot more words."
For the long-time performer, writing funny comes naturally, as it's something he's done since a high school English composition class.
"To be a performer, especially an improv performer, is a very different animal. I get enjoyment out of writing, the delivery and getting people laughing at the punchline. But it's a really neat satisfaction when you look at [the words] and say, 'I've created this creature.'"
While Robertson - who was doing his political satire on CBC Radio for more than 10 years before he and Cullen switched to television - said he would be happy to return to broadcasting, he's also been bitten by the publishing bug and has more books lined up.
"Once you're on this road, the tap gets turned on," he said.
Bob Robertson will present from Mayan Horror: How to Survive the End of the World in 2012 at Books and Co. Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.
