An audience of over thirty-year-olds crowd the bar at Rhino Room, adding to the already uncomfortable heat and humidity, waiting to see Chris Parker’s opening night. The affable New Zealander is well suited for the Rhino Room. The intimate and relaxed venue enables Parker to mingle with the audience and share his pre-show noughties playlist, dancing and laughing as the chorus breaks out. Parker’s new show loosely explores the bizarre process of getting older, and how our relationships change over time. (With a few random yet entirely true tangents thrown in.) Parker is apologetic, explaining that he is still finessing the show, expecting it to grow and change during his week in Adelaide. He refers to notes on pink post-its to remind him of his next stories. Yet this only adds to his trademark awkward energy, and the stories build on each other well. Halfway through the show, following another loud round of laughter, he comments: “Hey this is going pretty good!” Parker’s surprise at his own success is perhaps his most endearing feature. He remembers his childhood with fondness, when it took commitment to record songs off early morning radio to create the perfect party soundtrack. He calls ADHD the tuberculosis of 2024, the disorder is practically “trendy,” if the Gen Z followers commenting on his Instagram posts are to be believed. He also shares the irritating pressure of creating content for social media, when what he loves most is connecting with fans. So he takes a risk and chooses ideas for shorts to perform live, instead of on the small-screen. It is delightfully refreshing to see a comedian who is so adept at making us laugh on social media connect in an authentic and joyful way with his audience. It is impossible to resist Chris Parker, whether online or on-stage.