A lot of people (that aren’t night owls) have been asking about my interview last week on CJSW to promote Wednesday night’s Red Carpet Comedy and it not only went really well but was a LOT of fun to do.  (A big thanks to Evan for having me on!) If you would like to listen to the show yourself, you can visit the Am I Right?? website and

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(or listen through your browser).  Not only was it easy to talk for the time we had but there was a ton of stuff that we didn’t have time to get to, so that should give us a reason to do it again at some point in the future.

Tickets for this Wednesday night’s show are about 50% sold out… with still a bunch of people having yet to “officially confirm” so hopefully we can get a packed house to hear all the good (and bad) that the performers will have created.

And yesterday I received a note from James Moore with the promotional poster for the November 9 fund raiser that I am a part of to benefit the United Way.  Here’s all the details in poster form:

This will definitely be a brief blog post, as I have some new jokes to write (and some new jokes to make much funnier).

Tomorrow night I’ve been asked to appear on “Am I Right??” – it is Calgary’s only comedy radio show (on CJSW).  The show airs every week at 11:00pm on 90.9fm.  I’ll be joining the regular hosts, Evan and Jesse, to talk about next week’s Red Carpet Comedy.  In addition to the details on what Red Carpet Comedy is all about, I’ll be playing some clips from some of my favourite comics.  This will be the first time that these talented performers will have been heard on this radio show, and I’m excited to expose their listeners to them.

Not a night owl?  No problem.  Fortunately, you can subscribe to their podcast and download their most recent episodes through iTunes.  Just search for “Am I Right??” in the iTunes Store.

I’ll also see what I can do about posting the interview on the Red Carpet Comedy website.  Tickets are still available for next week’s show (Wednesday, October 28).  If you would to pick some up, click here.

Should you want more details on “Am I Right??” you can read more about the show by clicking here.  You can also listen live online by visiting that link just before 11:00pm tomorrow night!

Within in the next month I have a number of shows coming up for a bunch of different reasons (and not the usual “I’m performing a show” type of reasons).  In each case I get to work with a lot of other comics and that always excites me because normally you don’t get the opportunity to work with a lot of your peers all at once.  Here’s what is happening:

October 28 – Red Carpet Comedy

With the success of the first show of Red Carpet Comedy it was decided that there should be another!  The whole point of this show is to allow Calgary’s (and Canada’s) professional comics the opportunity to perform their newest material.  In fact, we kind of make sure that all they perform is the new stuff.  This condition creates a whole lot of hilarious moments (but not necessarily because of the material).  I’ll be appearing on the show with a new set of things that I think are funny… you’ll have to come an judge for yourself.

Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Show: 8:00PM
Tickets: $10 (Click here to order tickets online.)
Location: Club Paradiso (1413 – 9 Avenue SE)
Website: www.RedCarpetComedy.com
Facebook Event: Click here.

A number of other very funny local comics have already confirmed their appearances on the show including Cory Mack, Lori Gibbs, Daryl Makk, Amanda Perrin, and Dan Guiry.  (Rumour also has it that a couple of comics from the Toronto area will be stopping by.)

November 5 – Just For Laughs Festival Showcase

You may have heard about The Just For Laughs Comedy Festival which happens in Montreal every year.  What you may not know is that it is the largest festival on the planet and it is a huge honour to be able to perform there.  This show is a showcase for the local comedians to get their chance to perform at this prestigious event.  (It’s like an audition.)

I’ll be showcasing that night with five other local comics (and 23 other comics across the course of the week).  We each get seven minutes to show off our best work and hopefully be selected by the Just For Laughs representatives that will be in Calgary for the shows.  Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2009
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Show: 8:00PM
Location: Yuk Yuk’s Calgary (218 – 18 Avenue SE)
Reservations: calgary@yukyuks.com or phone (403) 258-2028

I’m not going to lie: having a lot of people in the crowd friendly to my show couldn’t hurt my chances.  (I am a magician… I like to stack the deck.)

November 9 – Comedy Monday Night to benefit The United Way

As I have mentioned on this blog previously, Comedy Monday Night is Calgary’s longest running open-mic night for new and professional comics to try stand up for the first time or test their new material.  About four times per year the room switches formats and turns into a fund raiser for a local charity.  This time around the benefactor will be The United Way.

The show format is also slightly different.  Instead of ten acts (some amateurs and some professionals) this show will only have a handful of comics and all of them will be at the top of their game.  I’ll be hosting the evening’s festivities with Lori Gibbs and Stan Thomson already confirmed to appear.  More acts will be added in the coming weeks and each of them is guaranteed to be worth seeing.

There should be a couple of tickets available to the show and if you are interested in one of them, here are the details:

Date: Monday, November 9, 2009
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Show: 8:00PM
Location: Broken City (613 – 11 Avenue SW)
Reservations: tickets@comedymondaynight.com or phone (403) 561-8975

I’ve always had a lot of fun in this room and this show should be no different (plus it’s for a great cause).

So hopefully you can come to see me either try new material, showcase for a spot at Just For Laughs, or raise some money for charity.

I’m back in Calgary after an extended trip (some work and some vacation) but I won’t have much of a break as on Friday I start another weekend of comedy shows at the Edmonton Yuk Yuk’s.  I’ll be working with headliner Kevin Foxx and I have heard nothing but great things about his show.  If you live within driving distance of the Century Casino (where Yuk’s is now located) I’d love to see you there.

Along my little “tour” I stayed with my dear friends Shawn and Lori Farquhar.  Their hospitality was greatly appreciated and the whole week flew by.  While there, Shawn helped me to film and produce my first ever YouTube video!  That’s right… I’m now just like a billion other people with videos on YouTube. It makes me feel special.

The video really isn’t really stand-up (more of a “sketch”), but I think it’s funny and I hope that you do as well:

If you enjoy it please share it with your friends (and even some of your enemies -- maybe this video could help you to bury the hatchet).  For now I’m looking forward to three more nights in my own bed before heading off to Edmonton.

Last Saturday night the annual PCAM Convention wrapped up and I have just now started to recover.  It was an incredible time produced by my friend (and now the current World Champion of Magic), Shawn Farquhar.  I’ve been staying with him and his family for the past week here in Vancouver in preparation for my shows at LaffLines (MCing) tonight and tomorrow night.

Before calling it a night last night Shawn produced a video blog for his website and had me appear as a guest star talking about the convention.  Granted we’re both REALLY biased toward the PCAM Conventions but here’s how we thought it all went down…

And because Shawn and I were both a little long-winded, here is part two…

That’s what I was up to last week.  This week has been a continued vacation seeing a couple of friends whom I don’t often have the chance to see.  Tonight it’s back to work but I’m not complaining… I love my job.

The first half of September was jam-packed with a ton of shows.  They all went amazingly well!  Here’s what happened…

From September 10 to 12, I made my first appearance(s) on a Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club stage (the fact that it was in Calgary makes it all the sweeter).  I’ve done a bunch of their rooms on the road but this was first time I’ve performed in one of their full-time clubs.  The weekend was amazing with lots of friends and family coming to a show and I thank you all for taking the time to come and watch what I’ve been working on lately (plus listen to my old favourites).

I put some photos from the weekend on my Facebook page.  You can view those photos (with or without a Facebook account) by clicking here.

The very next week was the opening night of Red Carpet Comedy.  Ten comics were on the show (plus myself as MC) and it was definitely a memorable and entertaining evening.  All of the details (including a review of the show) are online at the Red Carpet Comedy website.  A Facebook “fan page” has also been created for the show now and if you’re on Facebook we’d love to have your virtual support.  Click here to “Become a fan”.

It was then off to Kelowna for three shows from Thursday through Saturday.  I had a great time with those shows as well but to be perfectly honest my mind was already in vacation mode getting ready for the cruise that I am now on.

From here it will be a couple more days of cruising, some time in LA, and then up to Vancouver for a weekend (October 2 and 3) at LaffLines.  I also found out that I will be performing at the Edmonton Yuk Yuk’s in the Century Casino on October 9 and 10.  So if you are in the Vancouver or Edmonton areas I hope to see you soon.

With the sunshine and swimming pool calling my name (yes, on cruise ships swimming pools can talk!) I’ll now take my leave.  Enjoy the rest of your week!

As promised on Saturday’s post I have the details on a couple of public performance dates in September.  Hopefully you can make it to one of the shows…

Middling at The Calgary Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club

I’m REALLY excited about this particular set of shows. This will be my FIRST appearance at the club (I haven’t stepped on stage for even 1 minute yet… no guest spots… nothing) and there have been a lot of people here in Calgary asking when they can see a show of mine.  Well… this is probably your best opportunity.

If you haven’t yet been to the Yuk’s club; you are missing out.  It’s a gorgeous new room that is perfect for comedy and completed with a great staff.  More often than not the audiences are wonderful and ready to watch the best stand-up comedy that Canada has to offer.  (Notice how smoothly I implied that I am among the best in Canada… that will get me a thorough mocking from the other comics…)

Dates: Thursday, September 10 to Saturday, September 12
Showtimes: 8:00PM Nightly (plus a 10:30PM show on Saturday)
Location: Elbow River Casino (218 – 18 Avenue SE)
Tickets: $19 each
Box Office: 403-258-2028
Facebook Event: Click here.
Website: Click here.

I’ll be working with two people that I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting (or seeing perform), but I have been asking around the industry about them and the reviews are unanimously positive.

Red Carpet Comedy

All the details about this show are in a blog post from a couple of weeks back… but here’s a quick summary of what will be Calgary first and only professional-comic-only open mic night:

Date: September 16
Location: Club Paradiso (1413 9 Avenue SE)
Doors Open: 6:00PM
Show: 8:00PM
Tickets: $10
Box Office: www.CalgaryTickets.com
Facebook Event: Click here.
Website: www.RedCarpetComedy.com

While this isn’t my refined show I have been working on some new material including one story from my childhood… and I’m not really a “story teller” on stage, but I’m sure as heck going to try that night.

Yuk Yuk’s On Tour in Kelowna

There will be no rest for me… the day after Red Carpet Comedy as I’ll be heading out to Kelowna to open the shows at The Blue Line from September 17 to 19.  I don’t have many details about these shows so if you are interested I would give The Blue Line a call at: (250) 860-7844.

Vacation

The week after Kelowna I’ll be a part of the 2009 PCAM Convention on board the NCL cruise ship Norweigan Pearl.  Internet and phone will be pretty much non-existant for that week (for me that is… I’m sure the rest of the world will be unaffected by my cruising) and I’m looking forward to the break, but not as much as I’m looking forward to all of these shows!

When I announced the opening night of Red Carpet Comedy I wanted people to say: “Wow!  What a surprise! I’ll put that in my calendar.”  Unfortunately I’ve been letting the date slip for the past several weeks to various performers and audience members.  So, this is the official announcement that I am sure will make people say: “Oh yeah!  I remember him saying something about that last week.”  (Maybe next time I can keep a tighter lid on it.)

Opening night of Red Carpet Comedy is Wednesday, September 16, 2009! For those of you that don’t know: this is an open-mic show that is for professional comedians only.  That means that while these performers will be trying out new material to perhaps start to include in their shows they have the stage presence and wherewithal to still guarantee a good show (even if their new jokes aren’t that funny).  I can easily say that it will be a unique night with highs and lows.  (If you’d like to know more about the show, click here.)

Tickets for the evening are only $10 and available online through KarmaTix: http://www.calgarytickets.com/comedy/red-carpet-comedy/.  Seating is very limited (about 60 chairs), so I would recommend advance tickets, but there may still be some at the door.

The night’s frivolities (I got this word from the character Mathis in “Casino Royale”) will start with the doors opening at 6:00pm for drinks and dinner.  Show time will be 8:00pm and will likely wrap up at about 9:30pm – depending on how many comedians end up on the show.

If you are a professional comedian looking for a spot on the show, please RSVP using this web form.  Even if you are an amateur comedian we may have a job for you… we’ll need some help with the door, etc, so feel free to contact me.

There’s a Facebook event created for this as well if you have any desire to share it with your friends.  (And I hope that you will!)

I’ll be hosting the evening and am already getting excited about it.  I know we’re still a month away from the show, but it’s never to early to get excited… or to buy your tickets (hint).

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And speaking of hosting a show… I’m taking over from James Moore the responsibility of hosting Comedy Monday Night this coming Monday, August 24.  It’s a big job but I know I’m going to have a ton of fun.  That show starts at 8:00pm at Broken City (downtown Calgary).

My career path into stand-up comedy was different than most.  Before I set foot on stage as a stand-up comedian I was working as a “corporate comedy magician”.  The word “corporate” in that job description is limiting.  I (quite obviously) can’t curse during a corporate show and I can’t talk about a wide variety of topics that would potentially make audience members uncomfortable.  The word “magician” in that job description is also limiting.  Everything that I do on stage during a “magic show” must involve magic (I know: duh!).  Moving from this world into stand-up comedy opened up an incredible amount of “resources” to me by removing those limitations.

Stand-up comics in comedy clubs can curse and talk about whatever they choose.  No topic is taboo.  No word is too “dirty” for a stand-up comic. (Again: this is all within the most common settings of stand-up comedy, not during a corporate show.) Luckily I had a leg up on the other new comedians: I knew how to handle limited “resources” with great success.

Working within the limitations of a corporate show while still having to be funny and entertaining gave me a good understanding of the basics of “show business”.  (Or at least my small corner of the industry.) Since I wasn’t wasting a bunch of time trying to decide from a seemingly endless list of topics (because they had to be magic-related) or trying to figure out the most shocking swear word, I was investing my time learning about things like stage presence, timing, and structure.  (Even though I probably didn’t know at the time that these things were what I was learning about.) It was these fundamental skills that were instantly scalable once my show’s “resources” were increased.  Learning how to perform with these limitations in place cut down my learning curve in stand-up comedy substantially and (to this day) makes me a more versatile performer.

I’ve been thinking about how fortunate this method of entry into stand-up comedy was recently because I have been watching a new group of amateur comics take to the stage for their first times.  None of them (to my knowledge) have the performance background that I was lucky enough to have so the sheer volume of information and skills that they have to learn must be intimidating.  This fear (for lack of a better word) often leads to the most basic mistakes that amateur comedians and performers make.

In a recent post on Seth Godin’s blog he talks about riding his bike and how he learns on the uphill sections (the difficult parts) not on the downhill sections of his rides.  He applies this to a business lesson but the same can be true of learning to perform: it’s during your most difficult shows that you learn the most.  Just as a baseball player weights his bat for practice swings; putting challenges, obstacles, or conditions in the way of your learning can often lead to not only faster results but a better end product. In the case of entertaining, these limitations can help you to more quickly learn the basics (fundamentals like pacing, delivery, etc.) that are necessary when appearing on stage.

So, how you can handcuff your own learning today?

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On a personal note: Congratulations to my dear friend, Shawn Farquhar!  I found out on Friday morning that he has been awarded the most prestigious competition trophy in magic: the Grand Prix in Close-Up Magic at FISM.  I was rooting for him all last week and can think of no performer more deserving.  Congrats, Shawn.  I’m looking forward to hearing the “story” in September!