Laugh Canadian... by Steve Patterson
Hello Canadian friends. As well as those from other countries who enjoy Canadian humour (and Canadian spelling)
As we all prepare to bid adieu to the summer season and try to enjoy the world around us (despite it crumbling in literal and metaphoric senses) I’d like to talk about the one area in which I am most experienced and can offer a necessary respite in today’s relentless world: Canadian standup comedy.
For the past 28 years now, I’ve had the pleasure of touring back and forth across our home and native land, both as a solo standup comedian and, for almost 20(!) of those years, as host of “The Debaters”; Canada and the world’s top debating show featuring comedians (and not just because it’s the ONLY one). It was created by Canadian producer Richard Side and, in all honesty, is a miracle of achievement in terms of Canadian comedy longevity. I’ve toured to every province, two of our 3 territories (I’ll make it to you someday Nunavut!) and have also performed in Ireland, the U.K., Australia and Europe. I’ve performed in America as well, but not as much. Because I like to make fun of people to their faces, which is tougher to do in a country with open carry gun laws.
Steve performing at The Winnipeg Comedy Festival
What I’ve come to learn in those decades of comedy touring is that Canadians are consistently at the top of the heap comedically, with a brand of smart yet also self-deprecating humour that seems to resonate with audiences around the world. To be blunt, pound for pound (or I guess “kilogram for kilogram”), I’ll put Canadian stand-ups up against any other comedians in the world in terms of talent.
So I’m happy to see initiatives like the re-born Just For Laughs festival in Montreal, Rick Mercer’s “Stand Up For Canada” tour (with fellow Canucks Sophie Buddle, Mayce Galoni and Julie Kim) and the hardest working tour in Canadian comedy, Dan Quinn’s “Snowed In Comedy Tour” starring my funny friends Erica Sigurdson, Paul Myrehaug, Pete Zedlacher and Dan Quinn himself, both coming to Canadian theatres near you in the near future. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that yes, The Debaters will be touring into its twentieth season starting this September with tapings at theatres across Canada and a special additional “Debaters Live 20th anniversary” theatre tour on its way this November/December.
I’m happy to be helping Canadians laugh in a time where we could easily all be doing the exact opposite.
What I’m less happy about is the top billing status given to touring American comedians who come up here for things like the “Great Outdoors Comedy Festival” or get booked at Canadian hockey arenas when Canadian talent, whom are just as funny or funnier, aren’t given the same opportunities to shine.
Snowed In Comedy Tour - Paul Myrehaug, Dan Quinn, Erica Sigurdson, Pete Zadlacher
I say this not to criticize our funny American friends (they are literally just doing their jobs) but to make an appeal to Canadian comedy audiences and yes, tour producers, to offer more opportunities to Canadian comedians to shine. And to encourage Canadian audiences to support their own or “laugh Canadian”, in addition to keeping those “elbows up”. Or, even better, while you’re laughing, let those elbows down for a bit.
Sure, it starts with comedy clubs such as various Yuk Yuk’s (where I started ) or Absolute Comedy , or great independent clubs like Toronto’s “Comedy Bar” or Rumor’s in Winnipeg or “The Laugh Shop' in Calgary or Heckler’s in Victoria. But I believe with an increase in marketing support for Canadian comedians, more and more of our talented stand-ups could be playing theatres, arenas and large outdoor stages as HEADLINE acts. NOT as openers.
So I guess what I’m saying is, to those in Canadian comedy production and promotion, whom have always looked south of our border for big opportunities (something Canadian comedians have also always had to do) NOW is the time to look within! To work with each other and showcase Canadian talent not as the openers for our American counterparts but as the hilarious, proud and UNAPOLOGETICALLY (sorry) top of the comedy food chain that we have always had the potential to be.
Steve performing in Woody Point, NL. Photo by Tom Cochrane
And quite honestly, English Canadian promoters can look to their French Canadian counterparts for clues. French Canadian comedians have enjoyed national and international support for decades and have proven that French Canadian comedic talent, plus consistent promotion equals a successful star system. So why haven’t more English speaking stand-up promoters followed suit? Well… Je ne sais quoi (I’m probably not writing that right).
But the time is RIGHT NOW to build our Canadian comedy industry. Featuring talent we’ve had the pleasure of showcasing to the world on “The Debaters” for two decades now, as well as the other world class witticists we’ve been hiding for far too long.
That said, back to your well-deserved Canadian summer break, which I hope includes a show or two (or several) featuring fabulous Canadian comedy talent.