THE UNLIKELY COMIC: Craig Martell is his own punchline

THE UNLIKELY COMIC: Craig Martell is his own punchline

Craig Martell doesn’t claim to be a real stand-up comedian – so does that make him a better stand-up comedian? It’s all so terribly confusing. He doesn’t fit the usual stand-up comedian profile. First of all, as co-owner and party captain of the Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus, he’s a pretty upbeat guy. “It seems like most comedians […]

COMEDY: Kathleen McGee’s act is a life examined

COMEDY: Kathleen McGee’s act is a life examined

Oprah’s truck balls, tweets of people’s genitals, Al Roker telling everyone he pooped his pants in the White House, Facebook status updates of breakfasts that look like poop – these are a few of our favourite things! We live in a world where the phrase “whoa, too much information!” is uttered by no one ever. […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Even one club down, lots of comedy ahead

Make that What’s Not So Funny – it looks like the Laugh Shop is out of business. There was talk the Sherwood Park comedy club would be moving to a new 124th Street location for an opening on Oct. 1, but that never came to pass. The owner-operators reportedly sold the building and that is […]

FRINGE CITY: The Return of the Borg

It’s always nice when an ex-Edmontonian comes back to visit. Break out the good bong. And show your love for Wes Borg when he returns to this year’s Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival – running Aug. 16-26 at innumerable theatres around town – the first time since his friend and partner Joe Bird died suddenly […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Aboriginal comics write what they know

The aboriginal comics featured at “Red, White, and Hilarious: A Night of Aboriginal comedy” at Yuk Yuk’s Wednesday night are expected to devote good chunks of their time to being aboriginal – saying things a non-aboriginal comic could never get away with. At least not without getting a Pilsner bottle thrown at him. Featured at […]

Right? Left? Bill Maher bound to make someone mad

When people hate you as much as some people hate Bill Maher, but you still make enough money to give a political cause a million dollars, you know you’re doing something right. At the Jubilee Auditorium on Friday night, Maher is an unapologetic agnostic. His latter-career political genesis started as a centrist libertarian on Politically […]

Jim Cuddy, Jay Mohr to headline 2012 Edmonton Comedy Festival

Jim Cuddy is among the big name comic talent coming in for the second annual Edmonton Comedy Festival, announced Wednesday … and wait a minute, Jim Cuddy is the singer from Blue Rodeo. He’s no comic. “Actually,” says comedy fest producer Andrew Grose, “Cuddy is a really funny guy.” Apparently he’s got some funny songs, […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Graham Neil honours brother with comedy

Don Neil loved stand-up comedy. He never missed a show by his brother – CTV Edmonton entertainment correspondent and sometime stand-up comic Graham Neil – and after he died of cancer three years ago, Graham and some comedy friends decided there was no better way to honour Don’s memory than with an annual comedy show. […]

COMEDY: Sterling Scott to hit the next level with DVD taping

The allure of the professional stand-up comedy trade is powerful when you’ve become hooked on making people laugh. It can happen as early as childhood. Some call it a sickness, others an addiction, and there is no known cure, no comedic “methadone.” There is often nothing for it but to … become a professional stand-up […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Arena comics risk Nickelback syndrome

There’s something strange that happens in the course of a stand-up comedian’s rise to success. While moving up from nightclubs to theatres is celebrated, prompting pats on the backs and kudos all around, hitting the next level – arenas – seems to result in a wee bit of a backlash. Consider that racist puppet guy, […]

COMIC INTERVIEW: Brent Butt gets mocked for optimism

The great thing about being a stand-up comic who gets a TV series is that you have a pretty sweet gig to fall back on once the series – inevitably – ends. A lot of TV actors aren’t so lucky. Ask Seinfeld’s co-stars. Brent Butt was of course the creator and star of the CTV […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Improvaganza to bridge comedy arts

An embarrassment of riches awaits the hungry comedy fan this week – fortunately, the brave performers at Improvaganza are immune from embarrassment. Also, they generally never say no to any suggestion, another trait that will hold them in good stead at Rapid Fire Theatre’s annual “international improv comedy festival,” opening Wednesday at the Varscona Theatre. […]

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