Ari Shaffir was once a pious young seminary student. Now look at him, eating bacon and turning off lights willy-nilly. Ari talks about losing his religion on this elongated episode. Other topics under discussion: a recent review of his act, faking it in stand-up, and skepticism. Lots to chew on, but it's completely kosher so don't worry.
Sunee Dhaliwal returns – and on time this time! He came armed with a new hand injury and told us about the highs and lows of 2011 and why lack of driver waving etiquette gives him road rage.
Mark Breslin is putting the imp back in impresario. He talks about opening a new Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club in Vancouver, his relationship with Sam Kinison and critiques his own performance as a stand-up comic from 25 years ago.
Jay Brown and Patrick Maliha have never been friends. They're still not, but they at least came to some kind of agreement and mutual respect on this, the most awkward episode in What's So Funny? history.
Chris James reveals how he stays so trim, how he was discovered by Johnny Scoop, fills us in on his dreams and goals, tells us why he chose his stage name and why he enjoys trolling Facebook.
Paul Hooper's OCD finally got him to Canada. But his OCD also contributed to his earlier banishment. The North Carolina native talks about his eight years as a blackout drunk, picking up stray pieces of paper, checking out of hotels and why he'll never call 9-1-1. Again.
Mike Storck flew all the way from Baltimore to be with us. We talked about actors masking as comedians, the definition of alternative comedy, and where the comedy boom is heading.
Rob Mailloux has visited Vancouver before, opening up for Doug Stanhope and Jim Jefferies. But this is the first time the Torontonian has graced the WSF? studios. We talk about his eating disorders, an unfortunate early stage name, going up against the mighty Just For Laughs festival, visiting Little Mosque on the Prairie with Stanhope, and lessons learned from Humber College.
Will Davis makes his annual visit to What's So Funny? to talk about his baby: the Vancouver ComedyFest and all the acts he booked this year. And we'll throw around some American slang while we're at it.
David DJ Roy breaks his WSF? cherry in this episode, and talks about comedy riots, selling drugs, homelessness, hitchhiking, gang bangs and the porn industry. Er, I mean "adult film" industry.
Darcy Michael comes out on WSF?! Fresh off the Todd Glass WTF episode, Vancouver stand-up Darcy Michael reveals he is ... gayer than ever, in large part because he's lost 96 pounds (and counting) and has shaved off his butch beard. We talk about how a unicorn spurred on the new lifestyle, and lots more.
Kliph Nesteroff is a young guy with an old soul. He doesn't like being labelled a historian, but he is the foremost chronicler of classic show business. In this epic episode, Kliph recounts conversations he's had with the likes of Dick Cavett, Shecky Greene, Jack Carter, Marty Allen, Marvin Kaplan, Bill Dana, George Schlatter and Marilyn Michaels. The stories are so great they should be running in Vanity Fair!
Glenn Wool missed his first scheduled visit to the show after he blew out his voice box but made good on the second. He spent the year resting his vocal cords and came in sounding smooth as silk... Or not. But he did talk. We discussed humming, overly sensitive Vancouver audiences, the effects of drugs and alcohol on an aging body, and the soul-destroying nature of auditions.
Dylan Rhymer became our first guest of 2012. In celebration, we went overtime. But Dylan's always got lots to talk about. In this case, we talk about old-time radio, religiosity, bike lanes, parliamentary assholes, breastfeeding, and North Korea. And more!
Harry Doupe is a semi-regular to the show this time of year. We made this one a bit longer than usual because there was so much on Harry's mind. He takes aim at the Comedy Awards, the Comedy Network, Yuk Yuks, and reminisces about the early days in Vancouver with Ryan Stiles and the late, great Colin Campbell.
Paul Shirley may not have been a force in the NBA, but at least he played in it. He's moved on to more rewarding, if not higher paying, work as a writer. We talk about him being beat up by Arcade Fire's frontman Win Butler, the concept of funny as it relates to the NBA, and he explains his controversial essay on Haiti that led to his termination from ESPN.
Dino Archie returns. Not only returns to the studio, but returns the favour when he puts host Guy MacPherson on the hotseat. He comes prepared for battle and fires away while the unsuspecting host stumbles and stammers. But in the end, they give each other a fist bump and traditional handshake.
Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen are national treasures. We spend the first half of the show reminiscing about the good old days, and the last half talking about end-of-the-world scenarios as Bob reads from his new book, Mayan Horror: How to Survive the End of the World in 2012. Along the way we hear from Stephen Harper, Barack Obama, Joe Clark and even John Diefenbaker and Bob ponders his lifelong grudge match.
Jason Bryden soberly discusses fatherhood, takes on Doug Stanhope, and relates how he told Marc Maron he was a dick. Plus we get to know the high school version of JB and learn what profession his father suggested he go into. It's a cram-packed, fun-filled WSF? this week. This episode brought to you by Gin and Tonics. Have three while you're listening.
Chris Gaskin talks about his two open heart surgeries, looking young, bombing on TV in Toronto, and his association and affiliation with professional wrestling.
Steve Burgess may have been a juvenile delinquent, but he didn't murder his mother. Instead, he wrote a loving – and funny – tribute to her, Who Killed Mom? We discuss the book, his early career spinning Lionel Richie discs, and the underrated aspects of reality television. Memo to Jillian Harris: call us!
Sean Emeny reveals lots in this episode. Who knew he was a California surfer dude at heart? Who knew he had a career in the music industry before becoming the People's Champion in stand-up comedy? Who knew he doesn't close his eyes on stage? Find out that and more about the Guelph native. This show brought to you by the E. Coli virus.
Ken Lawson is an actor, improviser and heavy metal musician. Guess which one he gets grief about in this his first appearance on WSF? He also reveals what he is referred to by his nephew, gives us a lesson in improvising, and relates how Amy Poehler is his biggest fan. It was truly a fun show. That's not code, either.
Diana Frances makes her first solo appearance on WSF? after guesting with others numerous times before. She talks about curling up into a ball on cruise ships, being stood up, and getting splooged on by a giant tapioca-and-milk-spewing cock.
Dino Archie finally managed to make it in to the studios of What's So Funny? after two failed attempts. After giving him hell, we get down to business of getting to know how the California native wound up in sunny Vancouver performing at stand-up stages all around town. We learn about his irrepressibility, his days playing college basketball, and a news-making gig at a UFC event in his hometown of Fresno.
Kaitlin Fontana not only is an improv and sketch performer, she's an award-winning journalist – we get to the bottom of what exactly those awards were - she's also a freakin' author with the release of her first book, Fresh at Twenty: The Oral History of Mint Records. We find out which Mint Records artiste is a wee bit of a primadonna, who Kaitlin's namesake is, why contemporary rock criticism sucks, and her involvement with the re-election of Stephen Harper. Wait, it's not what you think.
Adam Pateman may have spent the past two years living in the Big Apple, but he's still a Delta boy at heart. In this episode, recorded on 9/11/11 he lets us in on his secret talents and tells us of his prophetic dreams on 9/11/01. Along the way, comic Ivan Decker calls in and complains about doing shows in New York.
Tanyalee Davis finally managed to find time to drop by our studio. The 3-foot-6 dynamo talks about her early days working with prisoners, playing a leprechaun, and has a mid-life crisis right in the middle of the show. We also find out who's a bigger dick: Maury Povich or Bono.
Aussie Marcus Ryan is a wandering soul. His latest travels brought him to our shores after a happy 3-hour performance in Phnom Penh. We talk about Canadians, performing in Vegas, and our mutual reverence of Rolf Harris.
Blaine Thurier is a rock star by day, filmmaker by night. Or something like that. The keyboard/synth player for the New Pornographers drops by to talk about his new film, A Gun to the Head, and along the way talks about critics, comic strips, Christian rock, and being creative. This episode, naturally, is brought to you by the letter C.
