Roy Zimmerman is the best musical political satirist since Tom Lehrer. And just as good. We talk about music, lefty politics, Oliver North and Ray Stevens. Along the way, we listen to a few Zimmerman classics.
From Vegas, Dave Burleigh discusses the stigma of doing impressions, the genesis of a Las Vegas show, and why comedy and breakfast don't go together. Along the way, we're joined by former WSF? guest and new Las Vegas resident Richard Kiss.
Brian McKim is one half of the publishing tandem at sheckymagazine.com (his wife, and fellow stand-up Traci Skene is the other half). We talked with Brian in the bar at Hooter's Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas about the mag, comedy controversies, street jokes, and his and Traci's appearance on the last season of Last Comic Standing, among other things.
Graham Clark and Dave Shumka are together again for the first time on What's So Funny? The co-hosts of Stop Podcasting Yourself drop by to speak directly to their bumpers and try to break the record of phone-ins on WSF? Along the way, we talk beard paintings, Los Angeles, and Charlie Sheen.
Lorne Cardinal and Monique Hurteau talk about their individual and collective careers. Cardinal, best known as Sergeant Davis Quinton on Corner Gas, tells us how portraying a cop on TV has its privileges but when he's on the rugby pitch it has its downsides. Hurteau talks about what it's like going to eleven different schools as a kid and how that led to her stand-up comedy career. Together, they discuss the workshops that put the humour in health, or vice versa.
Magicians Nathan Burton and Mac King are mainstays on the Las Vegas scene. What's So Funny? travelled to Sin City and spoke to the two prestidigitators in separate interviews. We discussed comedy, tricks gone wrong and their respective TV exposure. In between the two, the Sklar Brothers talk about magic.
Peter New and Ken Hegan talk about becoming stars. The actor/writer and writer/filmmaker recently hit Hollywood and discuss their visit, among other topics all served with a banter of sparkling wit. It had been seven years since New last visited the WSF? studios. This was Hegan's inaugural visit.
Andrew Barber is in a bind. He's best known for his viral videos as crazed Boston Bruins' fan, Greg. But in his heart, the Vancouver Canucks are number one. We talk about his dilemma and about many of his other alter egos.
Sara Bynoe knows crap. Whether it's teen poetry and journal entries or stinky prose from celebrities and professional authors, Bynoe relishes it. She reads us a few samples of the truly awful. We also talk about animal hoarding and how to pick up topless dancers. Bring a notepad and pen for this one.
Joe Avati called it in on this episode. Literally. This "classic" lost show dates back to 2005 and was recently found while going through the vaults. The Italo-Aussie comic became our first phone guest on this 40th edition of What's So Funny? We also played clips from Emo Philips, Frank Spadone, Ray Romano and Avati himself.
Richard Lett returns to Vancouver kinder and gentler from his new home in Toronto for his sixth appearance on What's So Funny? He discusses his newfound sobriety and what led him to it.
Bill Reiter crawls out from the Sasquatch cave to talk about his legendary career. Along the way I surprise him with a biographical fact, he lays a smackdown on the Air Farce from his vantage point in Dr. Bundolo's Pandemonium Medicine Show, and reveals what Biff learned from Bart before the big Zig Zag feud. And Bill supplies some lyrics to the What's So Funny? closing theme.
Sam Easton returns after a six-year absence and talks about his transition from man-child to man-man, his relationship with the late Irwin Barker (draw your own conclusions) and who's the most disappointing famous comedian he's ever seen.
James Danderfer adds a touch of class to the show. The jazz clarinetist recounts his days working with a very famous comedian on a cruise ship and claims jazz has a sense of humour. We also listen to clips from Paul F. Tompkins, the Fast Show, Martin Mull, Mike Storck, Bill Burr and the Mighty Boosh.
Kyle Bottom is specially selected by special co-host Scott McLean to guest on What's So Funny? Kyle talks about bombing (figuratively) and almost dying (literally) while Scott relives his magical ten hours with podcaster extraordinaire Paul F. Tompkins.
The Comedy Round-Table reconvenes with Chuck Byrn, Dylan Rhymer, Steve Bays and Toby Hargrave. Is Vancouver a No Fun City? How superstitious are performers? What comedy legend doesn't deserve legend status? Who are some comedic guilty pleasures? We discuss all this and more, and throw in some podcast recommendations to boot.
Steve Bays took time out from his busy rock-n-roll lifestyle (he's the lead singer of Hot Hot Heat) to jam with his favourite comedy podcast. He tells us what Letterman and Kimmel are really like and who the funniest musician he's met is.
A double-whammy: Lisa Lampanelli chats on the phone from NYC about the right way of being mean, and Chris Porter weighs in on alt-comics and hipster rooms. Two for the price of none!
Sunee Dhaliwal called five minutes before airtime saying he'd be late. Car trouble was the excuse, which I doubted, and said so, not knowing Sunee was listening on his drive to the studio. So he calls in to defend his honour and most of the show is done over the phone, but he arrives with 15 minutes to spare. Warning: there's lots of basketball talk but we also talk about him opening for Jo Koy and Charlie Murphy, he talks smack about Ivan Decker, and explains how Graham Clark saved his life.
Paul Myrehaug is a thrill-seeker who loves to sleep. The Alberta native talks about getting suspended from WestJet for being late and itemizes his various longboarding, snowboarding and winter driving accidents. He also explains why he loves performing for military audiences, occasionally even his own country's.
Marke Driesschen may be best known as a weather "specialist", but he's also a comedian and actor. We talk about his many and varied roles in Oscar-worthy films, the early Saskatoon comedy scene, what a young Chris Rock was like, and the trouble he's gotten into on the air over the years.
Johnny Scoop reminisces about the price of pop and cigarettes back in the day, explains why sandwich boards are built for land, not vehicles, admits to cowering in the shadow of the almighty Canucks, and tells us how the Olympics very nearly ruined him.
Ryan Hamilton, best known for his two turns on NBC's Last Comic Standing, has a face made for comedy. And, luckily, an act to match. You can't see the mug on this podcast, but we talk about it. That, and a whole lot more, such as why the press insists on commenting on said visage and the fact he works clean and happens to be Mormon.
Pete Johansson on location from a Starbucks. With coffee in hand, the former and future Vancouver stand-up comic talks about comedy as art, the elevation of sports in society, abortion and the importance for young comics to move away. Hilarious stuff, I think you'll agree!
Ex-pats Craig Campbell and Phil Nichol left Canada (separately) years ago. Now they're fixtures on the UK comedy scene. They give us a cautionary tale about drinking with Mike Wilmot, discuss getting arrested for swearing, talk of Phil's days with Corky and the Juice Pigs, and rail against the PC movement vis a vis Frankie Boyle's latest comedic miscalculation. All in all, a rollicking good time.
Larke Miller isn't just another pretty face. She's an honours student, in fact (despite not going to high school) who writes great jokes. The Vancouver native talks about living in Hollywood for ten years, doing Craig Ferguson (the show, not the man), performing in AA meetings and prisons, and how to disqualify a judge in court.
Paul Anthony makes visit number four to What's So Funny?... or three. Depends how you count it. The man is a walking contradiction: he smokes a pipe and wears a cardigan but doesn't read books, loves Carrot Top, and has a fascination with bike rentals.
Baltimore native Mike Storck talks about performing in a biker clubhouse, being homeless in Florida, getting drunk with John Waters, and crashing motorbikes.
Paul Bae, our first guest six years ago, returns to talk about religion, why he keeps few possessions on the job, his Comedy Death-Ray experience and how he gets the tears flowing in an audition.
Award-winning writer Andrew Carr talks about the process of writing for TV, growing up as the youngest of ten, his early days of stand-up with Brent Butt, why he gave up stand-up, and I almost get him to slag one of his employers but he was too crafty for me. He also gives some sage advice to wannabe script writers.
