COMEDY ACES BACK ON STAGE AT THE PILOT, YORKVILLE.

That Canadian Guy Glen Foster (above) brought his comedy pals back to The Pilot Tavern in Yorkville (Toronto) again tonight for the last show in his Comedy Aces series of stand-up showcases. This week’s show featured more of Canada’s greatest headliners and as special guest MC for the night, TV and Newstalk 1010 radio personality Mike Bullard!  Mike hit the ground running, chatting with a group of ladies in the front (below) who were ready for a really good show…

…before introducing the first act, Mark Walker (below) who regaled us with spot-on impressions including Sean Connery and Col. Klink (of Hogan’s Heroes) that was not lost on the predominantly 45+ audience.

Mike then intro’d a Canadian comedy legend who paved the way for so many comics now working the clubs. The one, the only…Mike MacDonald!

Mike (above) shared with the audience that it’s been a year (in March) since he received a new liver; the fact that the transplant took place on St. Patrick’s Day 2014 had the entire room raising a celebratory glass…oh the irony of it all!
Next up, another legend whom I had the honour of rep’ing along with Mike, Mike and Glen waaaay back in the 80’s – Mr. Kenny Robinson. Last year, Kenny was the recipient of the Phil Hartman Award at the annual Canadian Comedy Awards.

Mr. Bullard closed out the first half of the show amidst raucous applause, cheers and a quick rush to the bathroom for all of us who had been laughing so hard for the past hour we nearly pee’d ourselves!

Opening the second half of the show was stand-up comic and tv writer extraordinaire, Lawrence Morgenstern, who was one of the writers from Mike’s TV show back in the 90’s. Lawrence is currently working on a number of new TV and web-based comedy projects but I hope he keeps up with his stand-up as he was f*cking hysterical.

…and then it was time for That Canadian Guy himself, Glen Foster (below)So for the past 3 weeks, Glen brought some of the funniest comedy pro’s to The Pilot where the mainly “boomer” audiences finally got the entertainment they deserved…..that made them (us) laugh, giggle, and occasionally scream with delight (thank you for that one, Mike Bullard) and brought back memories of the last great era of stand-up that was the 1980’s.
My friend and fellow ex-comedy agent Leatrice Spevack and her husband Greg were there again tonight, along with other comedians in the audience like Simon Rakoff (who killed as MC last week) and Ronnie Edwards (pictured with Leatrice below)

Thanks for all the memories and laughter, Glen….we want more, lots more, please.

Check out Glen’s website for news of the next series of Comedy Aces, hopefully coming soon. http://www.thatcanadianguy.com/ 

 

CANADIAN COMEDY AWARDS – THE WINNERS & THE COOL MOMENTS BACKSTAGE

So the CCA’s are done and dusted for another year….big congrats to awards Founder Tim Progosh and his team of producers, volunteers and particularly to my PR colleague, Jennifer Murray, whose Twitter fingers must be crippled after posting almost a thousand tweets over the 5-day Festival period and the lead-up weeks. Bravo, everyone!  Here is a list of the winners and photos from backstage after the presentations. For more info, please visit the website:  www.canadiancomedy.ca and follow them on Facebook and Twitter, too. Below, Tim poses with Cathy Jones (l), his sister and the Ottawa’s hometown boy, Mike MacDonald (r).

And Tim welcomed Paul Hartman (below) who was on hand to present a special award in his brother’s name – “The Phil Hartman Comedy Award” later that evening.

So many cheers and tears but everyone had such a blast. Many of the comedians, comic actors, improvisers, writers and directors had not met before as the winners came from across the country – from BC to Nfld!

THE WINNERS 2014

1) Comedy Person of the Year                                  Dave Foley

2) Best Feature Film                                                   Lawrence & Holloman

3) Best Writing in a Feature                                        Jeremy LaLonde – Sex After Kids

4) Best Comedy Special or Short                               Torturous

5) Best Male Performance in a Feature                     Jon Dore – Stag

6) Best Female Performance in a Feature                 Ingrid Haas – That Burning Feeling

7) Best Audio Show or Series                                     Stop Podcasting Yourself

8) Best Audio Clip                                                       Bee Circus

9) Best Web Series                                                     Convos With My 2-Year-Old

10) Best Direction in a Web Series     Mike Fly & Simon Fraser –The Dark Night Versus Valerie – Versus Valerie Ep. 10

11) Best Writing in a Web Series         Bob Kerr – Acting Class– But I’m Chris Jericho! Ep 104

12) Best Female Performance in a Web Series        Kayla Lorette – Everyone’s Famous

13) Best Male Performance in a Web Series             Scott Thompson – But I’m Chris Jericho!

14) Best Breakout Artist                                              Ken Hall

15) Best Taped Live Performance                             Darrin Rose – Just For Laughs All Access

16) Best Male Stand up                                              Chris Locke

17) Best Female Stand up                                          DeAnne Smith

18) Best Sketch Troupe                                              Peter ‘n’ Chris

19) Best Improv Troupe                                              The Sufferettes

20) Best Male Improvisor                                           Adam Cawley

21) Best Female Improvisor                                       Kayla Lorette

22) Best Variety Act                                                    Morro and Jasp

23) Best Comedic Play, Revue or Series                  Peter n’ Chris Explore Their Bodies

24) Best One Person Show                                        Weaksauce

25) Best TV Show                                                       This Hour Has 22 Minutes season XXI

26) Best Direction In a TV Series          Nathan Fielder– Gas Station/Caricature Artist – Nathan For You #103

27) Best Writing in a TV Series or Special                 Nathan Fielder-Gas Station/Caricature Artist – Nathan For You #103

28) Best Female Performance in a TV Series           Nikki Payne – Satisfaction

29) Best Male Performance in a TV Series               Nathan Fielder – Nathan For You

SPECIAL AWARDS

Phil Hartman Award:                                                  Kenny Robinson

Dave Broadfoot Award:                                              Ron James

Roger Abbott Award:                                                  Kyra Williams & Gary Rideout Jr.

Am so proud that my friend Kenny Robinson was presented with the Phil Hartman Comedy Award. I’ve known and worked with Kenny since the 80’s and he was always reliable and one of the most respectful and respected stand-up comics I’ve ever worked with. Kenny was truly surprised and touched by this award….congrats, big guy, this honour is so well deserved.

Phil made the rounds and schmoozed with all the stars – yes, some of the late great comedian’s ashes are in the award itself. Here, Paul introduces “Phil” to Ron James, Scott Thompson, Tom Green and Ben Miner (below)

We had the wonderful Mr. Hollywood (Matt Demers) and his crew shooting interviews for the Awards gala at the Ottawa Little Theatre – a great theatre offering professional tech support, box office, bar staff and a beautifully appointed soft-seat auditorium.

Thanks so much, Matt, Jessica and Kyle http://mrhollywood.net/ – you can sub-in for ET Canada anytime!

Lots of activity before the show – lots of schmoozing, comparing jokes, and cocktails!!

…and then the lights flickers and the bells chimed…it’s SHOW TIME!

“Ladies and gentlemen, your host…..Tom Green!” And so the Awards began and nominees and winners streamed backstage for their photo opps.

Even the Founder of Yuk Yuk’s and the “godfather of Canadian stand-up” Mark Breslin enjoyed the sponsored backstage refreshments!

So it’s congratulations to everyone and a big thank-you to Ottawa for making us all feel welcome.

Jennifer and I headed back to Toronto yesterday afternoon, courtesy of our travel sponsor VIA Rail and I think this pic of Jenn taken at the station sums it up well – tired but very happy that everything worked out well.

Thanks to CTV Ottawa for all your awesome support with interviews and on-site news cameras, radio TSN1200 for having comedian Graham Kay sit in on your sports show and thanks to the Courtyard Marriott who helped out with ongoing WiFi assistance.

Kudos to all the club venues – their patient and hospitable staff and mgmn’t – for hosting multiple shows: Yuk Yuk’s, Absolute Comedy, Arts Court, The Velvet Room, Great Canadian Cabin and PPL

So it’s goodbye from me…and goodbye from them!