Podcast episode 512ish: Brent Butt

It's always a treat when Brent Butt graces our studio. Not only is he a legit Canadian superstar, he's always one of the most naturally and effortlessly funny people in everyday life. The star (and creator and producer and writer and heart and soul) of Corner Gas talks about little green apples in Saskatchewan, working as a terrible wedding singer in his youth, practicing standup using a screwdriver, his love of language, how he learned to be present in his act, the etymology of 'gangbusters' and 'trivia', how he's a proponent of kindness, and falling asleep to the images of David Cassidy and Bobby Sherman. Oh, and hey, go check out his vlog on YouTube (linked in his name above). It started out as a promotional component to his ButtPod podcast but now it's an entity unto itself.

Listen to our conversation here and now, or go download us on iTunes or Stitcher or anywhere fine podcasts are dispensed. Subscribe! Leave a comment! It'd help.

Podcast episode 511ish: Barry Greenfeld

He's back! Even if he doesn't remember ever being with us the first time, back in 2006. But if you listen to the episode, Barry Greenfeld doesn't remember lots of things so we're in good company. Play a drinking game: Every time Barry forgets a name or detail, take a sip, and at the end of the hour you'll be as drunk as he was! ... Nah, just kidding. Greenfeld wasn't drunk. That's just the way he is. All. The. Time. In this episode, he plays us a new theme song, reminisces (as best he can) about the old days at the Urban Well and being the band for the Brent Butt Talk Show. And occasionally he makes sense.

You can listen to the episode right here, or you can go find us on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Nov. 11: Ari Matti

Tonight on the old program we've got our very first guest from Estonia. No need for a translator, though, because Ari Matti has been doing standup comedy in English here in Vancouver for... well, we'll find out for how long. And how long he plans on staying. But it should be no surprise he speaks English well enough to be funny in it. There are – get this – 109 languages spoken in Estonia. So I guess we'll also find out how many more languages he speaks. And we'll talk about the challenges of performing in another culture, and discuss the comedy scene in Tallin.

Tune in to CFRO 100.5 FM tonight at 11 pm for the scintillating conversation. If you're not in the Vancouver area and are in, say Estonia, you can livestream us at coopradio.org or find us on the TuneIn Radio app. But make sure you do the math on the time difference.

Podcast episode 510ish: Travis Bernhardt

This is Travis Bernhardt's first appearance on What's So Funny? but it won't be his last (unless of course he refuses to come back). He's a great talker, as you might expect from an improviser and magician. He took up the craft of magic the same year we started this show, 14 years ago. Now he's an incredible performer. And funny, too! We talk about his start on the streets, how magic helped him with his depression, and his reputation as a darling of the Fringe circuit.

Listen to the whole episode below. Or you can go find us at iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe! Leave a review! Do what you have to do!

Nov. 4: Brent Butt

The great Brent Butt made his first visit to us in 2005. It took him seven years to return, back in 2012. He's back again tonight, only six years after his last visit, so the gap is narrowing. We expect him to return in five years so mark your calendars for a fall/winter Sunday in 2023. Brent is one of the best comedians to come out of this country, a country that has produced some real superstars. There's no one funnier than him. Most famous for his work on Corner Gas, which has since morphed into Corner Gas Animated, many young'uns don't know what a fantastic standup comedian he was before the series started, and continues to be. Plus he's always a perfect guest. So tune in!

We're on the air from 11pm to midnight on CFRO 100.5 FM in Vancouver, but if you're in, say, Saskatchewan, you can always catch us on the old livestream at coopradio.org or on the TuneIn Radio app.

Oct. 28: Barry Greenfeld

I ran into Barry Greenfeld a few weeks ago. Hadn't seen him in a while. He said he'd been in Calgary for eight years. Go figure! I didn't know it had been that long. So I asked him to be on the show. He said he'd never done it before. I had to remind him that he was, indeed, a guest on the program back in 2006. It must have been a really memorable time for him. They don't call him Crazy Barry for nothing. (I'm not really sure if they call him Crazy Barry at all, but if they don't, they should.) He'll bring his laugh and maybe his guitar and we'll find out why Calgary and why back to Vancouver and everything else that's been happening in his life.

Tune in to CFRO 100.5 FM at 11 pm tonight for all the action.

Podcast episode 509ish: Ivan Decker

Ivan Decker's back for his sixth go-around on What's So Funny? You'd think we'd run out of things to talk about but we managed to go almost 90 minutes with this episode. Decker opens up about the frustrations of living in Los Angeles, dissects the ins and outs of getting in and out of a performance, talks about comedy critics, and, of course, dinosaurs. Oh, and his upcoming half-hour Netflix special. The Jerry Seinfeld of Canada also talks about opening up for the Jerry Seinfeld of France, aka Gad Elmaleh, as well as a ton of other celebrity comedians.

So have a listen. You can do so by clicking the link below. Or even better you can head on over to iTunes and subscribe to What's So Funny? and pick it up gratis there. We're also at Stitcher and wherever else fine podcasts are doled out.

Oct. 21: Travis Bernhardt

We've got a newbie guest on the program tonight! Always exciting when that happens. I've been a fan of Travis Bernhardt ever since VTSL's Brian Anderson tipped me to him. But I just met the guy a few weeks ago when we both guested on the Brett Martin Show at Yuk Yuk's. So I invited him on. And here we are. Travis is an actor/improviser/magician. Not sure which order. We'll find out. I know he just finished a one-man improv show at the Fringe called UnScriptured. In fact, I've read that he's a bit of a "Fringe darling." We'll talk about that plus his work with !nstant Theatre and, obviously, magic.

Tune in tonight at 11 pm on Co-op Radio 100.5 FM. You can always livestream us at coopradio.org or the TuneIn Radio app, if you prefer.

Oct. 14: Ivan Decker

Tonight we've got Canada's Jerry Seinfeld, Ivan Decker! I want it to get to the point where any time there's an article on Ivan (and there are going to be more and more), they say, "He's been called Canada's Jerry Seinfeld." Lord knows every time somebody writes about Gad Elmaleh, they say he's the Jerry Seinfeld of France. And Ivan's way more like Seinfeld than Elmaleh is. Not in a derivative way, either. Like Jerry, he's a real joke craftsman and observationalist, and displays the same commitment to standup comedy. That he's also thin and neat is just extra. Coincidentally, it was just announced earlier this week that Ivan will be opening for Elmaleh at the Chan Centre in November. Ivan has opened for lots of celebrity comics and in most cases, he's been better than the headliner. That's why his star is on the rise. He's been on Conan, won a Juno Award, and has a Netflix special coming out in 2019. I'm sure there's more, too. There always is with Ivan, although he's the last person to tout his successes. I'll pry them out of him tonight.

We're on the air in Vancouver at 11 pm at 100.5 FM so tune in. You can livestream us anywhere in the world at coopradio.org or on the TuneIn Radio app, too.

Podcast episode 508ish: Shawn Farquhar

It's always a treat when Shawn Farquhar finds room in his busy calendar to join us. The world-renown magician will be home for a few months, now, too, which is a treat for lower mainland magic fans. He's doing four close-up shows over two nights at an intimate little theatre in the Shangri-La Hotel on October 5 and 6. And then he'll be the magical host of Bacio Rosso for 2.5 months. In this hour, we talk about the Beverly Hillbillies, optimism in the face of disaster, and he tells us an amazing story of what happened to him right outside our studios just before the show started. Plus, we've got magician jokes!

Tune in right here, right now, below. Or find What's So Funny? on iTunes and subscribe to us. Or Stitcher. Or wherever you find quality podcasts.