Podcast episode 260ish: Harry Doupe

We've got a little extra for you with this episode. When Harry Doupe dropped by for the last show of the calendar year, we went long. And it's a good thing, too. The first hour was good enough – we talked about the old days at Punchlines with Ryan Stiles and Colin Campbell and Harry aired his dirty laundry with his estrangement from the Canadian Comedy Awards. He also got in shots at the Comedy Network and Yuk Yuk's. But when we went into overtime it got even better. Harry told tales of his epic cross-continent tour with the late, great Campbell that gave real insight into Campbell's problems. Then he finished off with some much needed advice to young comics. Here's hoping Doupe's bi-annual visit becomes annual.

So have at it. Listen below or download at iTunes. Or both. Hell, why not? It's the holidays. Over-indulge!

Sam's secret

This little WSF? snippet goes back to 2009 when I interviewed Marc Maron in his hotel room (using his WTF equipment). He told a secret about his old mentor Sam Kinison he'd never mentioned publicly anywhere else to that point (I haven't heard it anywhere else but I don't listen to everything so who knows?). It's not a mind-blowing secret, but it is a somewhat surprising glimpse into the genesis of Kinison's iconic primal scream.

A cautionary tale

The Snowed In Comedy Tour is almost upon us, playing at ski hills throughout BC (with stops in bigger burghs like Vancouver and Victoria along the way). Among those on the bill is former local Craig Campbell, now plying his trade in England. He's a regular on this tour. Last year he and another ex-pat, Phil Nichol, dropped by the studios and while there shared a most harrowing tale from their adventures in jolly olde London. The boys do spin a yarn. Let it be a warning for anyone should they be persuaded by Mike Wilmot to go out for a drink. If you haven't heard the episode yet, here's that story isolated. You can live vicariously through Craig and Phil. Enjoy. And you're welcome.

2011 is all done

Someone asked me on Sunday how many shows we do a year. I've never counted. We don't have a season with set holidays. We just play it by ear. I just book as many Sundays as I can and away we go. But it got me thinking. When asked, I guessed we probably do 40-45 weeks a year. That is, shows with guests. The other weeks we either run comedy clips or a repeat episode. (And, okay, we're pre-empted 2-3 times a year.)

So I did the math. In 2011 we did 44 shows with 55 guests (or 53 unique guests as two were on twice). Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself. How does this compare? Well, I'm not about to count every year we've been on since 2004, but I did the past three years. In 2010, we had guests on 38 times, while in 2009 we spoke to comics 42 times. That's a lot of hours of chit-chat with comedians.

I'd like to thank this year's guests for taking time out of their busy Sunday late-night schedules to talk to me for an hour (listed in order of appearance):

1. Mike Storck
2. Paul Anthony
3. Larke Miller
4. Craig Campbell
5. Phil Nichol
6. Pete Johansson
7. Ryan Hamilton
8. Johnny Scoop
9. Marke Driesschen
10. Paul Myerhaug
11. Sunee Dhaliwal
12. Lisa Lampanelli
13. Chris Porter
14. Steve Bays (twice)
    
15. Dylan Rhymer
16. Toby Hargraves
17. Chuck Byrn
18. Kyle Bottom
19. Scott McLean
20. James Danderfer
21. Sam Easton
22. Bill Reiter
23. Richard Lett
24. Sara Bynoe
25. Andrew Barber
26. Peter New
27. Ken Hegan
28. Nathan Burton
29. Mac King
30. Lorne Cardinal
31. Monique Hurteau
32. Graham Clark
33. Dave Shumka
34. Brian McKim
35. Dave Burleigh
36. Roy Zimmerman
37. Larry Miller
38. Marcus Ryan
39. Blaine Thurier
40. Tanyalee Davis
41. Adam Pateman
42. Kaitlin Fontana
43. Dino Archie (twice)
    
44. Diana Frances
45. Ken Lawson
46. Sean Emeny
47. Steve Burgess
48. Chris Gaskin
49. Jason Bryden
50. Bob Robertson
51. Linda Cullen
52. Paul Shirley
53. Harry Doupe
    

If you missed any of them, they're all available in podcast form at iTunes! Merry Christmas!

Podcast episode 259ish: Dino Archie and me

I had a good chat with Dino Archie. But in reverse fashion since he was the one doing the asking. Or more like grilling. He asked me about not writing enough about locals, about the perception of favouritism and if it's true I'm hard to work with. The guy's got a future when Mike Wallace retires. But it was fun.

Have a listen here or download it at iTunes. Even though I list it here as episode 259, that's not how it's listed there since they have the most recent episode as 1. So if you're coming to this after the fact, just do a search for Dino Archie. Or better yet, just subscribe to the damn thing!

Seeing as this episode was all about me, I couldn't very well make a video snippet of it. So instead I dipped into the mouldie-oldie podcast vault and pulled out a show from December 18, 2005 when Brent Butt guested. I mentioned this episode with Dino so it's somewhat relevant. It's one of my faves, too, so if you've never heard it, and you like what you see below, go download the whole thing at iTunes.

Dec. 18: Harry Doupe

One week till the big day but we've got a big day ourselves on What's So Funny? because Harry Doupe is in town. And he's in studio. That's always cause for celebration. Oh, and it's our last show of the calendar year.

Doupe always comes prepared to talk. We'll talk about the annual Canadian Comedy Awards, no doubt. If we're lucky he'll give us a synopsis of his Statelessness of the Industry address. Maybe he'll regale us with a story or two about days of yore. And along the way opinions will be proffered. It's his gift to us all.

As always, we hit the air at 11 pm PST (give or take a minute or two) so tune in, why don't you? 102.7 FM in Vancouver or livestream us at coopradio.org.

Podcast episode 258ish: Paul Shirley

Paul Shirley may not have been a force in the NBA, but at least he played in it. That makes him for the time he was there, anyway, one of the top 450 players in the world. He was also known as the funniest guy in the association. Sure, that's damning with faint praise, as we discuss in this episode, but he really is a witty – and smart – former jock. Go figure! Now he's moved on to more rewarding, if not higher paying, work as a writer. We also talk about him being beat up by Arcade Fire's frontman Win Butler and he explains his controversial essay on Haiti that led to his termination from ESPN.

Here's a little taste of the show. Then when you finish watching, you can listen to the whole thing below or download it at iTunes.

And here's the full episode:

Dec. 11: Dino Archie interviews... me?

Yes, it's true. A month or so Dino Archie told me he wanted to interview me on the show. I laughed it off, saying I appreciated the sentiment but nobody would be interested. Hell, I'm barely interested. But he was adamant. Several weeks ago I ran into him again and he hadn't let go of the idea. We had such a good rapport his first time on the show, and he let me tease him mercilessly for cancelling on me twice before, I agreed to his crazy pitch. I figure I can make fun of his questions as we go along and we'll have a grand old time. I'm not going to do a bit of work on this one. I'll show up and let Dino run the show and see what he's made of. That is, if he shows up!

I even made him write a blurb for the blog. So here's Dino:

Tonight we're gonna mix it up a bit. For the first time critic for the Georgia Straight and host of What's So Funny Guy MacPherson will be answering the questions. And guest host Los Angeles comedian Dino Archie will be jamming him up. The LA transplant was a recent guest and one hour wasn't enough. Now it's time to ask Guy the question all comics want to know: What the hell is his problem? Should be interesting, should be funny. Check it out!

Tonight at 11 pm on CFRO 102.7 in Vancouver, or livestream it at coopradio.org.

Podcast episode 257ish: Bob Robertson & Linda Cullen

It's always a treat for me when Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen drop by the studio. They are national treasures yet they find time to slum it with the likes of me. On their last visit, we spent the first half hour reminiscing and the second half hour going over various doomsday scenarios for next year. You see, Bob just wrote a book called Mayan Horror: How to Survive the End of the World in 2012. He's got all the tips you'll need.

Listen to the full episode right here or download it at iTunes (or another podcast server – we're everywhere).

For a taste of the show, here we are talking about some of Bob's obscure impressions.

A taste of WSF? II

It's fun making these little videos. And easy. Who knew? After the runaway success of my first effort featuring Ken Lawson (46 views and counting), and in anticipation of the return of Dino Archie this week, I thought I'd put together a little snippet of the last (and first) time he was on the show... after cancelling on me twice earlier. If you didn't hear that episode, maybe this little snippet will whet your appetite. I'll periodically go through some select past episodes and extract a nugget, add some pics, stir and post the end result here (and YouTube). Enjoy.

Oh My God!

Do you watch iChannel? Do you even get iChannel? If so, a new series begins tonight that's right up my alley, and maybe yours, too. It's called Oh My God! And if you don't get iChannel, I believe you'll be able to watch episodes after they air at http://www.ichannel.ca/oh-my-god/. I spoke to creator/host Tevya Heller, a New York-based, Canadian-born comedian, about his baby last week and the interview follows. The concept is brilliant. As an old guy, my problem is with the presentation. I hate MTV-style fast-action crap. Give me substance. A stationary camera with longer takes doesn't mean the product will be boring any more than a moving camera with fast cuts will make the product exciting. But I'm a geezer. As Tevya says, this show is aimed at teenagers. I'm not sure teenagers will appreciate the subject matter, but I sure can with or without the fast-cutting MTVification of a weighty subject matter. But we hash it all out and discuss the pros and cons of religion:

Tevya Heller – November 29, 2011

Guy MacPherson: You’re searching for God.

Tevye Heller: Yes.

GM: Aren’t we all.

TH: Apparently.

GM: Has the show aired yet?

TH: The show is debuting on Monday, December 5^th at 8:30.

GM: On which station?

TH: In Canada it’s iChannel.

GM: And will it be in other countries?

TH: The show’s actually being sold all over the world. And within the next six months, I believe, it should be in about ten countries.

GM: What’s your background?

TH: Comedian, producer. I own a production company called Go To Heller and we create and produce multi-platform content. I also develop formats. Are you familiar with what a format is?

GM: Not in this context, I don’t think.

TH: American Idol is a format. So there’s American Idol, Canadian Idol, Australian Idol. Or Dancing with the Stars is a format. All these different countries have their own versions with their local celebrities, if you will. So I create formats that I sell internationally. So I do a number of things. This show, Oh My God, I’m also the creator.

GM: What’s the look of the show?

TH: It has a very MTV vibe to it. It’s targeted to an audience between the ages of 11 and 19. Ideally a family will watch it together. It’s really engaging for everyone, but it’s really a teen show. So it moves really quick, very quick cuts, terrific broadcast design and sound design. It’s a really fun, fast-moving reality show. It’s actually The Simple Life meets Touched by an Angel. I’m just way funnier than Paris Hilton.

GM: You’re a stand-up in Toronto?

TH: In New York. I’m based out of New York City.

GM: What have you done in stand-up?

TH: I perform at the Comic Strip in New York but primarily now I’m focused on writing so I have a number of shows in different phases of development and production. So my comedy’s really geared towards the shows that I produce.

GM: But you’re Canadian, right?

TH: Yup. I was born in Montréal and I lived there until I was 18 and then I moved to New York City.

GM: And when was that?

TH: That was a little over ten years ago.

GM: So you took to it. And it took to you.

TH: I’m not sure how well you know New York. I know it’s quite far from British Columbia. When I moved there, it was really, really hard. It was much harder than I had anticipated so I was really poor. I mean, I was so poor that I had to wear shoes that don’t fit-poor. And really all I had was my faith and my ambition. So when I had first moved out there I very much believed in God. I had God in my life. And every night I would pray to God to please help me, to give me a sign, a sandwich, anything. And [I got] nothing and that’s really why I lost my faith because I felt that if God is not there in your darkest hour, if God is not there when you really, really, really, really need him to be, then what’s this whole religion thing anyway. This was a little over ten years ago and in the last ten years things have changed. My career is doing well, thank goodness, but spiritually not so much. And I started to miss the sense of community that religion gives you. But because I grew up in such a devout Jewish household and I had studied the Torah as a kid, I knew that Judaism did not have the answers that I was seeking. But maybe Islam does. Maybe Christianity does. Maybe Wicca does. So I decided I’m gonna give God a second chance. I’m gonna embed myself in all these other religions and see if they have the pathway to God that I’m seeking.

GM: I assume you’ve wrapped the season.

TH: We wrapped the first season and we’re starting the second season. The response has been really, really positive. As I said before, the executive producer now is in Europe selling the show and he just met with the distributor. The show may be brought into India in addition to the other countries so far. So it’s pretty exciting because the show was really created for an international audience. When you see the show, you’ll realize that it’s made for a viewer in Melbourne, Australia, or a viewer in Thailand or a viewer in Montréal, Québec. Everybody is interested in their relationship with God or learning about other religions, so we purposely created a show that will sell really well all over the world. And when you see it you’ll totally understand what I’m talking about.

GM: How are you searching for God?

TH: Every episode is a different religion. I embed myself in the communities. So if it’s Islam, I live with an Islam family, I go to mosque five times a day, I eat their food, I worship like them. I really live like them to see if maybe their religion and their customs and their traditions could offer me some insight that Judaism doesn’t. And so every episode’s a different religion and I get really, really deep in the religion. Obviously it’s a comedy because I’m a comedian, but it’s incredibly informative. And viewers will really come away from this show learning a lot.

GM: You say it’s a comedy, but religion is very serious to a lot of people. How do they feel about you coming in for a week? Are they a little wary that maybe you’re going to make fun of the religion?

TH: Everybody’s wary. The show is cast. I don’t cast the show; there’s producers that work on the show and they go out and they find these people to participate. But the tone of the show is extremely respectful. As you can imagine, networks were very, very concerned that we would go out and poke fun at all these different religions. I personally did not want to have a fatwa on my head, if you know what I mean. So we really take great pains in being respectful so if anyone ever looks stupid, it’s me. All the jokes are played on me. I’m always the fall guy; it’s never someone who’s in the religion. Do you get what I’m saying? So I come off looking like an idiot. The people that participate come off looking extremely smart and good. If anyone looks dumb, it’s me. And that’s done on purpose because we really want to handle and treat religion very carefully. But we also don’t want it to be boring. It all comes down to how you edit the show. It’s really how you handle it in post-production. Because the show is cut so quickly, there’s really never a scene that’s longer than a minute. So it really moves really fast but we deal with a lot of controversial issues. Like Hindus, for example, use a swastika. Did you know that?

GM: I knew somebody did but I wasn’t sure it was them.

TH: So as you can imagine, growing up Jewish, a swastika is probably one of the most repulsive images I can think of. So I was really taken aback that Hindus have a swastika emblazoned on almost everything. And what I learned, and what viewers learn in the show, is that the Nazis co-opted the swastika from Hindus. A swastika means love and peace and life.

GM: Yeah, it’s some kind of eternal thing. When I lived in Japan, I saw them all over the place and I had no idea. It’s also used in Buddhism.

TH: Correct. So I learn so much about all these different religions, and vicariously so does the viewer. But it’s really done in a really fun way.

GM: If each scene is no longer than a minute, how in depth are you getting? These are weighty topics.

TH: In each half-hour episode there’s always a narrative arc. It starts off me being an atheist who knows nothing about the religion. I usually attend a really big event, so if it’s a Jewish episode, they’ll throw a Bar Mitzvah for me; if it’s a Hindu episode, I’ll go to their temple and I’ll go to a huge party which will involve buying a special outfit and preparing special foods. So there’s really something that’s building as we move through the show. Because there’s so much information to process, you really could only have scenes that are a minute or two because there’s so much to get through, as far as the history and the info about the religion. So to answer your question, we get quite in depth.

GM: How many episodes were in the first season?

TH: The first season we weren’t sure what the reaction was going to be so they shot six. An order now for a reality show, regardless if it’s MTV or CTV, is usually eight. They’ll know by the second episode if your show is doing well and they’ll usually order maybe twelve or fourteen for the second round. We’re already in pre-production for season two and it looks like we’re going to do twelve or fourteen for season two.

GM: And you’re not going to run out of religions.

TH: There’s 150 religions out there. And I want to explore every single one of them. For me, the more abstract and different and bizarre the religion is, the more I’m excited. There are so many religions I’ve never even heard of so I think that would be so cool for a viewer. And you know what? I also think people who are in religious communities tend to be very insular looking. Just referring to my own conservative traditional Jewish environment. If you’re in a Jewish community, you’re very inward-looking. Everyone in your world is Jewish, you go to a Jewish school, you go to a kosher summer camp, you go to temple. I don’t know that many Jews who’ve gone to a mosque and worshipped with Muslims. And it’s made me such a richer person. I have such a great appreciation for Islam. The religion is actually incredibly beautiful. Before I did this, the only thing that I knew about Muslims was what I heard on the news. So I have great respect and great affection for Islam that I never had before because I didn’t know!

GM: (chuckles) Okay, you’re not going to get a fatwa. You’re bending over backwards here.

TH: Forget backwards, I’m in knots.

GM: What were the six religions you did in season one?

TH: Season one we did Islam, Wicca, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and atheism.

GM: How did you immerse yourself in atheism? Did you just go about your daily life?

TH: No. Atheism is a religion like every other religion. There are rituals, there’s belief.

GM: Disagree.

TH: Okay. Well, in the atheism episode we actually filmed this one on location. We flew up to Sudbury, Ontario, and we met this professor who is really well-respected. He’s an esteemed professor at Laurentian University and he’s created what’s called the God Helmet. And what this does is he’s able to put electrodes on your head and he’ll make you feel God. He’s been able to prove that the brain plays tricks on people. People say they feel God, they see God. It’s really just brain waves. So he was able to prove, in this episode, that he can manipulate your brain into feeling God. So as an atheist I wanted to feel God. It’s really cool because when he did this and put all these electrodes on I really felt something standing next to me but it was just him messing with my head. Trippy. Amazing television! You’re gonna freak out!

GM: I love this because I’m fascinated with religion. You say you were raised in a devout Jewish household. Did you ever feel God then? Or was it just your culture rather than a deep feeling?

TH: Nope. I absolutely believed in God. God was a huge part of my life. I would talk to God every single day. I would express my greatest hopes and wishes to God. I absolutely believed in God. God was a huge part of my life. My parents believe in God. It really wasn’t until I reached out to God and He wasn’t there for me that I said “Screw this” and I walked away. I was really, really, really, really at my wit’s end. I was in an incredibly dark place and I really needed God and He wasn’t there for me so I said I’m going to believe in myself instead. Over the last ten years I was worshipping at the altar of celebrity instead. And that was enough for me. I was hanging out in L.A. and New York and Toronto and travelling and making good money. And I didn’t care. I didn’t miss God. There was no place for God. And it really wasn’t until very recently that I started to miss community. And I’ve been thinking a lot about my mortality. And I’m thinking, gee, is there more than just being six feet under? So I thought I would give God a second chance.

GM: When this professor put that helmet on, and you felt something, was that the same feeling you had when you were younger? Or is it a totally new feeling?

TH: It was different. It was a much stronger feeling. I actually felt almost a spirit standing next to me. It was like God on steroids. It was incredibly wild.

GM: I guess your family is happy that you’re searching for something but how did they feel when you fell out of the religion?

TH: My parents are very conservative and very traditional and they believe in God. Obviously they would like me to think the way they do, but they’re very nice people and they’re very open-minded with regards to my search and my struggle. So I think they’re okay with it.

GM: They’re okay with your search and your struggle but during those ten years when you were worshipping at the altar of celebrity, were they less okay?

TH: You know what? It’s amazing how parents and children can dance around issues they don’t want to deal with. I didn’t go home for the holidays. I didn’t really want to be part of that. And so we just didn’t talk about it. That’s how we dealt with it.

GM: You didn’t go home for the holidays because it would have been a religious affair?

TH: Yeah. And they’re in Florida. But I really did not feel the need to worship Jewish holidays.

GM: I don’t know your take on Christmas, but I consider Christmas a non-religious holiday. Even when we were kids it was certainly not a religious holiday other than going to mass. There was no talk about what it meant in the religious world. So to me it’s just a day with presents and turkey and all that.

TH: Being in this business, I’ve always worked… You know, when you’re filming a show, you work regardless of what the day is. So Christmas really never held any importance for me because we film on Christmas. And quite honestly I find Christmas to be completely co-opted by industry. It’s really become about stuff.

GM: That’s what I love about it!

TH: Yeah. So I really never gave too much heed to Christmas. I love the time of the year, I like all the lights, I love the energy in the air and people seem to be jolly and happy and I love all of that. But growing up Jewish it’s kind of like growing up a vegetarian at an all-you-can-eat deli; I felt separate and apart. Christmas was always for somebody else. What do Jews do on Christmas? We go for Chinese food.

GM: In your first season, where do you go in your search for God?

TH: Season one we shot on location in Toronto. We were supposed to shoot it in Los Angeles but the producers felt that because Toronto is so multi-cultural it would be easier to cast the first season here. Season two we’re shooting all over the world. We’re going to be filming in India, we’re going to be filming in the United States, we’re going to Europe. It’s incredibly, incredibly exciting. I’m psyched. Everyone is really excited about this show, all the way from the producers to our distributors to the networks and all our partners. And it’s really exciting for me as a series creator to see an idea that I jotted down on a napkin become this, this show.

GM: And not just your idea but you get to be in it, too.

TH: Yeah. Well, if I don’t hire me, nobody will.

GM: As you’re preparing for a given week, are you thinking of the potential comedy that goes with it or do you really want answers?

TH: I absolutely want answers. It’s just my nature to ask questions. Like for example, when I was embedded with the Islam, I was with an Imam. Are you familiar with what an Imam is?

GM: Yup.

TH: Okay. So I said to him, “How come everyone’s named Mohammed?” Everyone’s named Mohammed! If you go somewhere, literally everyone is named Mohammed. And I didn’t mean that to be disrespectful but I found it kind of weird. And it’s really quite funny. So I ask very obvious things but it becomes quite funny. I also have a very conservative palette. And a lot of these religions have food that’s very unique to their religions. And I hate eating stuff that is super spicy or moves so I tend to have fun that way.

GM: These innocent child-like obvious questions are questions more adults need to ask.

TH: Well, adults are so afraid of offending each other. It really comes down to the essence of where you’re coming from. I have absolute respect for everybody. It’s not like I’m Jewish and everybody is wrong; I’m atheist. I don’t believe in anything so everybody is right. And if you are respectful to a religious tradition and history, then people will open up. And I was blown away at how open these communities were to me.

GM: The thing that I would have a problem with if I were in your shoes is I’d be very curious, like you, but I couldn’t help but challenge them on things I think are just fairy tales or ridiculous.

TH: And I do. I absolutely do. And I also found it really became confounding to me because all these religions contradict each other so who’s got it right? If there’s really just one God, how come every religion has a different pathway there? That really got me thinking. But I absolutely challenge all these religions. I mean, when I think about Moses going to Mt. Sinai and getting the Ten Commandments, I mean, you have to roll your eyes. So I go there. But it’s done in a way that is incredibly respectful to all these religions. The network would never accept otherwise anyway.

GM: Or when God directs them to not eat certain things or to wear things on their heads. Really? Does God really care?

TH: And do you really need to pray five times a day? Can’t you just get up in the morning and say, “Hey, how you doing? I love you, God”? Must you pray every three hours?

GM: And what are the consequences if you don’t?

TH: But you know what? What I learned is there’s beauty in ritual. I grew to love it. Because you worship with everybody in the family and everybody in the street so you become everyone’s best friend really quickly. There’s a wonderful sense of camaraderie. It’s quite lovely. And that really shocked me. Because I don’t do anything five times a day. So the first day we were filming the Islam episode, I had to pray five times a day and it was a huge pain for me. But as I said I grew to love it. There’s beauty in it.

GM: There’s that sense of community you talked about. But that ritual aspect, if they actually just said, “Oh no, we just like that sense of community and the ritual, but God doesn’t actually care,” then I would understand better. But they tend to think, “No, we must do this because it is written.”

TH: It is written. And religions tend to follow the written gospel, whether it’s the Koran or the Torah or a Bible verbatim, regardless if you roll your eyes or not. But the essence of my show is, who am I to roll my eyes? That’s not what this is about. It’s about learning about their religion and letting the viewer take everything that they’ve learned and process it and think about it. Nobody is wrong; everybody is right.

GM: Did you do anything in season two on the B’hai’s?

TH: I don’t know yet. I know in season two we’re doing Scientology, which I am so excited about.

GM: Oh, good luck!

TH: I want to shoot Tom Cruise’s house, which is not going to happen. But I’m really excited about Scientology. And you know what? They will let us in. Once again, it’s not for me to judge that Scientology is bad. I’m there to learn about it. I am there to give them their ten minutes of fame and let them talk about it. So I will not attack them. I will make their religion look as good as I possibly can. So if you offer someone that platform, they will let you in. It’s not my place to judge.

GM: It’s not your place to judge, but some religions, and maybe perhaps Scientology, have been called a cult. Do you have a responsibility to be a little more critical instead of just giving them a chance to sell themselves to impressionable minds?

TH: It’s really not my place to be critical. I hear what you’re saying. Remember, this is a kids show. What I’m responsible for is shining a spotlight on the religion. So we will show, using Scientology as an example, really really really exactly what it’s like to be a Scientologist. We’ll follow you all week. I will live like a Scientologist. It’s up to the audience to make a decision. We’re not going to spin it and hide it and sort of fool people; we’re going to show it exactly the way it is. Some people might like it. Some people won’t. Listen, all you have to do is Google “Scientology” and everything is there in Wikipedia. If you choose to pursue a life in Scientology, barring everything that you learn on the internet, well then godspeed. I’m not Jesus Christ. I’m not out to save everybody. I’m out to entertain everybody.

GM: If you’re seriously searching and are open to any of these religions, maybe they’ll get your hooks in you. Maybe you’ll become a Scientologist.

TH: Maybe. Maybe I’ll go to the Celebrity Center in Los Angeles and hang out with Kirstey Alley.

GM: Think what it would do for your career.

TH: It would probably do a lot. They would probably love it. I’d hang out with John Travolta. I get asked which has been my favourite so far. I think my favourite so far, or the one that’s the closest to where I am today, is probably Hinduism. I say that because karma is so incredibly important within the Hindu religion. And I believe in karma. I may not believe in God yet, but I definitely believe in karma and I believe in the laws of daily morality. I believe that it’s incredibly important to be a kind person. And if you’re an asshole, it will come back to you. I do believe in the laws of karma and the notion of karma. How Hindus tend to carry themselves, they’re very careful with their behaviour and what they say. They don’t want to hurt your feelings or insult you. Not to say that all the other religions are not populated with incredibly lovely kind people, but I really dug the Hindus.

GM: I don’t believe in karma but I believe in the concept of it. It goes back to ritual. I think it’s a great way to act, and the right way to act, because it’s basic human decency. But I don’t agree with the idea of an outside force making it happen, like you’re good so we’ll make something good happen for you, rather than it just organically happening.

TH: I know exactly what you mean. It probably is organic. However, it is a really great way to live your life. They make a point out of being a nice, kind person, whereas it’s really not brought to the forefront in any other religion. Clearly Christians are really great in raising money for the starving and the homeless, and they’re lovely, but it’s not like the Hindus – they live and breathe being kind, which I really love.

GM: What about the Amish?

TH: Don’t know. And I’ll tell you why I don’t know. There’s a reason. As a producer I’m usually very involved with the pre-production and the development of a show. I’m involved in casting, I’m involved in scouting locations, I’m involved in dealing with the network and whatnot. This show, we have a really great director. Her name is Nicola Cole and she’s one of the top lifestyle directors in Canada. She works on all the huge reality shows. And she really loved our show. She really believed in me. So she came to work on the show and she decided that we want to keep the show as real as possible. So I never know what we’re shooting. I never know what episode, what religion, who I’m meeting. A driver picks me up in the morning, drops me off at the location, I get out of the car and the camera rolls. No hair, no make-up, nothing. Boom. Just real. I have no idea who I’m meeting. I love to work totally blind. So when the participant or when the people in the religion meet me, these are non-actors. You can never do a second take. Because people get really wooden. If you’re not an actor and you’re used to doing multiple takes, take two is terrible. So we really only have the first take. I never know what my day is going to be. So as far as season two and what religions, I have no idea and I won’t even know until I show up on set. It’s a crazy way to work. It feels as if I’m jumping out of a plane every single day. I’ve never worked this way before. I literally just show up and go.

GM: The idea reminds me of Hannah and Her Sisters where Woody Allen was trying out the different religions. And also a kinder, gentler Religulous by Bill Maher.

TH: It’s not like that at all.

GM: He was critical and interviewing them, so that’s why I say a kinder, gentler version.

TH: As far as an umbrella theme, yes. But my show looks and feels and moves like an MTV music video. Bill Maher’s audience are my parents. My audience are twelve-year-olds. High School Musical, that’s my audience. So my show looks and feels like a great MTV reality show.

GM: Are twelve-year-olds, or teenagers, interested in this topic.

TH: I think they are.

GM: And why not an adult version?

TH: Well (pause)… That’s a very good question.

GM: Because adults are thinking about these topics.

TH: We’re doing a show for teenagers because remember, this is a business and advertisers want shows that speak to the most desirable demographic, which is, you know, 15 to 28. And that’s really what the network wanted. But it’s smart enough and sophisticated enough for a family to watch together. So a 15-year-old and her mom and her dad will find the show equally interesting. We don’t speak down to the kids and the parents won’t find it dumb. It’s really for everybody.

GM: You mentioned the religion that was your favourite. Was there one where you just went, “Meh. No, I can’t get on board with that one”?

TH: When I did Judaism it certainly brought back a lot of my childhood. I was embedded with a rabbi and his family. They had eight kids. And every meal is a huge ordeal because you have to pray and wash your hands and pray and this and kosher… It’s really a hard life. I mean, I loved them all but maybe because I knew Judaism it really didn’t blow my mind as much.

GM: They weren’t Hasidim, were they?

TH: Orthodox. I was embedded with Orthodox. Every religion that I meet, we always push it as far as we can go. So it’s not just Islam, it’s like super religious Islam. It’s not just Christian, it’s a priest. It’s not just Jewish, it’s a rabbi and his family. Do you see where I’m going with this? So we really push it as far as we can go.

GM: Pardon my ignorance, but Orthodox is different from the Hasidic Jews, right?

TH: Correct.

GM: So that would be really pushing it, to go with a Hasidic family.

TH: I don’t think Hasidim… We tried. I think one of the producers tried and they will not allow themselves to be filmed.

GM: Because that would be fascinating.

TH: It would be fascinating. Growing up in Montréal, I had relatives in Outremont. So even a kid who went to Hebrew school, I always found peyess, the round locks that fall past their ears – and women have to cut their hair very short and wear wigs… There are a lot of traditions that are unique to an orthodox Hasidic family – that even a kid who grew up Jewish found kind of shocking and jarring. And they all look exactly the same. Hopefully I’ll be able to inspire viewers and inspire young people to investigate other religions. I think it would be incredibly healthy for kids. It makes them richer. I would love for a Jewish kid to go to mosque. I would love for two Muslim kids to go to a synagogue. I would love for two Jewish kids to go to church and check it out, meet new people, make new friends. Open your mind.

GM: At the very least, even if they don’t take to it, they will have an understanding of the other side and maybe a patience or respect.

TH: Exactly. We live in very inward-looking suburbs where everyone is the same socio-economic class as you, a similar religion as you, has a similar point of view as you, everyone thinks the same, maybe dresses the same, eats the same and watches the same television and we become zombies and robots. And we’re immediately put off or frightened by anyone that’s different from us. And we need to change that. That’s really the motor and my inspiration for doing the show. I really want to make the world a better place, if that’s not an Oprah saying for you. But I really feel that this show’s the opposite of Jersey Shore. Same viewer but it nourishes your spirit, it’s not garbage like Jersey Shore.

GM: And people don’t need to feel you’re proselytizing.

TH: I’m not. I’m just inviting you to the buffet and you can eat whatever you want. All I’m asking is that you try something you never had before. I’m not asking you to have it again, but try it once.

GM: I remember once being in a hotel that had a Bible and a book of Buddha. I opened up the book of Buddha and everything I read I was going, wow, I like that, I believe that. But at no point did I want to become a Buddhist. I just thought you can incorporate bits from all religions in your life.

TH: There you go. Knowledge is the most powerful thing in the world. And after knowledge is compassion. I would love to impart those two things to teenagers today.

Dec. 4: Paul Shirley

A bit of a departure for us tonight. In our illustrious seven-year run, the bulk of our guests have come from the world of live comedy, be it stand-up, improv or sketch. But we've also had on authors, film makers, and musicians. Well tonight, we've got a former NBA player. Now, if you're a regular listener, you know I kinda sorta like basketball. If you don't, don't be turned off because this ain't a sports show. Oh, I'm sure we'll talk a bit about the greatest sport on earth (i.e. not hockey), but it won't all be roundball. I promise.

That's because Paul Shirley is a modern-day renaissance man. Yes, he was a hoops hobo, but he's also a man of letters. He's a really funny writer who started his second career while he was still in his first. This was in a time before Twitter, when athletes and celebrities weren't so available. It was a revelation to read his very funny online journal on his Phoenix Suns' playoff run in the 2004-05 season. Since then his former career floundered and his current one flourished. He wrote Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond (2008, Villard Books), did a column for ESPN, founded the online writing project FlipCollective (with accompanying podcast), and now is known for his writing on indie/alternative rock, with occasional forays into weightier topics.

And another way this is a departure for us is because Paul won't be in studio with us. He'll join the handful of other episodes we've done by phone when he calls in from Kansas City (we save that for very special guests). As always, we'll be on the air at 11 pm till midnight. If you've done the math, you'll realize that's 1 to 2 a.m. his time. As he wrote to me, "Yeah, I can stay up till 2 a.m. on a Sunday, because I'm wildly irresponsible."

Tune in to 102.7 FM in Vancouver or stream it live at coopradio.org.

Audio-visual presentation

Remember back in September when I posted those photos from my humbling table tennis experience against 13-year-old Natasha Carr-Harris on Paul Anthony's Talent Time? Subsequent to that, Ken Lawson, my sorry excuse for a coach, and I rehashed the evening on What's So Funny? I decided to meld those two formats. Here's what I came up with:

Demetri Martin in Canada

This press release just came through the teletype machine in the office. Thought you should be the second to know:

DEMETRI MARTIN ANNOUNCES HIS FIRST CANADIAN TOUR EVER

Stand-up Comedian Demetri Martin Announces His

“Telling Jokes in Cold Places 2012 Tour”

Los Angeles, CA. – Tuesday November 29, 2011 After being alive for decades, American stand-up comedian Demetri Martin launches his first official tour of Canada on January 5, 2012. Martin’s tour, titled “Demetri Martin 2012 Telling Jokes in Cold Places Tour”, will take him to six Canadian cities, including Vancouver on January 7, 2012 at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts.

“I wanted to visit Canada during the coldest time of the year,” said Martin. “Canada excels at being cold, and I plan to take full advantage of that by seeing Canada at its best,” explained Martin from his warm and sunny apartment in southern California. “Sometimes you just get tired of enjoying very comfortable, pleasant, balmy weather,” he added. “It’s time to get my ass kicked by a Canadian winter.”

Martin’s live show will feature brand new jokes, drawings, incidental guitar playing and him walking back and forth on the stage a lot. “I have a lot of new material to share with the people of Canada – but just some of the people of Canada,” said Martin, adding, “This could end up being the best six-city-Canadian tour of the decade – if I don’t get screwed by weather delays.”

In the winter of 2004, Demetri visited Toronto as a staff writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brien, for a week of shows. During that visit, Martin promised himself that, eight years later, he would return with his own tour. And now, true to his word, eight years later, Martin returns with his own tour. “I’ve been meaning to tour Canada for a while,” explained Martin, “especially based on the five or six requests I’ve received on my Facebook page.” Demetri added, “I love Canada. Some of my favourite people are Canadian, including The Kids in the Hall, Eugene Levy, Joni Mitchell and Tim Horton. Plus, I’m really excited to go to Calgary, because if you rearrange the letters in that city’s name you get ‘Racy gal’.”

While Demetri is excited to return to Canada, he realizes that as an American, he represents the country that is responsible for both McDonald’s and the near total collapse of the world financial system. “Sorry,” he offered.

Originally from New Jersey, Martin rose to relative obscurity when he started doing stand-up comedy in small clubs in New York City. Later he became a writer at Late Night with Conan O’Brien and then a regular performer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. After that, Demetri starred in his own series for Comedy Central called Important Things with Demetri Martin. Martin’s stand-up comedy special, Demetri Martin. Person. is considered by many to be his longest and only hour-long television stand-up special. He has appeared in movies as an actor, most recently in Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion and most lengthily in Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock. His first book, This Is A Book by Demetri Martin is a New York Times Best Seller, and it features a 500-word-long palindrome that is one of the longest in the English language.

Demetri has brown hair and he is allergic to peanuts.

DEMETRI MARTIN

LIVE AT THE CENTRE IN VANCOUVER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

January 7, 2012

Tickets: $39.50, $32.50 (taxes included plus applicable charges) go on-sale Friday, December 2 at 10:00 AM.

Tickets available at: Ticketmaster

by phone at 1-855-985-5000

online at www.ticketmaster.ca

For more details and a list of other cities, go to hahaha.com/concerts.

You can find Demetri Martin at www.demetrimartin.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/demetrimartin, on Twitter @demetrimartin, and in various places in the actual physical world.

-30-

Words of Wisdom

I've long marveled at the ability of beginning stand-up comics to ignore seasoned professionals. Even if they happen to be on the same show, you'll see the young'uns outside yakking with their fellow newbies while someone who knows what they're doing is on stage performing. And when visiting vets play a club in town, very rarely do the kids come and soak it in. There's lots to learn about crafting a set, working a crowd and even subtle physical movements. And you don't even have to like the pro's act because you can learn just as much in reverse, i.e. what you decide you don't want to do.

I was talking about this phenomenon a couple weeks ago with a comedy insider. The very next day I listened to WTF with Marc Maron, which itself is like a graduate study in comedy – any serious comedy fan needs to listen to every single one of his episodes, not just the ones with famous comedians or guests you like. The one that applies here is the Chris Rock episode. Early into the hour-long chat, Rock says essentially the same thing. And I quote (thus the quotation marks):

"I would get there early and watch all the comics. Kids today – because I'm that guy – I'm always telling guys, 'You guys don't watch.' When I go in the clubs, everybody's hanging out outside and shit. When I was coming up, whenever there was an empty seat... When the place got packed we got pissed because that meant some people had to wait outside. We watched every-fucking-body... Dude, I know so many people's acts. I know fucking every Dennis Wolfberg joke and every Joe Bolster joke and every Gary Lazer joke, and Mark Cohen and Jack Coen... I know all these guys' jokes, man. I know their acts inside and out. And I know Fred Stoller and Stu Trivax... I watched all these guys, just take it in, take it in, take it in."

Would Chris Rock be the comic he is today if he didn't absorb all these comics when he was starting out? We'll never know, but I doubt it. As Woody Allen's mom lectures him in Wild Man Blues, "Don't think for a moment that you are what you are by yourself. You're not. You had help."

And speaking of the Woodman, how great was it to hear Rock talk about him. You wouldn't think he'd revere Allen, but he does. He says, "He's my favourite. He's the best. Woody Allen's the best... He's the greatest comic mind in the last 100 years, since Chaplin. And who the fuck's been that funny that long? Who?!"

I posted a couple of videos here a while back taken from my VHS collection. I used to record any stand-up comic I'd see on TV. The first is a very, very young Chris Rock on Arsenio Hall's show. It was the first I'd ever heard of the guy. Watch it here: http://wsf1027fm.blogspot.com/2010/05/early-chris-rock.html

The second is of Fred Stoller, who Rock mentioned on Maron's show a couple of times, also taken from Arsenio. Here's the link for that one: http://wsf1027fm.blogspot.com/2010/11/vhs-vault-fred-stoller.html

Podcast episode 256ish: Jason Bryden

This podcast episode was a real yawner. But in a literal sense. It's just that Jason Bryden, father of a 22-month-old human boy, couldn't stop yawning. It was the latest he'd been up in a while. Or maybe it was the three gin & tonics. Either way, in this episode our hero bravely takes on an absent 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 professional direction his own father tried pointing him in. It's a cram-packed, fun-filled WSF? you won't want to miss.

Your portal into Bryden's mind is at your fingertips below. Also at iTunes, where you can rate the show and leave a nasty comment. Don't be shy.

Nov. 27: Bob Robertson

Happy Grey Cup Day, citizens of Canada. If you watch the big game today, no doubt you'll be sloshed because football and drinking go hand in hand (it's the only way to get through the endless stoppages). So here's a plan for you: Get hammered while cheering on your favoured team, pass out on the couch for a few hours, and wake up in time to tune in to What's So Funny? at 11. I'm more excited about this episode than I am about the fortunes of some thousandaires I don't even know. Why? Because we are welcoming back Mr. Bob Robertson!

Millions know Robertson as the taller half of Double Exposure, which entertained the nation for years on CBC radio and CTV television (they even did a number of podcast episodes which you can download at iTunes or on their website). For me, though, Bob was the subject of my boyhood man crush. He was the funniest weekend deejay I've ever heard in my life. He did the Saturday-Sunday noon-six pm slot and I'd listen religiously to his hilarious segments, like Little Mansion in Oak Bay, the Mouldy Oldie Music Vault and his chats with the likes of Old Ernie and Pierre Trudeau. If he were still doing radio, I'd still listen to radio. That's how great he was.

Bob's back in the WSF? studio as a published author this time around. Rather than moping around for the final twelve months our planet has left, Robertson is cashing in on our fears and anxieties with a book about the end of the world. It's called Mayan Horror: How to Survive the End of the World in 2012 (Anvil Press). Can't wait to hear all about it. And, of course, to reminisce. If we're lucky, maybe even his comedic (and personal) partner Linda Cullen – an author, too – will join us, too.

I'm not sure when the book is coming out but he's doing a reading at VIVO Media Arts Centre (1965 Main St.) on Tuesday at 7 pm and books will be available there. He might even sign one for you.

Meanwhile, tune in Sunday night from 11 to midnight to CFRO, 102.7 FM, livestream it online, or listen on Telus TV on channel 3718. So many options, so few excuses not to.

Podcast episode 255ish: Chris Gaskin

Here's an oldie but a goodie that dates back to all of two weeks ago. We missed getting it uploaded and on to your awaiting ears last week but it's here in all its glory for you this week. Young Chris Gaskin joined us in studio to talk about his youthful visage, his painful open heart surgeries, his foray into professional wrassling, and learning on the job in front of a national TV audience.

Nov. 20: Jason Bryden

Look who's back! Why, it's none other than Jason Bryden, who's been with us a few times before but never under his own name in the credits. One time he was on as himself but the conceit was that he'd be interviewing me as I called in from the Just For Laughs festival. The last time he was on as Bev PoCock and was breaking up with comedy partner David Milchard as Chris Wes. I could swear he's been on other times, too.

But tonight it's all Bryden all the time. We'll talk to him about being a new, and expecting, father, about doing stand-up, about his numerous web series (The Acting Class and The Staff Room), about his new room at the Prophouse Cafe on Mondays at 9 (1636 Venables – I hear Glenn Wool is on tomorrow), about his desire to leave this podunk outpost for the bright lights of America, about his addiction to Twitter, and no doubt lots more.

We hit the air running at 11 pm. And if you're on Telus TV, I just found out CFRO, 102.7 FM, can be heard on channel 3718.

Now I'm off to attend some big playoff football game the Lions are hosting. If there's a riot, I'll let you know tonight.

David Hasselhoff – comedian?

The Vancouver Comedy Festival should add a question mark to its name. While head honcho Will Davis brings in some great comedic names each year, he seems to be admitting that stand-up comedy doesn't put bums in seats. So he's perfected the art of the non-show show. Throw in a big-name celebrity with a sense of humour but no act and presto! – tickets sold! It all started with a disaster of a show featuring the Trailer Park Boys at the Vogue. Then a few years ago it was former stand-up Steve Martin sitting down and answering inane questions from an adoring crowd. Then former-sketch comic Carol Burnett did two shows two separate years doing essentially the same thing, sans act. This year he's got comedic actress Betty White, at 90 years of age, doing two "shows" the same night. I assume she'll be answering questions, too. The common denominator – buzz. Something stand-up comedy, apparently, can't create.

Well, the fest just announced another in a line of non-stand-ups: David Hasselhoff. No doubt he'll have a few jokes, maybe sing an intentionally horrible song or two. At least in this case he'll be surrounded by actual stand-up comics. The former YouTube star hosts the festival's Opening Night Gala, featuring an international array of comedians: Doug Benson, Howard Kremer, David O'Doherty, Vancouver's Paul Bae, Brad Williams, and Ian Edwards. It's all going down Feb. 16 at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts.

Nov. 13: Ryan Hamilton (repeat)

I'm away this week so we're running a repeat. Er, I mean a special encore presentation. There have been some really fun shows lately so it was hard to choose one. I decided to make it semi-timely. Ryan Hamilton is playing the Comedy MIX this weekend (and I'd totally be there if I were in town because the guy is hilarious). When he was here back in February, I dropped by his hotel room and recorded a show with him. So that's what we're running tomorrow night. You can go down to the 8 or 10:30 show at the MIX tonight, laugh at his jokes, then tune in on Sunday night at 11 to learn about the man behind the jokes and funny face. Oh yes, we talk about his face. Enjoy. We're back next Sunday with a live in-studio show when Jason Bryden drops by. Then the following Sunday we've got the legendary Bob Robertson back in studio!

Podcast episode 254ish: Steve Burgess

Last week's guest (and this week's podcast guest), Steve Burgess, was a real pro. The former radio deejay and current memoirist knows how to spin a yarn. So we talked about his new book, Who Killed Mom? (spoiler alert: it wasn't him), waxed poetic about reality TV in general and Jillian Harris in particular, discussed how bagels can be cute, and we touch on an old topic he was hoping would disappear. It's a bright and breezy hour with Greg Proops' doppelgänger.

Get this episode hot off the podcast presses right here by clicking on the link below. That'll play it for you immediately on your computer via a stream. But should you want to savour it, come and go at your leisure, you might want to head over to the iTunes store, search for 'What's So Funny?' and click on the one with my mug on it, then download the latest episode to your computer or iPod or MP3 device at no monetary cost to you whatsoever.

Nov. 6: Chris Gaskin

What time do you have? Did you remember to put your clocks back one hour last night? Hope so, otherwise you'll miss tonight's What's So Funny? at 11. Our guest is the youngest one we've ever had on. And if not, he's definitely the youngest-looking one we've had. But Chris Gaskin's no pushover, apparently. The kid is apparently a good wrestler and even "referees" pro-wrestling when not performing stand-up. We'll see if he can get out of my headlock. Besides being a young comic on the rise, he's also the publisher of the Gaskin Bugle. So we'll talk about all that and his health issues, comedy competitions and let him spew off on whatever's getting his goat these days (like all young men, he's known to have an opinion or two). Should be fun. Join us, won't you? We'll hit the air at 11 pm PST, or moments thereafter, at 102.7 FM in Vancouver or livestream the show at coopradio.org.