Apr. 30: Garrett Clark

It's been two years since Garrett Clark last visited us. So he's back tonight. As you can see from the photo, Garrett is a very sexy man who wears a vest with no shirt. And as you can also see, he has antlers. Oh, and he's got a new comedy album out. As you can see, it's called Night Danger. I'm hoping everything will be safe on this night. And we'll play a track or two off the album.

We're on the air at 11 pm in Vancouver on CFRO 100.5 FM. If you're a friend or relative of Garrett's in Ontario or Australia, you can livestream us at coopradio.org once you've done the math on the time difference.

Apr. 23: Colin Lamb

Tonight our guest comes with axe in hand. No, it's not Paul Bunyon. The axe in question is a guitar and the guest in question is Colin Lamb, who'll be making his first appearance on the show. I saw him at Sam Tonning's musical comedy show at Yuk Yuk's a few weeks ago and said to myself, "One day, this man will be on our show." Then it happened. Positive affirmations work, friends! If you like Shirley Gnome, you'll love Lamb. Totally different style from Shirley, but what they have in common is great musicianship, catchy tunes and hilarious (and inappropriate) lyrics. Colin will play for us live in studio, which is always a treat.

Tune in to CFRO 100.5 FM at 11 pm for all the chatter and chanteys. If you're outside our listening area, you can stream us at coopradio.org or find us on TuneIn Radio.

Podcast episode 451ish: Joel Plaskett

First off, happy 13th birthday to What's So Funny? On April 18, 2004, we hit the airwaves with our guests Dana Alexander and Paul Bae, with my trusty manservant Kevin Smith on the controls. Look how far we've come: Dana has been living in England for years and tours her standup all over Europe. She's also got a podcast with the apt title of Comedians of the World. Paul has retired from standup but has a very popular – and creepy – podcast called The Black Tapes. And, of course, Kevin retired from pushing buttons after ten years of service and is now in hiding.

But that was 13 years ago. What's the latest, you ask? Why, it's nationally adored singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett, aka Joe Plastic. Based in his home and native province of Nova Scotia, Plaskett junior and senior (his musician father) were on tour and playing the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver so I nabbed him on Sunday afternoon for a free-ranging chat on all things Plaskett. We discuss me fake-kissing his now-wife, plus he tells us about his mom and Jimi Hendrix, how hecklers on Twitter get him down, and his dream of driving John Candy's van across country on tour.

It's all right here for you to enjoy, if you like. Just click and the soundwaves will hit your eardrums. Or take us with you on the road. Go search for us in your favourite podcast peddler, be it iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, or what-have-you.

Apr. 16: Brad Upton

Our guest tonight has been doing standup comedy for over 30 years. I'll do the math for you: we're talking 1984 when he first gave it a go. And he still kills wherever he goes, whether it's a club, cruise ship, or theatre. Brad Upton still goes out on the road with crooner Johnny Mathis, but he makes time for a visit to Lafflines about once a year, where we caught him last week. Upton has spent his whole career in Seattle so it's a nice little drive up. He's been an elementary school teacher and a university track & field coach, but comedy won out. We'll talk about all of the above, and more, tonight. (Full disclosure: we already did.)

Tune in tonight at 11 pm to CFRO 100.5 FM in Vancouver. Or livestream us at coopradio.org. Or, I suppose, find us on TuneIn Radio. That works, too.

Podcast episode 450ish: Camilo the Magician

Camilo the Magician is the first guest in What's So Funny's 13-year history who's had a pop song written about him. That's right, Vancouver's Said The Whale wrote a catchy little number all about Camilo Dominguez and you'll never guess what it's called: Camilo Juan Tamariz and all week I've been watching Juan Tamariz videos on YouTube. Great stuff. I also went to Camilo's show at the York Theatre with my son and we both loved it. He told me afterwards it was "as good as Mac King's show and maybe even better." High praise indeed. Camilo moved to Victoria as a teenager and immediately made friends through his prestidigitation. And he performed a trick for me, too. They don't call it the magic of radio for nothing!
(The Magician). Go check it out and I guarantee you'll be humming it for weeks, as I've been. Camilo was a great guest, telling us all about magic in Colombia. He told me about

Have a listen.

Podcast 449ish: James Kennedy

And now it's James Kennedy's turn in our mad rush to get our podcasts updated. James was a guest just under a month ago, his first time on the program. This guy shot onto the Vancouver standup scene like a cannon. One day he was brand new, the next he was headlining. But he remains humble. We talk about his previous life in music as well as his love of monkeys. And more, of course, but it's been so long I forget now.

Check it out. You can click below or download us (and subscribe!) at iTunes or Stitcher or wherever. We're everywhere.

Podcast 448ish: Harris Anderson

We're a tad late on our podcast posting so let's get the ball rolling. Dog-loving standup comic Harris Anderson made his WSF? debut back on March 12th. Now, a month later, the episode is available for you in perpetuity for nothing! He's a young man with old taste... except when it comes to jazz. Can't have it all, I guess. But his comedy heroes are the likes of Jonathan Winters and Victor Borge. He even threw in a quote of Milton's Paradise Lost.

Listen quick because the next one is coming down the pipe any day now. Click below or go find us on iTunes, Stitcher or your favourite podcast dispensary.

Apr. 9: Joel Plaskett

We like to branch out once or twice a year with guests outside the direct world of comedy. Tonight is one of those nights. Last Sunday, I spoke with new old friend – and goddamn national treasure! – Joel Plaskett. I first met the singer-songwriter back in the mid- to late-nineties when he was still with his Halifax-based band Thrush Hermit. It was a brief hello in a diner and we hadn't spoken since. But we picked up right where we left off lo those many years ago... only we said more than hello to each other this time. Plaskett, who still lives in Nova Scotia, was out for an afternoon stroll in East Van the day after he and his pa played the Vogue Theatre in support of their new album, Solidarity, and walked right into Co-op Radio for a little chin-wag with me, which you will hear tonight if you tune in to 100.5 FM at 11 pm.

And if you're far from a radio – or far from Vancouver – you can always livestream the show at coopradio.org. Or just wait for the podcast to drop.

Apr. 2: Camilo the Magician

I love magic. And magic on radio is something truly special! Okay, not so much. But Camilo the Magician (Camilo Dominguez) will tell us his story of moving from Bogota, Colombia, to Victoria as a 15-year-old. That's gotta be some culture shock, I'm thinking. He's got a show at the York Theatre that ends next weekend. I've seen his magic via the old computer and it's pretty amazing. Check him out, and then tune in tonight to CFRO 100.5 FM at 11 pm to hear our conversation. We'll even play a song by Said the Whale that called, crazily, Camilo (the Magician).

If you're away from a radio, you can livestream us at coopradio.org