Podcast episode 580ish: Ian Bagg

How's your summer going? Fine? Great. Let's get on with the show. This week our guest is the esteemed Sir Ian Bagg. Ian's a powerhouse comic from BC but who has been living south of the border for 25 years. Watch his specials on Amazon Prime. I highly recommend them. Watch his podcast Around the Bagg on YouTube. That's a lot of fun, too. Listen to his old albums, sure, but do you know he has a brand new one out now on 800 Pound Gorilla Records? It's called Everybody Wants Some. But before you do, listen to our conversation wherein we talk about his days coming up in Vancouver, his early days in New York, and doing drive-in shows and beaches in Covid times.

You can listen at the link right here in this post. Or go find us on your favourite podcast server. You know the drill.

VHS Vault: Ian Bagg

Remember when Ian Bagg was Canadian? He's been Stateside for more than 15 years now. But he did start his career in Vancouver, so we will always claim him. Hell, we still claim Cheech & Chong because they met and formed here even though they never did more than one show in town.

I had Bagg on What's So Funny? back in February. Last weekend he played The Comedy Mix so I got the chance to review him in the Georgia Straight, and you can read it here.

So it's kind of a coincidence that I dredged up this old video of a young Bagg at the Just For Laughs festival. It's from... oh, let's say 2000. So I guess he was already living in the U.S. But he just seems so much more Canadian.

Episode 183ish: Ian Bagg

It doesn't happen often, but from time to time a comic will ask me not to run a particular episode he was on. Apparently my Svengali-like powers get them to open up a little more than they'd like. This was the case with Ian Bagg, who dropped by the studio last Sunday night. Well, my powers and the fact he had been celebrating the gold medal hockey game since noon that day. Thanks to the miracle of editing, I don't have to lose the whole show. A simple snip here and there and presto, another gold star broadcasting event. So this particular podcast episode is a little shorter than most but it's still damn entertaining. That Bagg character is a funny guy with lots to say. We talk about his recent "deportation" from his home in Los Angeles, starting out in Vancouver, and why he doesn't feel accepted in his home and native land, among other things.

While in town, Ian has been playing the local rooms so I took the chance to see him at the Kingston on Thursday night. He headlined, as can be expected considering the guy has some major credits to his name (Conan, Leno, etc.) It was a smallish crowd and he was expected to go 30 minutes. But he gave everyone there their five bucks' worth, going 75 minutes. And there wasn't a lull anywhere along the way.

As usual, you can listen here to the podcast, or get it at iTunes (where I'm sure you'll give us a rating and a comment, right?!):

February 28: Ian Bagg

On this final day of the Olympics in Vancouver, we've got a new visitor to What's So Funny?. Ian Bagg is a semi-local (he's from Terrace) who got his start here in Vancouver, but quickly moved to the States. A long time ago. Well, before I started covering comedy here, anyway. (We'll find out precisely on the show.) He still lives there but is back for the Olympics, huge hockey fan that he is. The guy is a true original and I can't say his name without saying it in his voice. Ian was going to be on the show last year but I got sick and had to cancel on him. Hopefully he won't get so drunk celebrating Canada's win (or mourning Canada's loss) in the gold medal hockey game earlier in the day that he has to cancel on me. That would be karma. But I don't believe in karma so I'm hopeful. It should be a fun show.

I've got some good shows coming up, too. Next week we've got Carter Hortie coming back, and the following week Matt Billon will make his first appearance on the show.

Meanwhile, enjoy some comedy from Ian Bagg, back on the old Tonight Show with Jay Leno:

Ian Bagg Tonight Show

Ian Bagg | MySpace Video