Podcast episode 431ish: Jy Harris

I told you the podcasts would be coming fast and furious for the next little while. Two days after posting Simon King's episode, we've got Jy Harris for y'all! It had been six long years since Jy was last with us and he returned a new man. He's found peace in his personal life. Or at least is on a never-ending quest for it. The guy meditates, is a vegan, reads new-age spiritual books, and experiments with microdoses of psychedelics. All just to get over feeling the Bern for the last eight months. We also talk about his real-life Jerry Springer-like upbringing and real-life Jerry Springer experience. Julian Angel-Joynt also makes an appearance to recite a pretty cool slam poem.

Here you go. Start listening. And keep going until it ends.

Aug. 7: Jy Harris

I can't keep track of Jy Harris but for one glorious night I'll know where he is – in the What's So Funny? studios. Jy was born in Ontario, started his standup career on the west coast, then moved to Toronto, and now... is back? I think. He is tonight anyway. We'll find out for sure. He's only been with us once before and that was way back in 2010. What's he been up to since then? Doing standup, acting, performing slam poetry, making videos, and feeling the Bern, sure, but what else? Hopefully he tells us. That photo to the right, by the way, has not been altered in any way. He really does give off that electricity when he's on stage. He's a live wire, that Jy.

We're on the air at 11 pm on CFRO 100.5 FM in Vancouver. You can livestream us at coopradio.org and elsewhere. Honestly.

Episodes 185ish & 186ish

Here are two enjoyable episodes for your collection. You do collect all the podcasts, don't you? And trade them with friends? I apologize that they're slightly out of order but the station was having download issues. Whatever, they're timeless. Who cares if one originally aired before the last couple? Not I! Oh, and because of said station issues, I must also apologize publicly to Carter Hortie. He joined us on air several weeks ago and if you missed it, you missed it. That episode has been lost forever. I hate when that happens, especially when the episode is a good one. We've lost a few over the years. We'll never get back Rob Pue or Kyle Cease's second appearance or Sugar Sammy's first two appearances. Sigh. So sorry Carter, but you're in good company.

I can't post the episodes for you right here on the blog due to a problem with the server I use and my ignorance of other ones. But fret not, it's still easy-peasy. You can listen over at the Comedy Couch podcast page. And here's the link to all the shows over at iTunes. There are 186 (and counting) to choose from. But here are the latest, with individual links to the episodes.

Episode 185ish: Sean Kent talks about history, his two seasons on Last Comic Standing, his bout with cancer, politics, and a bit of basketball in an on-location interview downstairs at Lafflines Comedy Club in New Westminster, between shows. The show aired on April 11, 2010.

Episode 186ish: Local boy Jy Harris somehow managed to sneak by all these years without ever having done the show before. But we eventually got him. He brought the Polish Princess with him, who provided us with a nice distraction during the show. We talked about why he doesn't drink and his two experiences on The Jerry Springer Show, among other things. This show aired on March 28, 2010.

March 28: Jy Harris

It's been a few weeks. What can I say? Sometimes I just get lazy... Sometimes? Okay, I'm pretty much always lazy, but sometimes I'm lazier than others. Plus I was sick. That's a legit excuse, isn't it? Sure, it was just a cold, but I'm a guy. Those things can lay me out for weeks.

Oh, and I went to Portland for a few days a couple weeks ago. While there, I took the chance to take in some professional men's comedy at Harvey's. I was told it's the most popular comedy club in the city. Judging from the packed lounge prior to the show, I don't doubt it. And they do three shows on a Saturday night, 5:00, 7:30 and 10:00! We were greeted outside by three huge headshots on the side of the building. I have no idea who two were, but the middle was Portland boy, and friend of What's So Funny? (and former guest), Dwight Slade. Unfortunately Dwight was performing in Minneapolis the night we were there.

With a two-item minimum, I decided to have a beer and a burger. You can't go wrong with a burger, right? But there will be no confusing Harvey's the comedy club with Harvey's the hamburger joint. Trust me, at Harvey's comedy club, they definitely do not make your hamburger a beautiful thing. Worst burger I've ever had.

Soon after I started going to comedy clubs regularly in the early 1980s, I realized it was a crapshoot. That is, you never know if the performers are going to be either up to snuff or to your tastes. I've always figured if I come away having liked just one of the performers on a given night, it was a win. So let's see how it played out:

One of my pet peeves is when friends see a comedian somewhere, rush back to tell me, then can't remember the comic's name. And now I'm going to do the same thing. The host's name was Doug. It's possible his last name was Edwards. Doesn't really matter. He was extremely rehearsed and there was no original thought to his pieces. He grew up with five sisters, so of course we got lots of menstruation jokes. And on this night it was the 1oth anniversary of his divorce. Maybe. Shades of Andrew Grose's wedding anniversary every time you see him. So we started off the night oh-for-one. No biggie. On to the middle act.

J.P. Linde was introduced as a Portland legend. Okay. But it's obvious to see why he never became a legend anywhere else. Longevity in any given place is laudable, but there should be other factors that get you legend status. He mentioned the airline crew that was caught drunk "three weeks ago". Forget the fact that story broke much longer than that, is having the pilot singing a rendition of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall over the P.A. really worth keeping that joke in your repertoire? Good Lord. He also broke the comedy lid off the notion that the seat cushion can be used as a floatation device. Finally! I've been waiting years to hear a comic expose that silly idea. Linde looks a bit like Andy Kindler, but he's the anti-Kindler. I don't want to be too mean, though. The guy retired that weekend from stand-up.

Okay, oh-for-two with one last chance to save the night. And headliner Steve White did just that. What a breath of fresh air. The guy apparently has been in five Spike Lee movies. I didn't recognize him, but I'm sure going to watch for him. Great energy and an infectious spirit. And naturally funny. That always helps. He entered by acting as if we were all surprised that he was black based on his name. "Negro!" he said, pointing to his face. "No refunds!" He remarked on the whiteness of Portland: "It's like they build [white people] here. I've never seen so many fucking Subarus in my life."

Other good lines I jotted down:

• "I have ADHD: Attention Deficit in Hi-Definition. I'm very clear about what I'm fucked up about."
• On thugs needing to maintain that macho facade 24/7 even if their mom dies: "I'm gonna miss that 'ho. She was my bitch."
• "Obama made history twice: First black president... and last black president."
  

Even when making a groaner, he celebrates it with fake bravado. "Kobe beef? What's that? Black beef that comes in a white bun?" Then he mimes hitting one over the fence. "That's comedy gold!"

So was the evening a success? Damn straight, it was. One-for-three, but the one more than made up for the others. I tried to embed a clip of White for you but for some reason it isn't working. But he's got a few short ones on Rooftop Comedy you can check out on your own.

***

Now, on with the show. We've been on the air for over five years and surprisingly we've never had stand-up comic Jy Harris on before. But that's all about to change. He'll join us for his debut tonight at 11. You know him perhaps as Crop Sitter in episode one of DaVinci City Hall, or Clerk in episode one of Life As We Know It. Or maybe you've seen him on the Jerry Springer Show. The Red Rocket is all over the map. I see he's also a lead in the future cult classic Bong of the Dead (see trailer below). Jy is one positive dude and it should be fun talking with him.

February 15: Riel Hahn

Hello, dear readers. Nice to see this blog starting to get the odd comment. Feel free to go hog wild. It's the only way I can tell anyone's actually reading.

I hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day. Or at the very least a neutral one.

Tonight we have the lovely Riel Hahn, gracing us with her second appearance on the program. And she's bringing along her guitar to serenade us in song. It'll mark the second time a guest has accompanied themselves on the instrument in our studio. The first was the irrepressible Barry Greenfeld, who managed, in a remarkable case of self-control, to keep his clothes on the entire show. We'll see if Riel can remain so composed.

During Riel's first appearance on our show, I never asked her about her experience on the Jerry Springer show, where she played the girlfriend of Vancouver comic Jy Harris, who himself was playing a guy who wanted to get into porn. It turns out the show's a fake. Can you believe that? Life is one disillusionment after another, I tell ya. Here's Riel and Jy on that very episode:



We'll be sure to talk about it tonight. Tune in, won't you?