Podcast episode 558ish: Lars Callieou

Here's our episode with old pal Lars Callieou, all the way from Edmonton. He was in our province doing a corporation performance and stopped by to talk about old day jobs, winter long-haul driving conditions, the influence on masters on new comics, touring 50-weeks a year with his parents' bar band, and working with Joan Rivers.

It's all here waiting for you. Click below if you absolutely must listen to it immediately. Or take a minute to go over to iTunes or Stitcher or Spotify or elsewhere and download it.

Jan. 19: Lars Callieou

Edmonton's Lars Callieou saw all the snow out here so he grabbed his shorts and headed to our balmy climes. It beats –40, or whatever ungodly temperatures are swallowing up northern Alberta right now. Actually, I don't know why Lars is in town, but we'll find out tonight because he's our guest! The last time he was with us, back in September, he filled in for Sam Tonning, doing the announcing and co-hosting duties. Tonight, Sam isn't here again, but this time Lars will be our guest. He hasn't guested on the show since 2010. So we've got lots to talk about.

Tune in to CFRO 100.5 FM at 11 pm, as you always do... right? If you're in, say, Edmonton, and want to listen to your homeboy live, do the clock math and then livestream us at coopradio.org or find us on one of the many radio streaming apps available to you these days. (I know of just one – TuneIn Radio – but I believe there are others out there, too.)

Podcast episode 547ish: Kalvin Olafson

We're a little late getting this episode up and running, missing by two days our guest's run in a play. But the episode is still relevant and fun and all that. Along with guest sidekick Lars Callieou from Edmonton, we talk to actor Kalvin Olafson about his youth growing up on a farm in Manitoba, about his connections with the Vancouver standup comedy scene, about his process in getting to the heart of his characters, about his former band Minto, and lots more! It was my first time meeting Kalvin, but Lars and I go way back to his first appearance on the show back in 2004. It was good to see him again.

Listen to the episode here or go download it at iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Podbean, Podbay... all the usual suspects.

Sept. 22: Kalvin Olafson

On this rainy Sunday, our guest will be actor Kalvin Olafson, who is currently starring in What We're Up Against, which runs Oct. 1-12 at the Havana. The Manitoban's also been in tons of TV commercials, was a member of the sketch troupe Idle Minds, and we'll find out what else tonight. Sidekick Sam will be away dancing to Elton John, but we have a special sidekick, old pal Lars Callieou on loan from CJSR, where he hosts his own show, Comic Jenius.

Tune in to CFRO 100.5 FM tonight at 11 pm for all the scintillating discussion. Even if you're far, far away in Manitoba or Alberta, you can listen via livestream on coopradio.org or on the TuneIn Radio app, among others.

Four new episodes (#187ish-191ish)

While every other podcast drops new episodes one at a time and with more regularity, we like to keep you on your toes. We post 'em when we get around to it, which is what keeps What's So Funny? a ratings leader (in Bizarro World, anyway). Here are four relatively recent shows you may find to your liking. As always, listen here (this blog), there (Comedy Couch), or everywhere (iTunes):

From May 16, 2010, this is Phil Hanley's third appearance on the show, and his best. If you heard his second appearance, you know that was pretty damn funny, too. There's just something about the guy that makes it easy to rib him. There's also the added element of a new drinking game you can play while listening. Phil unwittingly unveils a new catchphrase. If you take a drink everytime he says it, you'll enjoy the show even more.
What's So Funny? featuring Phil Hanley

From May 2, 2010, this is Sugar Sammy's fourth appearance on the show. We did one in his hotel room, two in studio, and this one at a hotel bar. Sammy's a great guy and always opens up a bit more on our show than you'll see elsewhere. And he's everywhere.
What's So Funny? featuring Sugar Sammy

From May 9, 2010, Lars Callieou makes his third "appearance" with us. I use quotation marks because we didn't see him. He called in from his home base of Edmonton. Lars talks about his recent trip to Iraq. As an added bonus, I play a clip from an interview I did with Brian Regan that's well worth the price of admission.
What's So Funny? featuring Lars Callieou

And finally, from April 25, 2010, Vince Flueck makes his second appearance, and first solo appearance. Vince regales us with tales from Europe, where he's been living from the past couple of years, and recounts the story of his night being an imposter at a movie awards show.
What's So Funny? featuring Vince Flueck

May 9: Lars Callieou

I'm sitting in the shitty Los Angeles airport which doesn't even have free Wi-Fi, if you can believe it (I've latched on to Air France's weak signal), after a week in Disneyland. But I'll be back in time for the show tonight. It really is a small world afterall. Just as an aside, Disneyland is as awesome as ever. The only drawback I can find is that as soon as you get "It's a Small World" out of your head, it's quickly replaced with "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. But that's a small price to pay.

Tonight we have Edmonton comic Lars Callieou joining us by phone from northern Alberta. See, I told you it was a small world. Lars just got back from a tour of duty, so to speak, in Iraq, entertaining somebody's troops. Not sure whose. I don't think we have any there, do we? I guess we'll find out tonight. And if he was entertaining the American troops, just what side would he be on if a war broke out between Canada and the U.S.?

Lars has come a long way since his first visit to our studio back in 2006. He was essentially a glorified amateur then. Now he's quit his day job and makes his living telling jokes both north and south of the border.

Also tonight, I'm going to play a clip of an interview I did with Brian Regan. I posted the transcript of said clip a while back so you can follow along at home. I just loved the way Regan told of his nightmarish gala at Just For Laughs. And we'll see if Lars has had any similarly nightmarish gigs in his young career.