Podcast episode 590ish: Peter Kelamis

Peter Kelamis was last with us in 2010. We know him mostly as a standup comic but most of his work these days comes from acting. We talk about how Greek he is, Hallmark movies, voice acting, cosplay, Robin Williams, and Dane Cook.

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Podcast episode 589ish: Jon Dore

Jon Dore becomes the first guest of 2021 (we're a little late getting started). And what a great guest he is. He speaks with us from his home in Juneau, Alaska. He's here to shill his new TV program called Humour Resources with Jon Dore on CBC, but we also talk about his job in a butcher shop, his best memory at the Ottawa Bluesfest, his similarities to Chris Elliott, and we relive an old tweet of his.

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Crunching the numbers: 2020 edition

 Well, here we are. A couple weeks into 2021. So far it hasn't looked much different from most of 2020, unfortunately. We haven't recorded a new show in ages, but we haven't gone away. We'll ease into the new year soon. Meanwhile, as is our tradition, we look back at our guests from the last year. We haven't done this since our first year in 2004, but we have records for the last 12 years. Here's what it boils down to:

• in 2009, we did 42 shows
• in 2010, we slipped to 38 shows
• in 2011, we leapt to 44 shows with 53 guests
• in 2012, we did 41 shows with 47 guests
• in 2013, we did 35 shows with 37 guests
• in 2014, we did 36 shows with 39 guests
• in 2015, we did 36 shows with 40 guests
• in 2016, we did 32 shows with 33 guests
• in 2017, we did 36 shows with 37 guests
• in 2018, we did 37 shows with 39 guests
• in 2019, we clocked in at 35 shows with 37 guests.

 It's perhaps no surprise that 2020 was on the low end in shows and guests, but it wasn't the lowest. So that's good news, considering the challenges. Drum roll, please: 

• in 2020, we did 34 shows with a total of 35 guests. 

As you can see, 2016 was the low.

For you math nerds: Our mean is 37 shows. Our mode is 36. Our median is 36.5.

Thanks to the following guests we welcomed either in person or through the wonders of modern technology:

1. Jimmy Shubert
2. Jon Bryant
3. Lars Callieou
4. Andrea Jin
5. Eddie Ifft
6. Ed Hill
7. Paul Myrehaug
8. Damonde Tschritter
9. Carl Turnbull
10. Eddie Brill
11. Dwight Slade
12. Marcus Ryan
13. Michael Gelbart
14. Colin Mochrie
15. Bonnie McFarlane
16. Lachlan Patterson
17. Darren Frost
18. Ellyn Marie Marsh
19. Ron James
20. Dave Hill
21. Sugar Sammy
22. Derek Edwards
23. bbno$
24. Jeremy Hotz
25. Shirley Gnome
26. Ian Bagg
27. Bob Saget
28. Mike Wilmot
29. Blaine Thurier
30. Stuart Jones
31. Kenny Robinson
32. Dylan Rheimer
33. Brian Aylward
34. Todd Van Allen

Thanks for listening. And thanks to the guests for guesting!

Podcast episode 588ish: Todd Van Allen

Todd Van Allen isn't above any pub in this episode. Todd is the host of one of the longest-running podcasts in the country, but we clear up that it isn't THE longest-running (ahem). We talk about butterflies, magic, cable access stardom, math, ICQ, voice-over work, and approaching celebrities.

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Podcast episode 587ish: Brian Aylward

Brian Aylward is big in Asia. But at 6-3 and 260 pounds, he's pretty big in all 28 countries he performed in. We speak to him from his home in Bangkok where he is convalescing from a scary motorcycle accident. The Newfoundlander and former Canadian Comedy Award winner has a new special, aptly titled Big in Asia, which he filmed in front of locals in Mongolia.

Check out the trailer for his special on YouTube.

Check out the episode!

Podcast episode 586ish: Dylan Rhymer

Dylan Rhymer, the old man of comedy, returns to the program in his 25th year of doing standup – even if he didn't do a whole lot of standup this past year. But he's okay with that. In this episode, we talk about Friday the 13th, watching movies all day and night for charity and fun, various other scary movies, his uncanny hack impersonations, and his State of the Week satire site. This episode is with 50 percent less Sam Tonning!

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Podcast episode 585ish: Kenny Robinson

Kenny Robinson is on the road again, bringing his special brand of blue comedy to the socially-distanced comedy clubs around the country. Yet he very thoughtfully censored himself in this episode. We talked about his early years in Chicago and Winnipeg, his brushes with racism in Canada, thoughts on a young Arsenio Hall, cheap millionaires trying to save eight bucks., and working swingers conventions.

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Podcast episode 584ish: Stuart Jones

Stuart Jones, the pride of Rutland, joins us for his second go-round on the program. We talk all about his new album, "By The Slice" on 604 Records. We also get into universities vs colleges, Christopher Cross, and tattoos.

Check out the episode!

Podcast episode 583ish: Blaine Thurier

Blaine Thurier returns to the show after a nine year absence. He reveals the news (to us) that he's no longer in New Pornographers after a nice two-decade run. We also talk about his evangelical background, classical music, time machines, and Teen Lust, among other things.

Check out the episode!

Podcast episode 582ish: Mike Wilmot

Mike Wilmot returns 13 years after his first appearance on the show. It's a new Uncle Mike now. He's lost a ton of weight, but is as filthy (and funny) as ever. We had a lot of fun on this one talking about lightweight drinkers, industry showcases, fears, Pete Tong, and, of course, his father's penis. Recorded September 22, 2020.

Check out the episode!

Podcast episode 581ish: Bob Saget

 I had spoken with Bob Saget three other times over the years, but he had never done the show. He can cross that off his bucket list now. It's always a wild ride talking to the former star of Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos. And we didn't even mention either of those shows in this episode. What we did talk about, among other things, was his photographic memory of a bad review he got in a Toronto paper 42 years ago, including the name of the reviewer and his terrible memory when it comes to me. He also told us about his umbilical penis, told stories of Richard Pryor and Rodney Dangerfield, and discussed Johnny, Merv and Mike. We were into it so much, he was late for his recording of his podcast, "Bob Saget's Here For You."

You can listen to this wherever you find "Bob Saget's Here For You" (I assume) or any other podcast. If that's too much trouble, I've included a link below.

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.

Podcast episode 579ish: Shirley Gnome

It's been three years since Shirley Gnome was last with us, but we've rectified that situation here. For her fifth appearance, we had her locked up in her home. But she had her guitar with her, so we got a couple of live tunes out of the songbird. We also talked about America, club music, hecklers, Nickelback, and cunnilingus.
You can listen here, if you like. But it's way easier to go find us on your favourite podcast server. We're there. Download us. Listen at your leisure.

Podcast episode 578ish: Jeremy Hotz

We're all miserable these days, so what better guest than the professionally (and terminal) miserable, Jeremy Hotz? His misery brings mirth to the masses. Essentially, he suffers so that we may laugh. He says the universe is against him, and he brings that luck to this episode, which was interrupted twice with technical difficulties. But we think you won't even be able to tell thanks to the expert editing. Jeremy's a great guest, as you'll hear here. He's coming to Vancouver from dirty Los Angeles later this month to play six shows at the House of Comedy in New Westminster. It will be a social distancing show, and he will quarantine for two weeks before, so it's all on the up-and-up. If you've never seen him live, and aren't afraid to be a room with strangers, you really should go.

You can listen to the episode below, or, better yet, download it wherever you find fine podcasts. You can do it. I know you can.

Podcast episode 577ish: bbno$

Look how hip we are! We've got a guest with a dollar sign in his name! That's right, it's internationally known rapper bbno$. Baby No Money, as we say (when we're not calling him Gooch), puts out some pretty fun, hooky, quirky rap songs and videos with millions of followers and billions of streams. He's got a new single coming out Friday (July 17) called Astrology. We talk about that, his backstory (and, quite literally, his back story), #BLM, and a fundraiser with Blueprint which he will host on Saturday (July 18).

Check it out below. Or go find your own way. Wander over to your favourite podcast delivery system and download us there.

Podcast episode 576ish: Derek Edwards

What a delight it was talking with Derek Edwards again. He's one of the funniest men to have ever graced a stage, and he's just as funny in casual conversation, as you'll hear here. You won't find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Hell, he doesn't even have a website. Still, we managed to track him down in his basement somewhere in the heart of central Canada. Oh, and we laughed. Topics covered: Mike Bullard, Red Green, Corner Gas, Trailer Park Boys, Donald Trump (although not by name), and he tells us his funniest street joke.

I don't imagine Derek will ever hear this episode because it requires electricity, but if you can handle it, there are many ways to access it. 1. You can click on the link below and listen right now. 2. You can seek out your favourite podcast server and download us there. 3. You can "watch" it on YouTube (just some scrolling photos while the audio plays).

Podcast episode 575ish: Sugar Sammy

When Sugar Sammy was last with us in 2010, he told us he was transitioning out of the moniker he spent the first 14 years of his career with. Soon he'd be known as his birth name: Sam Khullar. Well, here we are in 2020 and he's still Sugar Sammy. He explains in this episode that he got too well known after appearing on What's So Funny? to make the change. Coincidence? Doubtful. We are star-makers. We spoke to Sammy from his home in Montreal. We talk about his high school days, some hell gigs he had coming up, and his new role as France's Simon Cowell and how it keeps him off the Paris Métro.

Have a listen here, or on your favourite podcast server, or even on YouTube. We've got you covered.

Podcast episode 574ish: Dave Hill

This week's offering comes to you all the way from the Big Apple, but wishes it could have come to you from somewhere... anywhere in Canada. Or does it? Comedy superstar Dave Hill is one-quarter (or thereabouts) Canadian. He dreams of becoming full-fledged, but maybe that's just a pipe-dream. In this episode, we put down the pipe and talk about his book Parking the Moose, his journey across the land of his maternal grandpa, one bar, thrift shop, and rock club at a time to learn more about this land we call Canada. We quiz each other (spoiler: one of us does extremely well), and he talks a bit about Witch Taint, the black metal band all the kids are talking about.

You can of course listen below, if that's how you roll. I mean, there's a link and everything. Or maybe you're more sophisticated and prefer your podcasts on the go. Fair enough. Go to your favourite podcast dispensary and search for our version (the original) of What's So Funny? But for God's sake, don't lose focus and end up down some rabbit hole chasing whatever fleeting thought enters your mind. And hey, there's a new way to enjoy the show. I've posted over a hundred of our past episodes on the YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/GuyMacPhersonWhatsSoFunny. And this episode will be up there today sometime.

Podcast episode 573ish: Ron James

We've got Ron James right here for you. Finally, after all these years, the Canadian comedic legend makes his What's So Funny? debut. And he lets fly with tons of opinions on the role of comedian in society, his bittersweet television experience, and drops "Nietzschean adage", "Oracle of Delphi" and "boreal gulag" in conversation like it's nothing. Ron is still performing during the plague. It started with him just talking to his four walls, but last week he hosted 400 souls in his living room for a classic Ron James TV special – without the TV, and with the 400 paying customers watching through their computers. The man can't slow down.

Have a listen below. Or you can find us on your favourite podcast server. And now you can even find What's So Funny? on YouTube! Go! Subscribe! Please?

Podcast episode 572ish: Ellyn Marie Marsh

This week's episode marks a first in our 16-year history. It's the first time (I believe) we've had a bona fide Broadway star as a guest. And Ellyn Marie Marsh is even more than that. She also performs in New York cabarets, hosts her own trivia nights, teaches how to belt out a song, and co-hosts a true crime podcast. I'm probably forgetting more. Anyway, in this episode, Marsh tells us what it's like to be on Broadway, what the one true crime she keeps thinking about, and what she did when she was fired from her job as a singing waitress.

Check out her podcast, Obsessed With: Disappeared, on your favourite podcast platform. And check out this one below, or wherever you found Ellyn's. We'll be there.