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MORE LAUGHS at DANFORTH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Last night, Friday, Comedy Nuggets presented the 2nd last night of stand-up comedy at the DANFORTH COMEDY FESTIVAL with a line-up of engaging and entertaining comedians, hosted by Anasimone George (below) who kept the audience energized and ready to laugh.She first introduced Dimi Kolovopoulos (below) who bounded on stage and kept the audience revved up throughout his set. Having Greek heritage, Dimi was the ideal entertainer on the night – it was opening night for Taste of the Danforth down on the street. Opa!Anasimone then into’d Sai Kit whose quiet, shy on-stage persona disguised his biting commentary on his family’s immigrant experience and growing up slightly disadvantaged when relating to the ladies!Next on the bill was a Brit comedian David Green (below) who truly embraced the power of the pun. Those of you of a certain age with a UK heritage would surely recognize the machine-gun joke delivery of the late comic legend Tommy Cooper. I laughed so hard  – I wanna see more of David.Canada’s Got Talent alum Cathy Boyd was up next, sharing her thoughts on parenting four kids (apparently she would have been happy with just the first 3) and trying to make Howie Mandel laugh! The audience loved her dry, slow burn delivery.Festival Founder and stand-up comic Luke Lynndale was up next and he ramped up the energy in the room with his fast-paced observational comedy, esp. his thoughts on childbirth….his delivery room experiences with his first child made for some funny material!The final comedian/headliner was Nile Seguin (below) whose killer set ended the night on a high note. An admitted “weirdo” and nerd, Nile is a veteran of the comedy fest circuit having performed across Canada and the U.S. as well as being an accomplished TV writer (he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for his writing on CBC’s “Still Standing” one of my fave Canadian shows).So there’s one more night & two shows left for the inaugural Danforth Comedy Festival. The Don on the Danforth (near the Main subway stn) plays host to both shows and there are still some tickets left. Check out info and tkts at: www.danforthcomedyfestival.com. Hope to see you there.
Follow and support these talented comedians via their social media (Instagram):
@scamasimone (your host)
@spit_bandit (Dimi)
@side_kick_comedy (Sai)
@davidgreencomic
@can_am_cathy
@comedynuggets (Luke)
@neil_seguin
@danforthcomedyfestival

JOIN NOW TO VOTE FOR THIS YEAR’S NOMINEES INTO THE CANADIAN COMEDY HALL OF FAME

Starting April 1st, YOU can vote your favourite Canadian comedian into the CANADIAN COMEDY HALL OF FAME...but you must become a Member first. Visit www.canadiancomedyhall.com and for a special lifetime membership fee of $25, you will have voting rights to ensure your favourite “Performers” are added to the Hall’s list of great comedic artists. “Voting is set to open as of April 1st for this year’s group of inductees into the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame,” says Founder and Exec. Director Tim Progosh, “and we hope everyone across the country will become members so they can cast their votes for their favourite performers named on the impressive list of nominees.”  Voting runs until May 24th.  “After 2 years of Covid lockdowns, restrictions and lack of live entertainment, Canada needs a damn good laugh”, continued Progosh, “so we’re proud that the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame celebrates the country’s funniest comedians, creative professionals as well as great artists from the past whose legacies paved the way for today’s comedy stars.”   Those stars voted into the Hall this year will be announced July 1st, followed by a formal presentation event later in the year.
Here are just a few of this year’s nominees…Learn more about the previous inductees and plans for the future of the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame by following social media (all linked on the website) and visiting www.canadiancomedyhall.com

CANADIAN COMEDY HALL OF FAME LAUNCHES VIRTUALLY – MEET THE BOARD & CHECK OUT PLANS FOR FUTURE

Having spent the late 70s performing with the comedy sketch group, The Flamingo Cabaret, then throughout the early-mid 80s running Yuk Yuk’s Komedy Kabaret as both business administration and as the agent for all the comedians (Funny Business), followed by several years running my own agency, Class Acts, where I was media rep. for comedy icons Billy Crystal, Jay Leno, Jimmy JJ Walker, Gilbert Gottfried and Dennis Miller, I definitely have an emotional connection to the CANADIAN COMEDY HALL OF FAME.  The Hall of Fame has been launched virtually by a group of showbiz and media veterans who, like me, know where all the bodies are buried…LOL…as well as understanding the need to recognize the great comedy artists who have paved the way for those now standing up and making us laugh throughout these dark Covid days.

I recently spoke with four of the Founders and asked about their inspiration for sharing their passion with Canadian comedy fans as well as audiences around the world. I started with the Acting Exec. Director of the Hall, TIM PROGOSH:TIM: Congrats on the launch of the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame. You have been a steady presence in the comedy world on tv, stage and theatre, and produced the Canadian Comedy Awards for many years. What inspired you to undertake such an initiative to formally celebrate Canada’s funniest people?   The short answer is simple – watching Ed Sullivan with my family and my Dad pointing out that Wayne and Shuster were Canadian.  I felt proud that these funny guys were almost regulars on such a prestigious show that presented The Beatles – WTF eh!? They were so funny doing sketch comedy and I fell in love with the genre.  It is a genre at which Canada excels.  The long answer involves politics. I have an honours degree in Political Science.  I could never understand why our sense of being Canadian often morphs into just being anti-American.  Why can’t we celebrate our achievements proudly?  It just so happens that one thing we do very well is comedy.  From the very first political cartoons in the 1860’s through the two world wars, the advent of silent movies and the rise of television, Canadians have always been leaders and recognized for those achievements around the world.  But do we celebrate that accomplishment? Do we teach that story?  Do we preserve the memory?  Somebody has to start and when my dad passed last summer, I wanted to make the dream we shared become a reality.

KENNY ROBINSON:  As one of Canada’s most renowned stand-up comedians, you’ve worked clubs, theatres, opened for bands, appeared on numerous tv shows and specials, even acted in films over the past 4 decades. How do you feel about being a part of this long-time-coming Hall of Fame (virtual for now)?   I’m thrilled to be a part of the establishment of the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame. We often complain about the lack of a star system in Canadian showbiz…or how its necessary to flee our homeland to pursue our dreams. Every Canadian school kid can tell you about the super stars of comedy but what about those who remained or the talents behind the camera, the writers’ room and at CBC radio?Canadians don’t beat our chests enough – we lack swagger – we even sing our national anthem with soft, coo’ing voices. We are a nation of corduroy pants-wearing mo’fos who think we’re dressed up.  My reputation in the comedy business is one of being outspoken and profane, the antithesis of the polite Canadian, and that’s what I feel will be my contribution to the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame!  We NEED to BIG UP OUR OWN – STRUT IN OUR MUCLUKS. Because if we don’t sing our own praises, who will? Not our gun loving, no healthcare having neighbors to south.

JIM SLOTEK: As a journalist, you’ve covered the Just for Laughs Festival for the past 20 years as well as writing reviews and criticism for major comedy concerts. How has comedy itself changed since “the golden age” of Canadian comedy back in the 80s?  If you mean for comedians, there are far fewer big paydays now (a longshot even then). If you got seen by the right person at Just For Laughs, on the basis of one lucky set, you could end up with a holding deal or even a development deal from a U.S. network. A Canadian, Ivan Fecan, was an NBC VP with a keen interest in comedy. Lorne Michaels practically had a direct pipeline for Canadian comics. People like Mark McKinney and Bruce McCulloch got to sharpen their skills as SNL writers before Kids in the Hall hit its stride.Canadian comedy is way more diverse now. Russell Peters cracked the code of the huge unaddressed market of young first-and-second generation New Canadians. Kenny Robinson’s Nubian Disciples was a breakthrough in giving comics of colour a stage to share real life experiences. People like Jean Paul and Gavin Stephens and Sabrina Jaleese did so. And LGBTQ is represented like never before (Trevor Boris, Richard Ryder, Martha Chaves, Lara Rae).

RICK WHARTON: You’ve spent decades in the comedy biz – as an actor, improv comedian, radio and TV personality, director, producer and now run the fabulous Festival Theatre up near Ottawa. Why do you think it’s important that Canada recognizes its comedy stars, past and present in a Hall of Fame?  Well, it’s time. No one had done it and you would think it would be an automatic. The wealth of talent is just mind-blowing. As well, there are so many people in the business that need to be recognized. Everyone knows the front runners like Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, John Candy…there are so many more people who are deserving for recognition of their work.RICK:  Running such a prestigious venue as Festival Hall, you must have hosted many comedy shows there? Can you share some of the names and backstage antics…and do you anticipate hosting Hall of Fame special concerts?   Good question. Sometimes the show is backstage and the audience does not even know. Tim and I have talked about the Hall of Fame coming to the theatre. We ran a “Funniest Person in the Valley” contest for the Comedy Awards for a few years which was very successful. We had the finals at Festival Hall with Mike McDonald as the headliner. It was his first show back after his illness. It was hilarious and special. We have had a great amount of Canadian Comedy talent come to the theatre. Women Fully Clothed (Jayne Eastwood, Teresa Pavlineck, Robin Duke, Kathy Greenwood), Derek Edwards, Ron James, Glen Foster, Derek Seguin, Gerry Dee, Mary Walsh, Carla Collins, The Yes Men (Neill Crone and Kevin Frank), and Terry Hart guested with me on my Canadian Comic Witness Program. Always fun and craziness back stage – I would get in trouble if I shared, maybe sued! But I must admit, my own favourite comedy moment was opening for Gerry Dee doing one man improv and having that rush, hearing all the laughter and doing a killer set.

KENNY: How have these past (nearly)2 years of Covid restrictions affected comedians who have been prevented from performing to live, in-person audiences? Have you or others been performing online?  I guess I’ve been luckier than many the past two years – I had a western tour while my friends in Ontario were already in lockdown. Like many comics, I’ve done a hand full of Zoom shows which were a life save; it allowed me to socialize with fellow comics and show off my new material which I had to keep writing. What really has been my saving grace are the comedy workshops thru the “Windows to Opportunities” program that I’ve been running. Originally, the program was designed to expose black youth to the arts, but with the schools being closed, we have reached out to adults wanting to get into the business. At the end of May, we will present our second Zoom class performance. And it’s free.

JIM: Do you anticipate the Hall of Fame sharing news clippings and videos of our comedy heroes, past and present, as part of the attraction? If so, do you anticipate any difficulties with rights from broadcasters or are they on-board and understand the benefits of collaborating with the Hall?  Honestly, this is such a maple syrup level Canadian endeavor, I can’t envision rights owners being difficult. The good karma and good publicity are worth more than the few dollars they might be protecting.

TIM: Moving fwd, your current project is raising funds for development. Last year saw the launch of the virtual Hall of Fame and securing charitable status. For this year, 2022, what are your plans to fully develop the concept and planning of a bricks-and-mortar location? The plans were developed over the past 10 years to create something special.  Not just glass cases but an immersive experience, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Stage One is to create a yearly induction.  Make it real, so to speak.  Our nomination committee has created a great blueprint for integrity which is the backbone of any hall of fame. Now that we have the process defined, we are about to present the slate of nominees for voting.

Stage Two is the actual festival that will surround the inductions.  Something worthy of the inductees.  Shows, exhibits, galas, and parties.  If there is one thing that brings the comedy community together it’s the parties. Fortunately, I Executive Produced the Canadian Comedy Awards for 16 years as well as the television shows that were nominated for Best Variety Special at the old Gemini awards.  I have produced festivals in three provinces and 6 different cities. I sit on the board of Festivals and Events Ontario and have learned what works and what doesn’t and most important how to listen and be flexible.

As for bricks and mortar, we had a few attempts with commercially motivated developers that did not come to fruition.  The CCHoF was going to be a great addition to several developments: one in Toronto and one in Niagara Falls that did not get off the ground.  That is why I am so focused to just start the process to celebrate. To celebrate before we lose more great talent. Mike MacDonald was a good friend as was Roger Abbott.  They were a big part of the Comedy Awards, and they were fantastic advisors to me.  We are not getting any younger and the world is a crazy place.  It became a mission for me to get this going and set it up so it would continue.  When it comes to an actual location, we have a solid business plan and exciting creative developed over 10 years of research involving some of the best minds in museum build and touring shows.  We will start with a tour and a few exhibits while we secure funding to acquire the proper space in the proper location

For now – we have a virtual home.  The nominees will be announced this spring then voting. The induction festival is in development for later in the year.   We can all be proud and celebrate these fantastic Canadians, what they have done for our industry, paving the way for all who followed and perhaps more important, making us laugh.  The tricky part is allowing ourselves to be proud.  As Kenny Robinson said “Sometimes you just have to blow your horn when no one listens.”

Thanks Tim, Kenny, Jim and Rick – up to Feb 15th, you can become a Lifetime Member for the modest fee of $25 – that’s less than most cover charges at the club!!
Sign-up now and get in on the ground floor of the CANADIAN COMEDY HALL OF FAMEhttps://canadiancomedyhall.com/ 

JOHN CANDY

DAVE BROADFOOT

RICH LITTLE

PHIL HARTMAN

TORONTO FUNNY MAN CELEBRATES COMEDY MILESTONE & SUPPORTS INDUSTRY WITH UNIQUE WEBSITE

Back in the 80’s when I managed Yuk Yuk’s Komedy Klub in Toronto (and was the agent for all the comedians), one of my chores was booking and running the Monday “Amateur Night” shows.  So many comedians who are now well-known came thru my office door back them, many more were hopelessly untalented or those who did show promise just never got the breaks. One Monday night regular always stuck in my mind – David ReubenRuby_1 Dec 2012Back the early 80’s, Dave was trying to find his comic voice and develop his stage personae. Every Monday morning, I would get his phone call asking for a spot and I would give him his 5 minutes to try out new material and work the not-always-kind amateur night audiences. He may not have been the funniest guy on stage back then, but he certainly was the most polite and pleasant person to deal with – no ego, no “fronting”, no entitlement attitude.  He soon became my favourite.  In the late 80’s, I lost track of Dave after I had left Yuk Yuk’s and started my own comedy agency & promotions company, but in the early 2000’s, I heard that he had started The Comedy Greenroom, a website offering all sorts of valuable gigging information for comedians as well as promoting shows to the general public. What a great idea!  He also became a regular performer and producer of Ein-Stein’s Happy Hour comedy showcase on Sunday nights at the popular University of Toronto hangout. I recently caught up with Dave and asked him about the upcoming milestone for the weekly comedy series as well as how his career has gone over the past 30 years since we worked together.

What prompted you to start The Comedy Green Room website?
Having started comedy in 1983, well before the Internet, I compiled a list of comedy venues in Canada, the USA and internationally. Being fascinated with technology I took some courses in HTML and learned the basics of web design. Let me stress the basics! Always one to help his fellow comics I decided to start a comedy website with a list of comedy clubs, festivals and performers. The name The Comedy Green Room came about because my favourite times in comedy are hanging out in the “Green Room” backstage before and after shows.CGR_logo 2007[2]What information does it offer comedy fans and comedy professionals?
www.thecomedygreenroom.com offers comedy fans info up and coming comics as well as professional comedians around the globe. Many of today’s comedy stars were on the site before they became house hold names.  For professionals, the site offers info on comedy clubs, festivals and open mic rooms. The monthly newsletter is sent to comics and comedy fans in Canada, the USA and Internationally.

Over the years, you’ve done stand-up comedy yourself as well as acted as a talent scout for new comedy stars; do you prefer performing yourself or being the person who brings the stars to the public’s attention?
Performing is my first love and always will be. As they say in the movie Punchline! “Comedy is my Mistress” and I have sacrificed so much chasing this dream my whole adult life. This past September 7th marked 33 years of battling the comedy addiction!  But in reality, I wanted to be a stand-up comic since I was 5 years old and saw my first stand-up comedian on the Ed Sullivan Show on a small black and white TV. Nothing beats the immediate gratification of having an audience laugh in a live setting.  And since starting The Comedy Green Room, I have taken on a mentor roll myself to many of Canada’s young comics. Many have gone on to great success in Canada and the USA. This gives me great pleasure and pride; I guess maybe I should have been a teacher which was an idea I had in University until I got sidetracked by life,ruby-dec_2010The Hogtown Comedy Festival [2002-2006] started by myself, Arie Kizel, and OJ Kness was a labour of love that showcased up and coming Canadian comics, helping launch their careers. The Toronto Comedy Guild [2001 to 2005] run by myself and Steve Rivers gave young comics a chance to perform in bars across Toronto. They made $20 for the night which gave them bus fare and some self-esteem.  Ein-Stein’s Comedy night has been running since 1996 and was started by Arie and the venue’s owner OJ. I started performing there in 2000 then started producing the show in 2003 after both Arie and OJ asked me to help out due to family obligations.
It’s a weekly show that I book, promote and sometimes host. I’ve help hundreds if not thousands of young comics by giving them a venue to start out in and explore comedy. The only thing asked of them is to be polite to the bar staff, show up on time, and get off stage after their allotted time.  Sometimes easier said than done!

Who has been your most exciting connection/addition to the site (and why)?
The most exciting connection was when Jennifer Lee Pryor called me about a year before Richard passed away and said that Richard loved the site, wanted to be on it and wanted to meet me. I walked around for two weeks 3 feet off the ground.  The Pryor’s allowed me to use a photo of Richard from his 1972 appearance on the Tonight Show which you will find on the home page of The Comedy Green Room.  We were making preparations for a fundraiser for Richard and a meeting with him about the time he passed away.pryorThe second most exciting thing was being invited to Johnny Carson’s home town of Norfolk Nebraska to be an adviser on the Johnny Carson Comedy Festival. I got to tour the Johnny Carson Museum, visit his childhood home and the auditorium named after him. A great thrill for the kid who would sneak downstairs to watch the monologue and the comic on The Tonight Show every night at 11:30pm.
The third most exciting thing was the ability of The Comedy Green Room to bring stand- up comic Paul Adams and father [comedy writer for Bob Hope] Charlie Adams of the UK to Toronto for The HogTown Comedy Festival. Paul ended up living in Toronto for 18 months.

The comedy industry in Canada isn’t necessarily a funny business as there are some pretty nasty characters out there with personal agendas that go beyond entertaining the masses.  Have you encountered any of these negative beings and how have they impacted your career? Or have they just made you stronger and more determined?
I have been a fighter since I was born as a preemie at 4lbs. Many people say I am the toughest person they know.
Comedy has been an up-hill battle for me from the moment I stepped on the stage at the original Yuk Yuk’s on Bay Street in Toronto in 1983. I was the crowd favourite on Monday night’s CHUM104 amateur night and became a cult figure filling the room to capacity weekly. However, Mark Breslin, founder of Yuk Yuk’s did not think I was funny. In fact, he said, “You have no talent, you’re a terrible writer but the audience love you.” I was advised to give up stand-up comedy. My response was – see you next week! But the next weeks piled up and I was buried on Amateur Night for 10 agonizing years until the management of Yuk Yuk’s agreed to give me a showcase. Again, I was slapped in the face by being put on 15th out of 15, but I killed that night and have the tape to prove it. But Mr. Breslin again said I was not good enough to be on his regular shows at Yuk Yuk’s.
I left Yuk Yuk’s that night in1993 and have never performed on their stage again. I worked on my act and writing for 7 years (shades of Dangerfield) and came back as “Ruby, the Darkest Mind in Comedy” in 2000. But this time I was determined to do it my way and most importantly have fun. All the good things in my career have happened because of my attitude of having fun and being nice to other comics.
I have made peace in my mind about the 10 years of not being wanted by Yuk Yuk’s, but, in my mind I was the one comic in the Canadian comedy boom of the 1980’s who was not given a chance. Yet, I was the hardest working and toughest of the group.  Sometimes it hurts that I have been shunned by people & organizations in the Canadian comedy community such as the Canadian Comedy Awards, Just For Laugh’s, critic Glenn Sumi, Absolute Comedy, The Humber Comedy School to name a few. But, I guess when you are your own man these things happen.
Over the past 16 years, I’ve fought ageism in comedy as many young comics will not put me on their shows because they feel I am too old. Yet, I am the favourite comic of Ein-Stein’s where the audience is a University of Toronto crowd. I have killed at college and multi-cultural shows – I am everyone’s crazy uncle who says the wrong thing.

Who have been your biggest influences and supporters?
Kenny Robinson (pictured below) has been my biggest supporter and booster in the Canadian comedy scene since we met 33 years ago. He has fought for me to be his opening act many times and went against other comics to defend my right to be in this business. Kenny has also argued for me with bookers and club owners. He was the only Canadian comic who agreed to be on www.thecomedygreenroom.com when I started the site on New Year’s Eve 2000. Everyone else I approached said it was a stupid idea or they were afraid to be on the site because it might hurt their career.KennyThe late great Sam Kinison (below) was also a great supporter of mine. When he saw my act he said to throw it out and start from scratch and find a unique voice. Best advice I ever got.SamHappy Hour Comedy @ Ein-Stein’s Bier Halle in Toronto is s celebrating a big anniversary later this month – how many years have you been running the site and promoting live shows?
The weekly event has been running since the fall of 1996 and was started by Arie Kizel and the owner of Ein-Stein’s, OJ Kness. For many years, it was the only Sunday night open mic in Toronto. I first performed at Ein-Stein’s in 2000 and came on board as the producer in 2003.EinsteinsAny advice for stand-up comedy up-and-comers….?
Work hard, perform, write, be polite and do not burn bridges.

And how do we buy tickets to the big anniversary show?
In keeping with the history of Ein-Stein’s there is NO COVER to get in and seating is first come first served. We ask that a donation be made to The Foundation for Nutrition and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Children www.nibdinkids.com because laughter is the best medicine!
Happy Hour Comedy @ Ein-Stein 20th Anniversary Show – Sunday Oct. 16th 8pm
Host Mr. Ronnie Edwards: Performers include Terry Clement, Darryl Purvis, Blair Streeter,  Mike McGregor, Monty Scott, Dean Young, Tyler, Morrison, Darren Frost,. Dave Patterson, Dave Sokolowski, Adrian Sawyer, Pat MacDonald, Jennifer McAuliffe, Caitlin Langelier,  Sarah Ashby, Dena Jackson, Patricia Severn, The Nat Turner Revue……and many more surprise guests.Happy Hour_imageEin-Stein’s, 229 College Street, Toronto. No cover but we encourage donations that will benefit www.nibdinkids.com