Kevin Banner, Sooke’s very own stand up comedian is packing up his schtick and heading back to town for a night of comedy. It’s what he calls his annual blow off in Sooke. By blow off he means a night full of laughs and self deprecating adult humour. It’s going to be raunchy.
He’s pretty excited about coming back home for Sooke & Destroy on August 17.
“Last year I was nervous but the crowd was so good and other comics have been asking about doing it,” said Banner.
He said that for stand up comics there are not a lot of options apart from the gigs at comedy clubs, usually in the cities. So a one-nighter in Sooke at the community theatre is a good thing, both for the folks who enjoy comedy and the comedians who love to perform.
Performing stand up was a natural for Banner. He was the school funny guy and the laughs he got cemented his future dream. He grew up in Sooke and a lot of his family is still here, but he moved to Vancouver to get into the comedy scene on a more frequent basis. He is getting a lot of gigs and he said it is going better than he expected, although he still has another job. He was the houser emcee at Hecklers and he’s now a regular at the Comedy Mix.
So how does a Sooke kid get into comedy? Banner said it was desperation.
“It was desperation. I wanted to do something creative and be in control, stand up comics are the last people to say what we want, for the most part.”
Stand up is a gig you can do at any age and it doesn’t matter when you start cracking jokes for people.
“All the people I know that made a success out of Canada just work hard and they take opportunities when they come to you,” said Banner in regard to a comedians life in Canada.
Banner isn’t coming empty handed, he’s bringing some other funny people with him for Sooke & Destroy at EMCS. Along for the yuks are Jason Lamb, Katie-Ellen Humphries and headliner Ivan Decker.
“We’re all fighting the same fight,” said Banner, “Canadian show business.”
Jason Lamb has been doing stand-up comedy in B.C. for over a decade. In addition to being the house MC at Hecklers comedy club in Victoria, he is also the co-host of The Zone 91.3’s morning show. Recently, Lamb opened for two former Saturday Night Live cast members, Jon Lovitz and Norm Macdonald.
Katie-Ellen Humphries has been making a name for herself throughout the Pacific Northwest entertaining audiences with her sharp wit, inventive imagination and cavernous dimples. Twice selected to perform at the famous Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle and the Vancouver International Comedy Festival.
People may know Ivan Decker from his many appearances on CBC’s The Debaters... his special on CTV and the Comedy Network. Ivan has recently worked with SNL’s Seth Myers and Brent Butt of Corner Gas... Ivan makes his second appearance at Just For Laughs this year.
Tickets will be available at Shoppers Drug Mart and at the door.