Cynical, clever and taboo.
Those are the words host Jared Borland used to describe a comedy show he’s bringing to Parksville Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Quality Resort Bayside.
“You don’t often get this caliber of comedy in smaller towns,” said Borland, a former Nanaimo resident who now lives in Vancouver promoting the Canadian comedy scene.
Borland has two comedians headlining the show: John Beuhler and Brett Martin, both who he describes as “personal idols when I first got into comedy eight years ago who are even more talented now.”
Beuhler, he said, is an “incredible” comedian with “all the traits of Russell Peters and the likes … I’m not quite sure why he isn’t super famous right now.”
Beuhler has opened for Zach Galifinakis, Dennis Miller, Joan Rivers, Martin Short, Craig Ferguson and Brent Butt. He’s performed on CBC’s Just For Laughs Gala, has been featured on stand up specials on CBC including the Debaters, Just For Laughs Gala, CTV and The Comedy Network; and his awards include Corner Gas Comic Genius Comedy, Comedy Network and Just for Laughs Homegrown winner. Beuhler even starred in his own one hour snowboarding mocumentary on Global TV called Chill.
“He (Beuhler) makes people think in a different way than maybe they normally would, he’ll attack social aspects of life and is very opinionated but by the time he’s done you can’t help but agree,” said Borland. “I imagine he’ll be in L.A. soon on the big screen.”
Also headlining the show, Borland says Brett Martin “has basically achieved all you can achieve in Canada’s comedy industry.”
Martin recently shot his first national television special: Comedy Now for CTV and the Comedy Network. He’s been touring Canada relentlessly and has since become a familiar face in the Canadian comedy landscape.
“He (Martin) is blunt, he attacks social things, politics and he’ll talk about religion,” said Borland, who added that he often gets standing ovations for his performances.
Borland said the two comedians have great chemistry and it’s sure to be an enjoyable show.
He warns that there will be “mature content” but assures lots of laughs.
Parksville is the first stop of the show’s Vancouver Island tour which will hit communities from Sidney to Port McNeil over the next few weeks.
Tickets are $20 in advance available at the Quality Resort Bayside or online through arbutusevents.ca. Doors open at 7p.m. and the show starts at 8p.m. For more information contact Megan Olsen at 250-937-0999.