Pulling The Trigger

I met with Emma Cooper to talk about comedy, activism, and sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

Emma Cooper has a decade of comedy under her belt. She overshares about shit, period shits specifically, and she co-produced the nationally-touring Rape is Real & Everywhere where survivors get real and real funny about their assaults.

Web: http://emmacooper.ca/

Twitter: @emmacoopstar

IG: @emmacooperhuman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rapeisreal/

Web: www.markhughescomedy.com

Twitter and IG: @markhughescomic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pulling-the-Trigger-1607733239249095/?ref=settings

I talked with Billy, a recovering addict, about his struggles with addiction, being a parent to a trans child, and taking prescription heroin.

*Billy is not his real name, and all instances have been beeped out.

Production Note: Due to some technical issues while recording, the quality of much of the episode is a little rough and quiet. Sorry, we did everything we could. Audio is louder and cleans up at about 1:25:50

Web: www.markhughescomedy.com

Twitter and IG: @markhughescomic

I met with Sarah Blyth - co-founder of the Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) - in her office on the DTES to talk about her work with the OPS, how it started, and her own life and experience with addiction and the school system.

https://vancityoverdoseprevention.com/

Twitter: @sarahblyth

https://www.facebook.com/Overdose-Prevention-Society-734627406687532/

http://www.markhughescomedy.com/

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/comedy-shocker-xv-tickets-38893790374

Amandeep Singh is a criminal defense lawyer based in the Greater Vancouver area. I met with him to talk about his career, how he applies principles he learned as a recovering alcoholic to help his clients, and his experience running for MLA last year.

http://www.markhughescomedy.com/

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/comedy-shocker-xv-tickets-38893790374

I met with Roger Street to discuss his 20 year career as a correctional officer. We talk about conflict resolution, communication skills, what it’s like being an openly gay man working in a prison, and comedy.

Web: www.markhughescomedy.com

Twitter and IG: @markhughescomic

In trouble with the law since he was a child, Glen spent twenty-three years behind bars. He was sentenced to 21 years to life in 1980 for shooting to death a Hudson’s Bay store manager during a Brink’s hold-up in Toronto.

After years of living a violent crime filled life, Glen became a Christian while he was at Kent Institution in 1982. The Lord then began to move in his life in a mighty way. Glen’s sentence was reduced by the Ontario Court of Appeal to 14 years to life. In 1987, he married his wife Sherry at William Head Institution. Paroled in 1992, Glen is the founder and co-facilitator of L.I.N.C. (Long-term Inmates Now in the Community).

In 1996, Glen was awarded the University College of the Fraser Valley’s volunteer of the year award for another programme he developed called Partners in Learning which pairs tutors from Ferndale Institution with at risk youth in alternative schools in Mission and Abbotsford. He believes strongly in the concept of restorative justice with its empowerment of victims and ultimate goal of a safer community for all.

Web: http://lincsociety.bc.ca/

Twitter:

@LINCSocietyBC

Mark Hughes:

Web: www.markhughescomedy.com

Twitter and IG: @markhughescomic

In our premier episode, Vancouver-based comedian Mark Hughes speaks with tantra educator and escort, Carmen Shakti, about sex-work and living life apart from the mainstream.

Carmen's bio: "Escort, bodyworker, Tibetan Tantra educator, writer, artist, activist and performer. Carmen brings with her a wealth of experience as a volunteer, activist, and outspoken member of the sex worker community"

Web: http://carmencourtesan.com/

Twitter:@CarmenShakti

Connect with Mark Hughes:

Web: www.markhughescomedy.com

Twitter and IG: @markhughescomic

November 3 & 4:

Sonar Comedy and Nightclub 1466 3rd Avenue, Prince George, BC.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/canadian-headliner-ron-vaudry-with-spark-plug-comic-mark-hughes-tickets-39404006444