Starting Out

This week on Starting Out I have on another one of my comedy brothers, someone who started around the same time as I did, and as you’ll hear was equally amazed when we met that we were somewhat normal people deciding to pursue this weird standup thing. It’s Dave Getachew on Starting Out! Dave’s real start began in MMA, before getting into his real love of standup. Dave talks about growing up as the son of Ethiopian parents in London Ontario of all places, and we share a lot about those lean early days, and about how great it is now to not be in those lean days and get to do so many shows with our friend and mentor Gavin Stephens. Follow Dave @kingbosstellsjokes. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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This week on Starting Out it’s another person I’ve been wanting to have on for a long, long time. He’s one of the best comics, and one of the best crowd work comics in the country, and easily one of the nicest people, it’s Liam Kelly. Liam is originally from Richmond Hill and it seemed to me that he had carved out his place there, running a weekly show for years which is where we met. But I was so excited to hear he recently moved to Toronto. Liam has been grinding and making a living out of standup for over 25 years, and offers so many pieces of great advice, I hope you new comics listen well. Thanks for listening and for supporting the pod. Give Liam a follow at @liamkellycomedy. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on Starting Out actually reached out to ask to come on and I am so happy she did. She has been grinding it out in the Toronto scene for 5-6 years and it’s been impressive watching her commitment, it’s Janice Israeloff. Janice spent 25 years as an actor, writer, and playwright before developing stage fright during her one-person play, One Flew Over the Cubicle. That stage fright led her to pursue standup as a solution, and she has lent her discipline and focus to standup ever since, and we talk about her experiences as a new-ish comic in the Toronto scene. Thanks for listening, check out her website jisraeloff.com for all her bookings. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on episode 91 of Starting Out is the second American-born comic I’ve had on, and for sure the only American born comic who moved to Canada to do standup, it’s Sam Norton! Sam and I talk about the phenomena that Canadians think he’s a failed comic because he lives here now, which just illustrates our inferiority complex so well. You can download Sam’s recent album “White Noise” - the world’s first ever 360 VR comedy special - at isamcomedy.com. Give him a follow @isamcomedy.  Sam is one of the the best, most dynamic standups in Toronto now, and while he may be scaling back his road work, go out and see him in Toronto soon. Thanks for listening, and supporting, please continue to do so.  

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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This is simply one of the best episodes of this show. I had no knowledge of Simon before we did a show together at Absolute, which is 100% my bad.  On that show he completely blew me away, and I learned he’s one of the OG Canadian comics, someone who has done everything you can do and more in this country, it’s Mr. Simon Cotter on Starting Out. Simon is so goddamn humble and describes his experiences in standup as that of luck and chance, but he is perhaps the one of the most talented performers and writers I’ve ever met. He was so thoughtful and eloquent in talking about his career, and as I said it was truly an honour to have him on. Thanks for listening, and supporting the pod. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on Starting Out is comedian and now film producer Joe Botelho. By all accounts, Joe and I should be closer as he literally started standup in Hamilton a month or two after I did, but we never clicked. We never had that deep talk, that long car ride to a show where we had the type of conversation we’re about to have. Joe was quite open about his draw to the social part of standup, especially becoming close with past guests Michael Moses and AJ Bate. And we have a rather raw, open conversation about things changing and what that means for him going forward. Joe is a producer on AJ’s latest film, “Sincerely Yours”, starring Val Cole which will be shown at the Hamilton Film Festival on Nov 6 at the Staircase Theatre, and has already been short listed on multiple international film festivals. Follow Joe @theangryskeptic. Thanks for listening, and please share, rate and review and all that. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on Starting Out is none other than one of the best comedians this country has produced, it’s Dom Pare! Again I was reluctant to ask Dom to come on as I hold him in such esteem, but we did a show together recently and we started by talking about whether he goes on last or not bothers him, and that just set up one of the best talks I’ve had on this show. Dom has done just about everything you can do comedy-wise in this country, and I feel so fortunate to get to know him better because his realness - how raw he is on stage and off is incredible and I think you'll find that in this chat too. Dom’s wife even made a brief appearance which was awesome. Thank you for listening and thanks to all who have share the pod with someone. Please go see Dom the second you can. Music by Devin Bateson.

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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This week’s guest actually told me he had been waiting to be asked to come on this pod since I started it up, and I’m so happy he had the patience to wait through 86 episodes and he still said yes, it’s Greg Houston on Starting Out! Greg joined me from his new-ish home base in the UK. We talk starting out in the Ottawa scene, the discipline and drive you have to have to take comedy seriously, and how much Greg contributed to building that scene up. And we spend a lot of time talking restarts - when you move cities and have to start basically from scratch. It was such a fun conversation with Greg that we didn’t want it to end and we finish talking about the uniqueness of the UK comedy scene. Follow Greg online @greghoustoncomedy. Thanks for listening.  Music by Devin Bateson. 

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on Starting Out is the multi-talented, uber creative, roast battle master, and now 10-year comedy veteran before the age of 30, it’s Sarah Ashby! I met Sarah very early on in my standup journey as we were competitors in a comedy competition in a large room with few people, but Sarah left a mark on me and I was really happy that she wanted to chat. Sarah seemed destined as the ideal candidate for the Humber comedy program as she wrote on a vision board in high school that she would become a standup comic. Sarah is recording her first album on Howl & Roar Records on October 23rd at Larry’s Folly here in Toronto, go to Eventbrite to buy tickets. I can’t recommend enough following Sarah on Twitter @Smashby17. Music by Devin Bateson.

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Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

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My guest this week on Starting Out is Dave Squeaky Wheelz! I ran into Dave at a show I hosted a little while back and I hadn’t seen him since first meeting him in his hometown of Windsor about 6 years ago. Dave and I had such a fun conversation about some of the challenges he faced growing up with a disability, and he was so eloquent and thoughtful in recounting it all. Dave has been through a lot and drops a lot of knowledge new comics will benefit from, so listen up! Check Dave out on social @davesqueakywheelz. Thanks as always for listening. Music by Devin Bateson. 

Follow us @startingoutpod
Music by @debateson
All episodes here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1632913 

Thanks for listening. Especially you...