When three Vancouver comics–Jared Borland, Kyle Jones, and Byron Bertram—got together over beers to figure out why they weren’t getting enough work from their agents, the trio decided to make some work for themselves. The result was a self-booked, 10-show tour of Vancouver Island over 14 days, going as north as Port McNeill and stopping in Borland’s hometown of Nanaimo, before hitting Victoria for an April 18 show at Club 9one9. With an idea to boost the comedy scene on the island, the trio of comedians hopes to bring us the laughs, and bring them hard. Nexus caught up to all three of these funnymen and asked them about what goes on behind the comedy scenes.
Jared Borland
Borland has a special tie to the Hear No Evil comedy tour of Vancouver Island, having been born and raised in Nanaimo, BC. He decided six years ago to pursue comedy after one of his friends moved to Vancouver and started doing standup. Borland quickly followed his buddy and has been doing comedy ever since.
What’s your go-to joke?
I call it “Stoned Sex.” It’s in regards to getting into a one-night stand while baked out of your tree on marijuana.
What’s your worst heckling experience?
It’s not necessarily the worst, but it’s the most unique. I was heckled by a mute. A man who couldn’t use his voice heckled me. He had a tracheotomy hole and what he did was run up to the stage and waved his arms and shook his body and interrupted the show. I couldn’t figure out what was going on until afterwards when all of the locals told me he was the local drunk and he was mute.
What’s the hardest part about being a comedian?
The financial side of it: just making it work for it to become a full-time job. And just consistently making sure you can get paid.
What’s the best part of doing comedy?
Making people laugh. The lifestyle. My entire job is thinking of ways to make people laugh, and then I get paid to do it. It’s just amazing. And once you take away the fact that I’m writing jokes all the time, although I can do that in the pub, I’m really only working one hour a night!
How does it feel to be up onstage?
It’s exhilarating. It’s the most stressful thing to me in the world, it’s the most anxiety-ridden moment the one second before I hop onstage, and that immediately turns into the opposite, to the most exhilarating, adrenaline-rush moments of my life.
Kyle Jones
Jones, who was born and raised in Vancouver, was an actor for years, but eventually got tired of it. He made the switch to comedy around eight years ago and hasn’t looked back, making people laugh his new chosen career.
What’s your go-to joke?
My go-to joke will always end up being something to do with an ex-girlfriend. Specifically, cheating ex-girlfriends.
What’s your worst heckling experience?
Actually, you can see it online. It went viral on YouTube. This guy was just talking through the whole show, just trying to be the funny guy. This prick’s name was Ryan, so I got the audience to start clapping and get behind me to bring him up on stage and I’m like, “Here, you take my set time and see what you can do, buddy.” So he came up onstage and just bombed. It was epic. I was like, “If you’re going to be an asshole, you come up onstage and try and do what I do for work,” and he just embarrassed the shit out of himself. So it was the worst and best heckling experience at the same time.
What’s the hardest part about being a comedian?
For me, it’s writing. Having to come up with stuff and just staying on top of it. The easiest part, believe it or not, is performing. At least for me. I have ADD, so sitting in my living room and trying to write… within two minutes there’s another activity I find myself doing.
What’s the best part of doing comedy?
Performing. Being onstage and interacting with people. And the instant gratification.
Who’s your favourite comedian and why?
Oooh… Richard Pryor. And why? He was brilliant. And he liked the bottle like I do.
How does it feel to be up onstage?
It’s a great question. You get the same feeling if you do comedy in front of 100 people as you do over 1,000 people. It’s taking people away from their daily lives for a half an hour. You can have an audience of people that are in debt, or just went through a breakup or whatever, and you can take them away from their situations and let them get involved in your world.
Bryon Bertram
Bertram was also born and raised in Vancouver and is a former street performer, which he started doing when he was 16. After street performing for 20 years, Bertram switched to comedy about 12 years ago.
What’s your go-to joke?
Ah, geez, fuck… I don’t really do jokes. I do bits. I don’t really have a bunch of jokes. If someone goes, ‘Tell me a joke!” I just say, “They’re all dirty!”
What’s your worst heckling experience?
Oh my god. This guy who just kept yelling, “You wanna suck my dick?!” over and over and over again. And he wouldn’t stop.
What’s the hardest part about being a comedian?
The uncertainty. Everybody thinking you’re just a clown, wanting you to dance like a monkey at all times. That’s part of it. Also, getting taken advantage of, financially.
What’s the best part of doing comedy?
Making people laugh. Being the centre of attention.
Who’s your favourite comedian and why?
I think Bill Hicks would be up there. He’s super real and he likes to take on the world. It’s his depth of humanity.
How does it feel to be up onstage?
Oh, it’s a rush. It’s a high. It’s a self-indulgent feeling to the highest extreme. It’s amazing.
Hear No Evil comedy tour
8 pm Friday April 18
$15-$20, Club 9one9
facebook.com/gotpopconcerts