TPS216: An Interview With Mark Forward
Episode Details
Transcript
The gang at The Produce Stand are joined by Mark Forward, who plays Coach on Letterkenny.
Speaker 0
That fresh produce stand there. That's a beauty. Speaker 1
What do you listen to? Speaker 2
My favorite murder podcast. Tagger and Dorns podcast. Speaker 3
The produce stand. Speaker 1
Fucking sec. See. Speaker 4
It's taco Tuesday, and that means we are once again hanging out the produce stand. The podcast paint to everything in that universe. Now I know what you're thinking. There are many other Letter Kenny podcasts out there, but this one is Speaker 0
It's fucking embarrassing. Speaker 4
I'm Malia host and joining me in the room as always. It's lovely Tanya. Online, we have squirrely Matt, the very accountable Victor. And joining this this week Oh my god. I lost all my notes. Where did my notes go? My notes are gone. Okay. I'm gonna have to wing this. He's a comedian. He's an actor. He's the winner of a bunch of comedy awards. You've known from Mr. D. You know him from, the John Dorris television show, but we all know and love him. As the mercurial and lovable co coach from Letter Kenny. Please join me making some noise for Mark forward. Speaker 3
Munress. Oh, my gourd. Speaker 1
That is fucking embarrassing. Speaker 4
Welcome to the produce and Speaker 2
mark forward. Speaker 4
Thank you for joining us. Speaker 0
How are you? Speaker 4
We're well. I'm, literally, I'm looking at notes that that aren't there anymore. I've been working all afternoon researching you, Mark, for your interview, and they're gone. This is so fucking embarrassing. But thank you for joining us today. Speaker 0
Sorry. I was just fixing the audio there. I didn't hear anything you said, but, I'm glad to be here. If you said, welcome. Okay. Speaker 5
You did. Yeah. Speaker 0
Right. So it's a good start. Think you don't have notes and I didn't hear anything you said. Speaker 4
Perfect. Then, you know what? Speaker 1
I'll just cut up. Speaker 4
I'll fix it in post. Mark, where are you speaking to us from? Speaker 0
Ontario, Canada. Oh, okay. That's his that's his geo narrow Speaker 5
Pacific as we've got. Yeah? Speaker 4
As you're gonna get okay. Is that where so you're born in you're from? Speaker 5
Ontario Canada. Speaker 4
More than raised in Ontario, Canada then? Speaker 0
Correct. It was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario. Okay. So Speaker 4
that's where you grew up. Speaker 0
The Canadian open. Nice. Perfect. Speaker 4
I Speaker 0
think it's still the home of thing. Yeah. And it was the home of the Canadian open. Amazing. Oh, man. My improv skills are off. Let's go. Speaker 4
Oh, it's okay. Mine are off as well, and I'm having to do this now with no notes. So I'm I'm a little worried how this is gonna go. Speaker 0
You had notes and you've lost them all? Speaker 4
I I mean, I had all these things. I was gonna ask you about these, like, really amazing you know Yeah. Speaker 0
We've all we've all played this too. Speaker 2
I have some notes out. Don't worry. Speaker 1
If you go to version history on the file, you might be able to recover. Speaker 4
Let's not even dwell on that. Mark, When and how did you get into acting or comedy? Which one come came first? Speaker 0
I went to theater school to, be a actor because I thought that's what I wanted to do. And, I did that for three years, and then I graduated. Did Beater for a year in the basement of a bank in a food court. Oh, okay. Cool. Yes. The business people would bring their lunches down to a theater in the food court. And we would do half a play. And then the next week, they would come see the other half of the play. What? Yeah. True story. Speaker 5
Never in my life heard anything like that. Speaker 0
I don't think anything like it exists anymore, but, yeah, so they would, you know, get a and w at the food court. And then, come see the plate. So I was also working at the bank at the time. If I don't know if you've ever heard of night deposit, but that goes from two AM till ten AM. So businesses will, you know, when you see the brink's trucks roll up, right, they take to this central bank and then people at night are opening up those little bags and depositing it into their account. So I worked from two AM to ten AM, then I did a play from eleven to one. We did two shows. And then I learned the second half of the play in the afternoon. And then at some point, I slept. That was my first year as a working actor. Speaker 4
So was this, straight out of high school or or after college? Speaker 0
Straight out of college. Speaker 4
Okay. Yeah. Amazing. So Speaker 0
out college. It's making two hundred fifty dollars a week. Mhmm. So Speaker 5
Is that including the night shift and the active. Yeah. Speaker 0
That was that was everything all. Yeah. No. I think it was making eleven dollars an hour to beg. It's pretty good at that time. Speaker 4
Amazing. So, so acting came first then is what you're basically telling us. Speaker 0
Yes, sir. And then I worked on this play where this gentleman did not like that I was cast in it and he owned the rights to the play, and so he didn't speak to me for the entire rehearsal And the only time he ever converse with me is in character on stage. So, I didn't enjoy that experience. So I wanted to act still, but I wanted to remove all the other actors. So I found stand up. Speaker 4
That one that would kind of also explain the style of stand up you've kinda chosen, which to me is more performance art than actual, like, stand up comedy. It's it's very different. I mean, in terms of Speaker 0
Oh, I would rephrase it, but yeah. Speaker 4
Oh, okay. Well, why don't you explain to us your style of comedy then? It's funny. Speaker 0
Kinda just made it sound like it's not funny at all. Speaker 4
No. It's very funny. No. It's it's very funny. It's just not the joke punch line, joke punch line that that were you're used Speaker 0
to when Speaker 4
you go to Yuck yucks. Right? Speaker 0
I was pulling this up here, but, yeah, it's it's different, and it it took me a while to get there. But, yeah, it's different. It's more storytelling silliness, in-depth, ridiculousness. Speaker 5
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the first story. On and there's a bit of me that feels like you're fucking with us, Speaker 0
but Okay. It's about the the the the bank and the working Speaker 5
that, like, that was real. Like, we're they're saying this is absolutely real. Speaker 0
That was real. I mean, I think if I was fucking with you. It would be slightly more interesting. Like, I Speaker 5
I'm caught hook line and sinker at this point, but you could tell me anything. I mean, that's Speaker 0
yeah, I did. Oh, and one time I went to the food court and, used the wrong condiments at a coffee shop. And I was walking away, and the woman chucked a, full liter of milk at my head. Oh, true story. Speaker 2
How do you use condiments the wrong way? Speaker 0
Well, like, she there was a coffee shop here, and then there was a sorry. This is, radio. There was a coffee shop beside a coffee shop. And they both had their own separate condiments. And I used I purchased from one coffee place and used hers. Speaker 4
So she Speaker 2
put ketchup in your coffee. Speaker 0
She yeah. I put ketchup in mustard in my coffee, and she was like, what is wrong with you? Yeah. She was more upset that I ruined my own coffee. No. So she threw it in my head. And then I think I got, it was from muff You guys have muffins. Speaker 2
Oh, I love those because they Speaker 0
don't put the paper Speaker 2
on the bottom. You just eat the whole thing without any complexity. Speaker 0
Corn muffins. The corn muffins were okay. I'm glad they removed that step for you and made it easier. Speaker 4
I think there's all about the efficiency. Speaker 0
We've all just been staring at our muffins, wondering how to eat them. And then I think I had an HV, gift certificate from the company. It was for twenty dollars for that incident. Speaker 5
It it paid off, right? Speaker 0
Oh, yeah. You mess Speaker 5
up your coffee, but you got a gift certificate. I think Speaker 0
I got Forrest gum. And, I learned a lot. I learned many lessons in life and on the movie. Speaker 4
So we're gonna get you we're gonna get you to a lot of Kenny, but in in a moment. Let's just go some of your your credits here because you you've you've taken some interesting roles. It is it true that your first role was on a show called Doc with, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus is the star. Is that, Speaker 0
gosh. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 4
It's a first role. Speaker 0
Yeah. He had a he had a show where he played a doctor. Mhmm. I think it was only up here Right? You guys didn't get that. Speaker 4
We're in Canada. Speaker 2
We're in Canada. Speaker 0
We're in Canada. Speaker 5
Oh, we're all in the Toronto area. Speaker 0
Yeah. Okay. I don't know why I assumed you guys were State side. Speaker 4
Because we're annoy annoying you or something. Why? Yeah. Speaker 5
I feel like we've been rather polite. Speaker 4
So Was You know, you you've been Speaker 0
I don't know why I thought you were I I was like, I thought you were just on the other side of the border. No. I created that whole thing in my head. Speaker 5
It's okay. I like you. Tell us our backstories. Speaker 1
Yeah. I Speaker 0
think you're in cheek de Waga. Speaker 2
Being in Ontario, we might be neighbors. Yes. Speaker 0
Oh, yeah. That's why I don't wanna see where I live. Yeah. Yeah. So you saw Talk? Yeah. I think, Speaker 4
I I'm I'm aware of Doc, and I know that what was he a cardi a cardiologist or whatever? Was he, like, you know, repairing that could break in. Yeah. I didn't Speaker 0
even remember this happened until you just said it. So I have no idea what line I was schooling. Speaker 4
I was trying to set you up for the iffy breaky heart punch line, but that's our Speaker 0
Oh. Well, I'm glad I didn't take it. Speaker 4
There you go. I did you a favor. What Speaker 0
was his second hit? Speaker 4
Did he have one? I don't even know. His daughters had many, but, Speaker 2
his second hit was his daughter, I think. Speaker 0
Yeah. Speaker 4
Probably. Speaker 0
Yeah. I I don't really remember a lot about that. I think I I think I only had a couple lines. Speaker 5
Mhmm. Speaker 0
And, Yeah. That's all I remember, but I think I had to drive a car. Speaker 4
Where was that shot? Was that shot up here? Speaker 0
Yeah. It was shot in Toronto. Oh, wow. Speaker 4
Interesting. Another one you had that I Speaker 0
think it was like a Canadian Copro kind of thing. Speaker 5
Oh, really? Speaker 4
Yeah. That's why it didn't do so well. Another one that you had the same year. I'm I'm only interested in because of the the character you played. This show was was the escape from the newsroom, which I'm I'm guessing was like a a spin off from the Canadian show of the newsroom, but the the character you played, the cannibal. What what exactly was your role in that? Speaker 0
God. I should have researched myself before coming on here. I think escape from I think escape from the newsroom was a a movie after the newsroom Mhmm. Had ended. Yeah. I think I had two lines in that as well. And I was being interviewed on the news because I ate some people. That's all I remember. Speaker 4
So you so you actually were a cannibal in in the in the Speaker 0
Yes. I was. And I and I think oh, and I I remember I remember You know, Ken Finkelman who found that show? Yeah. Yeah. So he was a strange, strange man. Mhmm. Not saying strange in, like, bad, but just like, he was a strange man. Yeah. And I remember I said my line, and then I touched my stomach. And he said, don't ever do that. And I was like, okay. So That was, like, my second role, and I was terrified. Wow. Yeah. I never I don't think I ever did any hand acting after that. I mean, it was a dumb choice. Yeah. I agreed with him. Mhmm. But he could've said, maybe we'd try it without that. Nice. There's no one passed their stomach when they're full? Speaker 4
I don't know. I mean yeah. Okay. That's why that that's why you succeeded as an actor, and we're here interviewing you, I Speaker 0
guess. To Speaker 4
me, it Speaker 0
I I I don't know if I've succeeded. I think I've fooled a lot of people and, Speaker 4
Oh, I think you've done Speaker 0
getting work. Speaker 4
Done quite well, but we get to the successful parts, you were all you'd also did one episode on the grassy, the next generation. I only asked that because I wanna know if you ever met Drake. Speaker 0
I did not. Speaker 2
It was Jimmy back then, whatever. Yeah. Speaker 0
I don't, I don't think he was on it. But, yeah, I think I have one line in that. I was, like, I was a judging a, a cheerleading com tissue. Speaker 4
That's right. Yeah. The character is judge. You're listed as judge. I'm now in. Speaker 0
There you go. See. I'm nailing it. Is that two points? That's two points. Speaker 2
Alright. Let me ask you a question. So on your reel, you have a clip from spun out. And at the end, the punch line is, oh, the special lasagna. And then it doesn't go on and because it's just a clip. I never saw the show. So what is the specialization? Speaker 0
I put, I think I put drugs in it. Oh? I was a drug dealer. Oh, okay. So, yeah, I put drugs in her Speaker 2
because she chose not to eat it. Speaker 0
Yes. Because it was, Speaker 5
it was there. Speaker 0
It was edibles inside it. Speaker 2
Yeah. Speaker 0
I believe. Amazing. I hope no one facts checks me on anything I'm saying. Speaker 4
Because I'm I'm reading along as you're skipping. Let's let's go to a more mainstream movie that that's in your MDB here, and that is the rocker. I mean, check out this cast. Rain Wilson, Christine Applegate. Emma Stone, Jane Lynch, Jason Sadesh. I mean, it's it's kinda crazy. Howard Hessman, you had Johnny fever. Speaker 0
Which meet entities. They paid thirteen million at the box office. Speaker 4
Yeah. Well, I mean, like, Canadian scattered. Speaker 0
That's amazing. Colossal bomb for Rain Wilson Speaker 3
Oh, man. Speaker 0
His first comedic lead. Speaker 5
And, surprisingly, I still want like, can you I'm assuming you guys can see my screen. I had to pull this up. I remembered you as soon as I signed letter, Kenny, I picked you out from your bits there. Speaker 0
And here for those who can't see it Speaker 5
as a podcast, it's a shot of Rain Wilson leaping through the air and Mark and Jeff Garland, a bunch of other guys, catching him and body surfing him out of the room. What a fantastic scene and moment this was? Speaker 4
I Speaker 5
still watch this movie at least once a year. Speaker 4
The the video's great. Speaker 5
Yeah. I love it. I absolutely love Speaker 0
this movie. Speaker 4
There you go. Speaker 0
Yeah. Wow. I got that part. I was doing stand up at the Riverley in Toronto, which used to have a show on Monday nights. Speaker 4
Genderary. Yeah. Speaker 0
And they saw me do stand up and they said, Hey. Will you come be in our movie? And I that's the weirdest way I've ever gotten apart. But, yeah, I I was like, sure. Yeah. And I also remember I was getting changed in, in the, getting my costume on and Christina Applegate opened the door and and I had my underwear on. So that was pretty cool. Speaker 4
It's a moment Speaker 5
you'll have forever. Speaker 0
Yeah. She she won't remember it. But I do. Speaker 4
She's a sister from married with children. I'm sure. You probably blushed a bit. Speaker 0
I used to sit with, I had a lot of scenes where I just had to sit with Jeff garland. Speaker 4
Mhmm. Speaker 0
And, he he would constantly watch the extras and how they were overacting around and just totally point them out to us, look at that guy and look at their little thing. And and he he said it was his job on curb to go around and tell the extras to knock it off. Speaker 4
Oh, really? Speaker 0
Yeah. That's what he said. Speaker 4
More than few people patting their stomachs too. Well, Yeah. Speaker 0
There was a lot of extras doing stomach acting. Speaker 4
Another one well, another big one that you're part of Fargo, and with another impressive cast, but, I mean, off and on over the last few years. Right? But, talk about Fargo because that that seems to be one that you were on, what, for about nine episodes, something like that? Speaker 0
Yeah. I had a pretty good run there. It was supposed to be Gaffigan. Mhmm. And he backed out. And so, they were holding auditions everywhere and, I even remember saying to my agent at the time, like, I was like, I can't do I can't do a Fargo accent. And she's just like, go do it anyway. And I was like, oh, it's all the way across town. I was being such a bitch that day. Speaker 4
It's it's a big show. I can't believe you're being so difficult. Speaker 0
I am so hard to get to do things. So I went across town, and I did this audition. And, And, I went in. It was just me, and the guy that was working the camera, was my fight teacher in theaters school. So it was just me and this guy that I knew, and I'm like, oh, I'm never, I'm never getting this. And then it was like the next day. They were like, okay. Yeah. You got it. And you're coming, and I was like, I was on a Thursday. And then by Tuesday, I was in Calgary Wow. Because they had they were in the middle of filming. Right? So Yeah. I luckily got a role that wasn't mine. And as you know, in letter, Kenny. That's the same way I got the other role. Mhmm. And in mister d, there was supposed to be a lady librarian, and that didn't happen. So I got that I only get roles when people say they don't want it. But Fargo was insane. It was it was crazy. Carrie Koon Shay Wigham, like, I remember sitting. I had a scene where they were acting the shit out of it, and I was sitting at a table just being more forward just watching them. I totally left the scene. It was just like, oh, wow. Look at the look at these guys go. Yeah. That was that was an amazing thing to be a part of. Mhmm. Yep. Top notch. Speaker 4
You mentioned Jerry d or Mr. D. And, that's a a great Canadian show, our American listeners may not be familiar with, but they would be familiar with a few of the actors in there including yourself. We had Jonathan Torans, and, Darren Rose, the he played the doctor in the prostate episode, on season eleven. Talk a little bit about, being on, mister d. Speaker 0
That's where I met Jonathan Torrance for the first time. Oh, yeah. And, my goodness. What a fun human being to meet? He he used to pull up everyone else had their little trailers, but he lived near there. So he would pull up his silver stream and park it. Speaker 4
He brought his own trailer. Speaker 0
Yeah. He brought Speaker 5
his jet Speaker 0
trailer. Right? Speaker 4
Nice. Yeah. Speaker 0
He brought his jet stream, and, we would all gather in their and play scrabble at lunch. There was a lot of fun, because I got to write my character on that one as well, which was great. So I just kept throwing out things on that show and kept thinking, well, someone's gonna say, stop it, and no one ever did. It was quite amazing. Like, because my character Mr. Li Young was, he lived in China and was adopted by Canadian Chinese parents. Speaker 4
Okay. Speaker 0
So I thought that would get shot down. That did not get shot down. Speaker 4
So so you created that backstory. Speaker 0
Yeah. Then I said, okay. Well, how about he adopted a black child? And they said, yeah. That's great. And then I said, okay. Well, how about his name is Gawi? And, they went with it. I mean, also, mister Leon didn't have he only had one testicle. Like everything I kept growing, it just kind of fit. And, he was such a strange, strange human being. Speaker 5
So quest questions with that, like, what you described there. Does that happen? I mean, maybe not a lot, but when that happens, does that just sort of reaffirm your own madness and, like, the things you're bringing to everything? You're like because you're like, I'm surprised it took, and then it keeps taking. And you're like, you know what it is funny? Speaker 0
People are accepting this. And even though it felt at a left left field from me? Like, does that reaffirm where you're heading in your in your comedic direction and stuff? Yeah. I I think so. I think I think it's good that I don't believe in anything that I come up with ever. Because it seems to work best for me. I mean, you guys saw the show that that bear joke at the end, I almost never did live. Because I was like, oh, this is stupid. Right. This is the waste time, and now I'm Speaker 4
closing on it. So I Speaker 0
my instincts are not Speaker 5
The best. You you're you're dead I'm gonna say you're dead wrong on that one. So, yeah, we saw the Burlington show in Bravo, but away. And Alan Alan and I talked after and I looked Speaker 0
at me and he's like, he's kinda brilliant. Speaker 5
I'm like, I know. And and I mean this in the most endearing way. I'm like, a lot of it, it just it's so dumb. Speaker 4
Matt, how do you take that non endearingly? I mean, you Speaker 5
But I know it's but no. No. On the second part, like, I'm like, it's so dumb, but in the best possible way. Like, I I I think I think the lady, a couple of people behind me, were eyeballing me because I was so aggressively laughing half the time. Right. And I'm like, are you not hearing the same show? Like, I didn't get it. But, dude, you're absolutely fantastic up there, by the way. I agree with you. It's dumb. Speaker 0
It's dumb. It's it's intelligent dumbness, I think, because dumb dumb to me cannot be it's not funny if it's just dumb. Yeah. But there's a dumbness to it for sure. And I also think Like I say on stage, like, you, you either give in to it. Yeah. And some people fight it. They just fight a silly. Speaker 5
Just lean into the silly man as you do. Speaker 0
Just lean into the silly god. Speaker 1
And and your song is such an earworm that, like, it stayed with us far too long. Speaker 4
I mean, we'll get to we'll get to the tour later because, there's some great news about to share about that. Just to close off, mister Dee. I mean, you worked with Jerry Du who's a com a fellow comedian. Mhmm. Is was he somebody you knew before you were on the show, like, on the circuit? Or Yeah. Speaker 0
He he was someone I met doing stand up and then he wanted he he he had watched a lot of Canadian TV and he wanted funny people in the room and not just writers. So he hired a bunch of, people that he found funny. So big choices. Yeah. Speaker 4
He's great. I mean, I remember seeing him on last comic standing and, sharing, cheering for him because, loved his brand of humor. It was kind of a localized almost like, Russell Peters in terms of a lot of his jokes hit home because we grew up in the GTA. Yeah. But, still, there was a lot of universal humor too, to what he had to say. Now, during this time you're doing all this acting, at what point because I see here, you're the winner of the two thousand and five Canadian comedy award. So at some point, you're also now developing this this comic act. How long did it take before you're winning awards at at Yuck yachts and and, at, it took me a while. Speaker 0
Actually, there was a lot of people that were progressing asked me because I made a lot of mistakes and it took me a lot longer because I guess because of my voice is so different that it took me a lot longer to find it. But, I was working at, I walked into one place. I needed a job after the bank. I walked into one place, gave them my resume, and they happened to have a comedy club in Toronto upstairs. Speaker 4
Okay. Speaker 0
And so I started working the bar there and then, in fact that's the first that's the real first time I ever met Jonathan Torres. He was he came and did stand up while he was on a date with a young lady. And he had a broken, leg because he just got in a car accident. Speaker 4
Wow. Speaker 5
A lot of bold happening there. Yeah. Speaker 0
Yeah. So I was working the bar John and Torrance came to the girl with broken leg and did stand up for the first time. Speaker 4
And how did he do? Speaker 0
I I don't I don't think he did bad. He's so charming. Speaker 4
Right. Yeah. Speaker 0
Right? Like, he could just go up there and talk for ten minutes. And, Speaker 4
I really wanna get him on because I can't think of any other Canadian, showbiz person who's been consistently on Canadian television since he was, like, a teenager. Like from street sense to genre vision to trailer park voice. I mean, he's never not been on Canadian television. I feel like that's I can't think of anyone else who's been like that. Speaker 0
Yeah. No. He's, that's true. That's very true. Yeah. He's done he hasn't stopped working since he was in his teens. It's crazy. Yeah. I I think for, I think it was the Winnipeg comedy festival we performed together and we sang about high school, and it was this song where, you know, high school was horrible for me and his version was like he couldn't max out his RSP. So yeah. So I'm saying about eating dog shit and acne. And he's like, yeah, and I couldn't, yeah, I couldn't, myself and my RSPs. He he And the thing is too, though, to be in it all his life and still just be a level headed. Speaker 4
Right. Yeah. He's not a full of himself or anything. Like that for for movie for it anyway. Speaker 0
Because the thing is I I'm pretty jaded. So when I met him, I was like, eventually, I'm gonna see this facade Mhmm. Break, and, I never have. Never have. Speaker 5
That's good to hear. Speaker 0
It's real. Mhmm. So so what's real? It's a realist. Speaker 2
Was he doing his stand up sitting down that evening? Speaker 0
He was standing with crutches. Standing with crutches. You're leaning into it. So to go a long way around to answer your question, that was the first time I did stand up was there. I I was behind the bar, took off my shirt, went up to stand up, and then went back behind the bar. Speaker 4
Shirtless. So you're doing that. Like, what's Yeah. Yeah. Shortless comedian now. Speaker 0
That was pretty fucking birthday. Speaker 5
They would they didn't know as you as, like, they they chewed off it. Like, that's not the tender. And then, oh, it is the bartender. Speaker 0
No, guys. I just took off the shirt from work. You pedantic Oh, Speaker 1
I thought you were doing a little Chippendale thing going. Speaker 0
No. Speaker 4
Can you remember did you have, like, prepared material or did you just get up there and ring it? Speaker 0
No. I have prepared material. Okay. I believe. Yes. Speaker 4
You remember your first joke? Speaker 0
Oh, that's a great question. No. No. Okay. I used to do a lot of jokes about Canadian TV. I don't remember that. Mhmm. I used to talk about how everyone under grassy was Like, everyone on nine zero two one one was attractive. Speaker 4
Right. Speaker 0
And everyone on the grassy was the most homely looking child you've ever seen. Speaker 4
The original degrassi because I feel like Yeah. Speaker 0
The original. Yeah. Speaker 4
They figured it out with the new generation and stuff, but yeah. I think Speaker 0
my first joke was wake up in the morning. Hold it back on ugly. Oh, that's the joke. Speaker 2
Wait. Wait. I know I know your first joke. Speaker 0
You do. Speaker 2
Yes. Why did Mark cross the road? Speaker 4
Oh, boy. Speaker 5
Because he don't don't bite Speaker 2
because he could only go forward. Speaker 0
Oh, man. No. Speaker 5
And this is where he hangs up. Speaker 4
Yeah. Thanks, man. Please disregard Victor. Speaker 0
Wow. I assume we yeah. We so we deal with this every week. Speaker 4
I was on Speaker 0
a I was on a phone. Speaker 2
If you need a writer for your material, just let me know. Speaker 4
Don't call him. He'll call you Alright. Let's get to Speaker 0
Hold on. Speaker 5
One one quick question before we dive into Better Kenny. Speaker 0
Mhmm. Speaker 5
So the evolution of your comedy, like, when you started, Speaker 0
Was it, like, you up there telling, like, like, kind of, Speaker 5
your standard, stand up comedy, telling jokes, brain interact, and two, like, what was the evolution into more the as I'll put a performance style approach to things. Speaker 0
I think the first thing I wrote was the was a joke about I do a joke about chipmunks, and it's just about giving them peanuts, and then it turns into spousal abuse by the end of it. And that was sort of the first time I was like, oh, yeah. This is this is this is this is this this feels right. Yeah. And so from there on, it was weeding out the other stuff, and bringing in more of, the stuff I like So But that was the moment. Yeah. Yeah. And I was actually feeding a chipmunk in the in the whole it it was it was such a shitty gig I was at. It was a motel, you know, where the door opens up to the wilderness and the chipmunk was coming into my hotel room and, eating the peanuts. And then that night, I tried the the joke. And then I remember my friend Steve Dillon was like, you fucking asshole. And and well, I said one question. Speaker 5
I'm asking one more. Did you went from a from a comedy standpoint, did you have any were there any stars out there that you looked up to or or or aspired to be similar to? Speaker 0
Yeah. John George was huge inspiration for him. Okay. Huge inspiration because I would go watch him and go wait I remember my brain going, can he do that? Like, can what? Can he do that? And then I was like, yeah, why can't we do that? So He was huge eye opener. Huge. Speaker 4
And if I had my notes, I would have asked you about the show, but since you brought him up, you were on the John Door television show. Speaker 0
Yeah. I was on it and, helped write it. Mhmm. It was me, Steve Dillon, and, Laurie Elliot. Yeah, that was That show was crazy for its time. Speaker 4
Right. Speaker 0
Crazy. Speaker 4
Yeah. I Speaker 0
don't even know if you could air it now. Speaker 4
Probably not. Is that where you met Jeff McHenry? Speaker 0
No. We hired we John was great at hiring all the comics and getting them on the show. So that's I knew Jeff. Speaker 4
Oh, okay. Speaker 0
Jeff came out of nowhere. Right? Like, Jeff, I think it was the first year. There was a there was this big contests and it was like for twenty five thousand dollars. Yeah. And all the guys that have been doing it for years had been trying to win this thing. And Jeff came out of nowhere and won it and everyone was like, who the fuck is this asshole? And he'll tell you and then it went downhill from there. Speaker 4
Yeah. He he told us that story as he was sitting in Winnipeg waiting for, like, he did in the middle of February when we last when we interviewed him. Speaker 0
So he Speaker 5
was pretty pretty sorry about Speaker 0
sitting in Winnipeg. Yeah. So, yeah, we would John was very good. Hiring everybody, but that show but John was a huge, huge influence. So John used to have this bit, and he probably still does it, but it was, like, It was, you know, when someone comes up to you and says, you don't like Van Halin, and then they go, like, you don't like Van Halin? Like, you don't like Van Halin? He goes, you can't do that anywhere else. You know, you can't go like you don't like fishing, and then he would start fishing. Speaker 2
Mhmm. Speaker 0
And then it would be like this twenty minute scene about fishing. So whatever comic was on the show would play like a neighbor that wants come fish with them for a bit. Right. And then, you know, we'd run through the audience like we were on a Seadu and And then some, you know, the park ranger would come. And then twenty minutes later, everyone would leave the stage and he'd go, you don't like fishing. And I was like, that's I think he did it on Conan. But, anyway, watching him was huge. Speaker 4
Amazing. That's huge. Alright. Let's get to why folks are listening right now, and that's, letter Kenny. Before we start talking to letter Kenny, I'd like just to play you this little clip here from somebody who's has got something to say about you. Speaker 3
He's a guy I I have a ton of admiration for and a ton of respect for. He's a guy who's seen the hot and cold of the Canadian industry. He knows it better than any of us. He's like me and Lisa Codrington, for that matter, and that when he comes to to act, he kinda stays to himself. You know, he's he's not there cracking jokes or being overly social. He's off on his own staying focused because what he's going to do when we call action requires a lot of focus. He's going to be shocking and provocative, and the people opposite in scenes, he's going to be trying to make them laugh. He's one of those actors. He's actively trying to make you laugh. So he's he's really forced to stay focused. He's that kind of an actor. On top of that, he's a friend. I've I've spent a lot of time with we've toured across Canada together across the US together, but on the most recent tour, you know, when we had the option to fly from city to city on tour rather then take the bus. Him and I would rent a car instead and and drive together, from city to city and just talk in any burgers and stop and see sights. So we we we become really close over the years. And, you know, it's something I really value him for. If he doesn't like something I'm doing, he's gonna tell me. And I'll listen to him. I take forward's opinion and praise and criticism very, very seriously. He's just a guy I respect so much personally and professionally. I just I and he's so funny. So I want his respect because let me tell you Mark Forward does not give a shit. He he is his own man, and he'll always be honest with you, and that is rare. And I appreciate him a lot for it. Speaker 4
That's, high praise from the, creator of Letter Kenny. Speaker 0
That's pretty nice to hear. Speaker 4
Yeah. So Speaker 0
I think he's a piece of shit. He's a piece of shit. Yes. Okay. Speaker 5
So he still doesn't want you to respect it. I get it. Speaker 0
That's really kind of him to say. That's really kind. Speaker 4
Amazing. So, I mean, you you mentioned that, you basically came in and took over the coaches role. How did how did you get it? Was your agent call you or or did somebody from the show call you? Speaker 0
Jacob tierney had worked with me on mister Dee, and he suggested me. And so I got the part with no audition. So which is terrifying as an actor because I don't I don't know if I'll bring what they want. Speaker 4
Right. Speaker 0
And you're on set. And, you know, the first time you play that character is on action. So it was It was kind of nerve wracking. But Jared is so precise in his writing. That I I I think you'd have to be really stupid to read that character and not see who he was looking for. That doesn't mean you can pull it off, but I could see, the words were there. So, yeah, he he's so impressive that, we get asked all the time, like, how much of it is improviser, how much is it, and it's it's it's not. It's, like, ninety nine point nine percent on the page right down to right down to the music cues right down to like he writes with songs in his head already when he writes a scene, it's like at two minutes, twenty three seconds, this part of the song plays and, yeah, he's very precise and knows exactly what he's doing and what he wants. So I I just walked in and kinda said his words the best I could. And thankfully it worked out. Speaker 4
So all all on the page, you didn't receive any kind of direction or you just kind of, what what you thought what you envision when you read those. Speaker 0
I kinda I can't I think Jacob Jacob knew me from playing such a strange character on that, I think they just let I don't remember. I think they just let me go on the first day and then they and then they were like, yeah, that's That's him. And I don't remember doing a lot of it too. I remember having a massive headache at the end of the day and every day after that onset, I took a aspirin before, but, yeah, I think I just came in and did it. And, and, like I said, the words were there It was pretty clear who it was and, luckily, I, I gave them what they wanted. Speaker 5
Awesome. Did your has your relationship with a garbage can grown outside of the show since since making the show? No? Speaker 0
It's so funny because I forget. Right? Like, I forget, And then I think, on tours, someone took a picture of me and I had my legs spread over and there was a garbage can in the picture. And I was about to post it, and someone said, I don't know if you want forty thousand versions of, of it coming at you again. I mean, it's lovely. It's such a strange thing for me. But I learned a lot from Torrance too, right? Cause he was on trailer park boys and learned, you know, he can't post anything without someone saying no one I'm saying, right? So, just like I can't post anything without someone saying that to me. Even if it's like a heartfelt which those ones kinda Yeah. If I'm trying to be sincere and someone tells me it's fucking embarrassing, I'm like, okay. But okay. But Is it? Or yeah. Yeah. It's quite an honor to have, people so excited about it. But, yeah, no, I have no connection to other than, I know which one's hurt. Mhmm. Yeah. I can look at a garbage can and tell you if that one's gonna hurt if you kick. Yeah. It was the kick Speaker 5
the kick strength needed for different types of cans, I guess. Speaker 0
Yes. Always the side of the foot. Speaker 1
Gonna say you need steel toes for for that much kicking. Speaker 0
Yeah. Side of the foot for those those, what are they rubber made? Yep. Out of the foot. Always, guys. Don't be don't be kicking those with your toes. The more Speaker 5
you know. Speaker 0
Yeah. Golf bag on the golf episode. Yeah. Which I wasn't, like, it wasn't in the script. And, I thought they were just bags, but, no, there's metal. Yeah. Their middle pulls in those. That fucking hurt. Speaker 1
So did you ever break a toe or have any related injuries? Speaker 0
Anything, but I did have a lot of, like, a lot of bruising, and I and I cut on, I think on the, the talent show because we use one of those smaller plastic ones and they break. Speaker 1
Yeah. Speaker 0
And then they can cut you. Yeah. So I guess I do know a lot about garbage cans. It's just not, you know, it's just something someone asks you. You realize You didn't Speaker 5
know that was come with the hard questions today. Speaker 0
I have a wealth of knowledge, I guess. Yeah. Speaker 4
When, when we told our listeners, you were coming on, obviously, a lot of excitement. We have one listener in particular. What? Well, to to hear to to hear from you, to to hear your your answers to their questions. We've asked Speaker 0
I literally was telling the story about the garbage cans in my head was saying, just shut off. Okay. What? Speaker 4
One one of our listeners, you may kinda know her because she she appears, you know, every once in a while at your shows. Her name's Cassie. Yep. And, I've Speaker 0
seen her once in a while. Speaker 4
Once in a while. Yeah. Yeah. She's kind of a fan. Yeah. But she's a sweetheart. I just want you to know. Nothing to worry about. What are some what are some of your favorite scenes favorite coach scenes on Mother Kenny. That's from from Cassie. One of many that, Okay. Speaker 0
Favorite scenes. I think the Oreo one was the hardest one for me. Speaker 4
Oh, yeah. Speaker 0
The Oreo monologue just because the the words were so fucked. And, and the guy, the player's sister's names were so out of that field, that I had, but I think we only did it twice. Really? Which is which is crazy. But my favorite scene I really enjoyed, when Wayne comes to the door looking for pennies at at Speaker 4
That's interesting. Yeah. And you guys are doing that inane small talk with each other. Speaker 0
Yeah. It's just full of bullshit till he leaves. And then the weird moment as I'm closing the door, which kinda hinted that Barb may be in there. Speaker 1
We all felt that. Yeah. Speaker 0
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that was a problem for me. But any and the Christmas episode was really fun because I had spent most of the years up till then with the boys at the arena. And I hadn't really mixed in with the, the rest of the, the actors, so that was really fun because everyone was there. And I remember we were doing, yeah, and then that's where the Christmas lover came from. So Speaker 4
Are you ever are you ever gonna post a recording of Christmas lover on on YouTube? Speaker 0
I don't I don't think we are. I don't Why not? Oh, we can't. Speaker 1
That could be the newest Christmas song. Yeah. You you could, like Speaker 4
You could replace Mariah Carey, Speaker 0
which is Speaker 4
on our Speaker 5
airways. Say that exactly. Yeah. Speaker 0
I I kinda I really liked that we were playing it as people were leaving. Speaker 4
Yeah. Speaker 0
A stand up show because I would watch from the curtain and see, you know, not everybody, got it. I don't I I I think we like it that this this underground thing that people whisper about. Speaker 4
If you wanna slip us to the bootleg of, the Christmas lever, we can make sure it get, you know, spreads like wildfire. Speaker 0
If we ever decide, we'll release it through you. Speaker 4
Alright. Perfect. Now you brought it up. So I'll ask, our our listener, Dennis Suter from the UK. He says, TPS, we have our own theory. TPS is us, by the way. But what do you think happened to Barb? And do you like glazed doughnuts? Speaker 0
Okay. Second question. I don't eat a lot of donuts. But, if I were to eat a donut, it would be the sour cream glazed Don't it. Speaker 4
Okay. Speaker 0
That'd be my choice. And that's a really interesting question because I've never, thought about how she died, ever. I just played it. She was gone. So I don't know. I don't know. I see I have always questioned though whether he was happy when she was alive or if this rage came out when she died. Interesting. I don't I don't know. Speaker 4
Mhmm. Speaker 0
I don't know how she died. Maybe he was fucking hurt by the Speaker 2
But she was real. Speaker 0
She was real. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She was real. She was improvised on the show. Mhmm. During the golf episode, missus, missus Mcmurray says, something about my wife, and I improvised oh, my wife is dead, and she improvised very quickly. Well, then she's in a better fucking place. And so that's where Barb came from, and then Jared just ran with it. Speaker 4
That's crazy. From that one one little improv We had the whole barbed story in life. Speaker 0
The whole barbed, yeah, world. Speaker 4
And those scenes were in the locker room and, during the beer league telling the stories of you and Barb, you know, camping and all the I mean, is that all written or or was it Speaker 0
weird? Yeah. I I actually wrote all that. Speaker 4
You wrote it. Okay. Speaker 5
Yeah. I got to Speaker 0
I got to write all coaches. Love stories about Barb. Which was really fun. And I remember writing them and sending them to Jared to be like, well, again, just like in mister d, like, oh, this will never. Yeah. Yeah. And he loved it. So, yeah, that I got to write those, and I got to write the ones for that we did on tour. And, Yeah. Those were those were a lot of fun. The I'm so fun to play to those guys because I love trying to break hersey into play fair. Speaker 1
The Christmas episode where you're, Neil, or you're laying kind of at the bottom of the Christmas tree and and and having a fond memory of of Barb. Did you break Kiso when you were when you were delivering all of those lights? Speaker 0
Yes. I broke him on because knock knock who's there, a big old boner in mind where it was my line that I brought. Which, he was not expecting. So he laughed at that. And then the the song only, I think, had two lines in it and I just kept going with the I think the can you smell it part. So we had a lot of trouble. And also, Here's the inside scoop. Mhmm. When we were on tour, I used to sit on the bus side saddle and Keisel hated it. He would make fun of me all the time, for sitting side saddle. So in the script, it says coach comes into the room, it sits in the middle of the floor side saddle. So that's why coach, for no reason at all, in that scene sits down in the middle of the floor side saddle. Speaker 5
Oh, that's really good. Speaker 4
So, Cassie, another question from her. Is there anyone who makes you break? You know, we talk a lot about you breaking others, but who break gets you break most? Speaker 0
Kissel for sure. Kissel when he's in character, is hard to look at. I mean, you've seen him the way he stands up the way moves. So that scene when we're doing pennies, we're looking at each other's shoulders. Speaker 4
Right. Speaker 0
Because we can't look at each other. But, who makes me I'm I'm pretty good at not, to be honest. Yeah. I'm pretty good at not. But, I think when I did pull out knock knock. Is there a big Speaker 4
old boner or money where? I think Speaker 0
I made myself laugh, which is not cool. Speaker 1
Which is not cool. But Speaker 0
that I mean, that's the best. Speaker 5
Like, you can make yourself laugh at your own, like, that's the like, we watch the, the bloopers of the prostate episode, and you and Keith are sitting beside each other. And it looked like on several takes, you started laughing before he did, even after you sit a line. Like Speaker 0
Yeah. Well, we were we were in a loop of silliness there too. Right? And then if you really listen, like, sometimes I'm not even saying words or, like, I'm just yelling and I think there's one point where I think, Jacob's like, can you bring it down a bit? Yeah, there was a point where I was just like, Yeah. We had a hard time on that day. Torrents will kill you. Mhmm. You can't look Torrance in the eye. Speaker 5
Oh, yeah. Speaker 0
Oh, god. Speaker 4
I can imagine. Especially has no a deck for sure. Oh, That that looky that looky gives all the time is. Speaker 0
Yeah. That that vacant Yeah. Something's happening look. Speaker 4
Yeah. It's amazing. Speaker 0
Yes. He's insane. I remember on mister d, we had to hug, and then whisper into something into each other's ear, and I I I just couldn't I just couldn't do it. He's he's such a dick. He's such a dick. He he tries to he tries to get you too. So, yeah, no. Can't I can't work. Speaker 4
No. Alright. We got ten minutes with you. I just wanna cook with fire here with some, more listener questions. Casey from Virginia. No comment. Comic has ever made me laugh as hard as you did last year at, Red Bank, New Jersey. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing comedy or doing stand up? And thank you for being used from Casey. Speaker 0
Oh, man. Thank you, Casey. That's a sweet thing to say. I I I wish there was some miracle advice, but I I would just say get out and do it, and be ready to fail. And then just keep doing as much as you can do it whether it's good or bad. Just keep doing it. That's that's that's really all there is to it. There's no secret sauce. Speaker 4
Repetition. Right? Speaker 0
Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. Of course, follow-up here. Is this a knock knock joke? Yes. Speaker 2
I it's not. I got a good one for you. So, I'm I bring it. So you you infuse music in your stand up. Right? And and so I'm just wondering, a is that just a hobby for you that you had as a kid? And then you decided to bring that in, or was there actually a musical path for you at some point? So, you know, what what are the roots there for you? Speaker 0
Great question, Victor. The first play I did in high school was Little Shop. I played the dentist. There was a bit of music there. I did apply to Sheridan College for musical theater and I did get accepted. But I did not go. So it was almost a path. So, yes, there is a bit of that there. Speaker 2
And and how did you kind of How did you decide to kind of weave it into your act? Was that from the very beginning, or at some point you said, hey, I wanna start bringing guitar on stage, and Speaker 0
it was after the chipmunk bit. I I liked how long the Speaker 5
joke was, Speaker 0
so I wanted to make it even longer because I I like, as you've seen in Burlington, I like to fuck with the crowd. Yeah. You do. So I was like, how can I make this longer? And I was like, oh, well why don't you sing a song about their their love? And then so that's how it happened. And then the ukulele only came in because I don't really like ukulele, but I don't like flying with guitars. So it's more laziness. Speaker 5
On the music, have you ever I mean, I would describe your music bits almost like the blue balls of comedy because you never quite finished the song. And Is that have you ever finished a Speaker 1
song? Speaker 4
That's your next album titled Mark Speaker 1
like, balls of comedy. Speaker 4
Your next special should be blue balls of comedy, I think. Speaker 0
Blue balls of comedy. It's great. Speaker 4
It's yours. Speaker 0
I, I I I I like I like that. I like Speaker 5
I know you dick itself. Speaker 0
So, yeah, I like unfinished. I like repetition. I like, you know, they say three times as funny, but you know what? Twelve and thirteen It's pretty funny too. Seven eight nine, you might lose them, but Speaker 4
It's the constant repetition that brings them back. Right? Speaker 1
Well, it Speaker 5
is it's funny you say that. I thought about Letter Kenny a lot. There's some scenes in Letter Kenny where I'm like, it's one of those jokes. And and not even the ones that you're in. Like, there are some that you're in as well, but where it starts off hilarious. And then it's like you kinda lose the joke for a minute, and then you'd still going, and then you start laughing even harder. Yeah. You're like, I can't believe this is still happening. I love it. I love that kind of laugh. Speaker 0
Yeah. Me too. Speaker 4
Jeff from Maine says tell him the Boston show went better than he thought. New England people just laughed differently. I don't know what that means, but, does he think he'll be doing some June Toronto shows again this year? Because Jeff is a traveler. He will travel to come and see. Speaker 0
Oh, yeah. I think I just book I think I just book the June show. So those will those usually go on sale, pretty soon. So I would say yes. Speaker 4
Amazing. Speaker 0
Nice. Speaker 4
Joey from Colorado says, can I buy you and Jeff a beer in Boulder in March? I guess you're coming out there in March? Speaker 0
Yeah. You don't have to do that. Just come to the show. Speaker 4
He's already got his tickets. Yeah. Speaker 0
Oh, good. Speaker 4
I'm curious on his elections on the end of the coach character. This is from our buddy, y y z, Gordon. Where would you like to see the character go in the post Letter Kenny universe? Speaker 0
I mean, the comic in me wants him to be frustrated till he dies. The mark the human in me hope he finds peace. But, immediately, it's funny at peace. Furious till his last dying breath. Speaker 2
But but could he be magically be transported into the Shoresy universe? Speaker 0
Legally, I cannot answer your question. Speaker 5
That's fair. Speaker 0
No. I have no answers to that. But, I mean, My phone's always on. There you go. Speaker 4
Tobiason, Missouri, wants to know what your dream role is and, how did your roles letter Kenny evolved. So you talked about the letter Kenny. So what would you your dream role be right now? Speaker 0
My dream role. That's a tough one. When I was Ten, I wanted to be Annie really bad that I knew that would never happen. So Maybe a Speaker 2
No orphan, Annie. Speaker 0
Yeah. Maybe like a grown up Annie, who's a man? Anything's possible. Anything's possible. I don't know. Do you know what the thing is? Like, I don't I've never had goals. I kind of stumble. I kind of stumble into things and I don't think I'd leave my house if I didn't have to. So I don't know. I never thought I'd play a hockey coach. I never thought I'd be in Fargo. I never thought, I do a lot of things that I've done. So I I don't know. I I guess I like operating not knowing. Speaker 4
Amazing. Alright. Well, we only have Speaker 0
a grading. Speaker 5
I like I like it. I like it. Speaker 4
Yeah. We have a few minutes left. I'd like to take a moment to say it. I mean, Speaker 0
some sort of timeline? Speaker 4
Well, we we gave you guys an hour. If you can have if you can give us more, we'll take more. But, Speaker 0
I'll take more. Don't worry about it. Speaker 4
Let well, let's talk about the tour because, like, like we said before, we were at the the Burlington show, letter Kenny presents, had a great time, Jeff, Olivia, And Ali, we're we're amazing. And, of course, you were brilliant. And now you've announced more more dates. So that's that's exciting. Speaker 0
Yeah. No. Is it? It's, it's, it's very exciting. Yeah. It's terrifying and, you know, everything can fail. But I hope people come. It's been my it's been a dream of mine and, new metric and Letter Kenny. People have been very kind and and setting up something that, you know, is it's it's not an easy sell. To go, especially for Americans, right, that don't really know about my stand up. Right. So I haven't done a lot of it there. So I hope they come. I think it's good. It's great. It it's really good. It's really I think it's a really fun show. So We're really excited. We're doing like thirty nine dates. Speaker 4
Amazing. Wow. Speaker 1
Yeah. Congratulations. That's amazing. Speaker 0
Thank you. Thank you. I'm I'm I'm I'm trepidation is that the word? I'm you know, I'm fearful. I'm always fearful. Everything's gonna fall apart. So Speaker 2
I We like to we like to think cautiously optimistic. Speaker 0
Yeah. Here you go. Nice. Here you go. Speaker 5
Well, I mean, from our own, like, my my own experience, it was an absolutely fantastic show. I've been telling everybody I know especially since I saw the announcement of the extended tour. I've been, like, anyone in those areas. Like, I have family out east. I'm, like, go to this show. It was I've I've been fortunate enough to see you a couple of times now. I saw you in Toronto last year, I believe it was, one of your shows there. And then, of course, the Burlington show, and I gotta hand it to you, man. Like, you you bring it. I it's a comedy, like, I've never experienced in person. And I will absolutely be catching more. It was Speaker 0
Oh, thanks. Yeah. Speaker 5
That and more, my friend. So, everyone out there should go see Speaker 0
a Mark forward show in my opinion. Thanks. I appreciate it. Speaker 4
Definitely be spreading the word. Tang and I used to go to comedy, yuck yucks all the time. It was like, once a month, we, at least, we'd go but, yeah, the show you put on is beyond stand up. And and I mean that in a good way. I mean that in in the best way possible. Speaker 0
I get it. You don't to, you know, I get it. It's supposed to be an experience, and you're supposed to give in to it. And, I love watching a crowd, given to it over the hour and and and and remembering, oh, yeah, this this is supposed to be fun. This is supposed to be Speaker 2
I'm I'm just waiting just waiting for Al to describe it as interpretive dance. Speaker 0
Yeah. It's he's getting close. He's getting close. Speaker 4
Quite there. But, Mark Ford wins all the awards. I mean, we talked about this, during our q and a at at the Burlington show. And unfortunately, most of our audience who are Americans can't can't see it, which sucks because it's such a great show. At the end. And I asked you about it at the end, but at the end, Speaker 0
but at the end, but here's the thing. Here's the thing. If they DM me. Yeah. There is. Just just DM me silently then. Speaker 4
Yeah. No one's listening. Speaker 0
ID. Me. Speaker 4
There's a point at the end of the show where you basically take a fall Speaker 1
Oh, well, don't be giving things away. Speaker 4
They're not gonna see it. Speaker 0
I think it's ten years old. Yeah. Five years old. Speaker 4
And and you just lay there and the the the extra lens and people leave and you don't move. And I asked you at the thing, but because for those who have watched it and are curious, how long did you lay there Speaker 0
for? Well, the song is five minutes and thirty seven seconds, and I think it played seven or eight times. Speaker 4
Unbelievable. Speaker 0
Yeah. And I was on top of it. I fall on an easel and I have these glasses on and boxes and you never know how they're gonna fall and and I remember that fall. It looks great Speaker 4
Mhmm. Yeah. Speaker 0
On on TV, but it Yeah. It was quite uncomfortable. To lay there. But I think I told you guys in that thing too. Like, I did that show twenty nine times in Edinburgh Wow. Every night and just fell completely different every night and and, So Speaker 4
how how do folks in Edinburgh react to that compared to the the plight maybe? They just let you lie there. No one, like, checked on you. Speaker 0
No one checks on you. Nope. No. No. I think though too, though, like, if you watch the show, I think I think you have to go. Okay. This is on purpose. Speaker 4
Right. Speaker 0
But then they get into, like, okay. Now what he going to do and leaving them with nothing is, what makes me laugh? Speaker 5
Sorry. Wait for the on wait for the encore. Right? Like, some something's come I mean, and and my head would go, well, if this was real, I feel like one of his people would come out and Speaker 0
check on. Yeah. Someone would be out there. Speaker 5
Or they just don't like him at all, and they're just leaving his ass Speaker 0
it. Yeah. Speaker 4
If you have it, just go on. Speaker 2
It Speaker 0
was pretty crazy in Edinburgh because it was, like, there wasn't a lot of security and, I remember one guy got on top of me. Speaker 4
But Speaker 0
most of the time, people were pretty cool. I think that was the only time I kinda moved when he got on top of me. I was like, bud. I think that's all I said was bud. But, yeah, every night I would fall down and, some nights it was seven, eight runs through the song. If you're in Question number, it was a different song. It was, Bonnie, Bonnie Tyler's need a hero. Speaker 4
Okay. Speaker 0
But then we couldn't get the rights for that for dispatch. Speaker 1
What are you thinking while you're laying there? Are you thinking, oh, I hope this goes for another song. Like, this this is like the best this this is the best, like, experiment on human condition, like, ever. Speaker 0
On the, on the special, I was rooting for as many as could happen. On the eighteenth night in Edinburgh, not so much. I was like, okay. Can we can we wrap this up? But, Yeah. Also, that was, like, I was pretty overweight when I did that show. And so by the time I got to fall down, I was exhausted. I think I even say I think I even say in that special. Have you guys ever wrote a special that you're too fat for? Speaker 4
Like Oh, man. Speaker 0
I was just exhausted by the end of it, so I was just happy to be down on the ground. Speaker 1
You you definitely you you use your whole body when you're acting. It's it's like a It's amazing. You you tire me just watching you. Speaker 4
So if if you're in Canada and have access to Krave, check out that special. It's still on Krave. You can you can check it out. Mark forward with all the awards. I just gave away the end, but the whole Speaker 0
If you're in the States DM me. And Speaker 4
if you're in the States DM, Mark, and and speaking of which, what is the best way to follow you on on the interwebs? Speaker 0
On Instagram, everything marked forward with an extra d. Speaker 4
Mhmm. Speaker 5
I'll do Speaker 0
some guy and, I don't know where he is. I took a I took took the ad for Mark Forward long time ago. So Mark forwarded an extra d on all platforms. Speaker 4
Okay. And other than the upcoming tour, the the extended tour. What do you have coming up, that we can, look forward to? Speaker 0
Oh, I did a little part in Bria Mack gets a life, which is on crave. Speaker 4
Okay. Speaker 0
Which is a great news show, a Canadian show that you should check out. And, that's it. I mean, that's two shows. Okay? Speaker 2
Well, you got your podcast. Speaker 0
I don't have Speaker 5
You're more than welcome to join us every week Speaker 4
or to get nothing else to do. Yeah. We've got a spot, man. Especially, we know Speaker 0
how do you know how much I'm gonna sweat when this is over? Think about Speaker 4
you did great. Speaker 5
It was harder to get you on here than it was Kiso, apparently. Speaker 0
Like Yeah. Speaker 4
And we're told getting queso was a was a big deal, but, yeah. Speaker 0
That's huge. Huge. Huge gift. Speaker 4
You have any final questions? Speaker 1
Mark, it was so fantastic having you, with us. Thank you so much for sharing your time. It's just it's great to watch you. It's great to listen to you, and, I look forward to hearing more. Speaker 0
Thank you. That's very kind. Speaker 2
Yeah. So first, Mark, thanks. You know, you're the kind of guy that is funny just saying, hey, how are you doing? And it and it's funny. It's that's a skill. And you can't teach that. You just have it So I have a question for you. You walk walking down the road, not to cross the road. It's this serious. And you get to a fork. You get to a fork. You gotta make a decision. Money's not the problem. You get the same either way, but you have to choose between stand up and you have to choose between the acting. Which which way do you go? Speaker 4
Oh, Speaker 0
that's a great question, Victor. I probably would to I think my heart goes to stand up. I think it does. Speaker 4
Kinda get less. Speaker 2
That makes sense. That makes sense. Speaker 0
I mean, acting has gotten me so much, but I think my heart is just there. Speaker 4
I got the impression you're a bit of an introvert, but I mean, once you get on stage, does do you get the energy from the crowd? Speaker 0
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Once once once I hear giggling, that's That's it. Like, the the big laughs are great, but it's the the six or seven people that continue giggling that bead me. And the best shows you'll see me do is if there's gigglers because I'll take I'll just I'll be working on stage to try and make them, get going more. Yeah. Yeah. And you Speaker 5
called and you called that out a number of times in Burlington. Speaker 0
You kept up Speaker 5
with one crowd that you up saying, the gigglers, I love Speaker 0
you. Yeah. Yeah. So I'll extend jokes. I'll be improvising more. I'll be trying to find new punch lines on stage whenever I hear giggling. I I just love it. Speaker 1
I I have to ask the question. Hecklers. What's your your take on them? Like, do you did did they feed your show? Do they add to it, or are you just, like, stop talking people? Speaker 0
It depends on the weird thing about hecklers is you can have a well timed heckler that, isn't impeding the show, and then there's just people that are unaware of the situation at all. So they're just sticking at stick can you hear my dog barking? Yeah. Can you I just I just ruined the whole podcast with the dog barking. Tear it over. I don't know why it's going crazy. So there's there's like, you guys were at the show on Burlington, and there was that woman that kept talking. Yes. But the weird thing was she kept talking at the right moments. So I could play with it. The crowd was on my side. So you could work with it. Some people are so, you tell them, like, I've I have said to people, like, I don't like you as a person and they still don't get it. That's those ones are hard. I can take you suck or or yelling out stuff. It's the it's the ones that just don't even get. Yeah. The clueless to Speaker 5
the bit and the clueless to the experiences. Yeah. Speaker 4
Yeah. Because even even in Burlington, you were pretty kind to her at the beginning, but by the end of it, you were telling her you hated her. Speaker 0
Yeah. Yes. Well, I mean Speaker 1
Not you. You didn't mark for it. Speaker 0
What is Speaker 1
it? Yeah. Speaker 0
Not me. Which is a wonderful device. Speaker 1
I so love that. Speaker 0
But, like, I think an adult you know, after ten times. Right. Yeah. Because when when I started, I was I was real I was like, The other comics will tell you for the first eight years, I was like Larry David, like, I hated the crowd and I hated There was a time in Toronto. I went up, and I've been watching from the back, and this woman kept talking. And I got up there and I was like, if you say one word, I am not performing. And she said, okay. And then I left. Speaker 4
Oh, but Speaker 5
You gotta make your point. Like, yeah. Speaker 4
We'll talk about gigglers through the show. Our sixteen year old son came with us that night because unfortunately, Victor couldn't So that was his first live comedy experience. Speaker 0
Oh, wow. Speaker 5
Yeah. Right? Speaker 4
Yeah. And he was sitting in the front row giggling, and I think you called him. Speaker 1
Are his new hero. Speaker 4
Yeah. Yours new hero. Speaker 0
Oh, yeah. Speaker 4
And he you called on him a few times. You made fun of his of his giggled a few times, which you gotta kick out Speaker 0
of. Yeah. That's great. I'm glad, man. I'm glad that's something he saw. That's really cool. Speaker 1
And he was singing that song all all week. He never stopped singing that bear song. Speaker 0
It's pretty crazy because it's such a weird name too, Xavier McCutches, but everyone remembers it. Yeah. It just gets burned in your brain. Speaker 4
Matt. Time for your final question. Speaker 5
Yeah. So first, Mark, I appreciate the hell of you, man, and the craft that you bring, it's just have so much respect. So keep doing your thing. You're absolutely killing it. Congrats on the tour. Wish you absolute best on everything, man. My question asks you, everyone that come on the show, around Letter Kenny. I think I don't think it's any secret that Letter Kenny's become a bit of a cult phenomenon It's spreading, getting coming bigger, going all over the world, the big deals over in Europe and stuff like that. Now how is it and answer this any way you want, but To you, what is it meant to be a part of Letter Kenny? Speaker 0
That's a good question. It's meant a lot to me. For sure. To me, it was a it was a day gig. I thought I was there for the day, and, I thought, okay, I did, I did good. And I'll go home and start looking for work and then, you know, twelve seasons and like a hundred and something live shows, It was it was a part of my life that I didn't know was even gonna happen. It was it was weird for me too because I would just pop in, right? Because we shot most of my up at the arena so they'd get the arena for two days. Yeah. And all my scenes would be. So I would come up, say hi to everybody. Take off. So it I wasn't as entrenched as those guys were. Speaker 4
Sure. Speaker 0
But, huge, huge, huge, huge launching for my career and and so many people have found my stand up from being on that show. So, couldn't thank Jacob One for suggesting me and then Jared for, not killing off coach in the first season. And, Speaker 4
I heard that was his plan. Yeah. Speaker 0
Hi, thought so. I I asked him every year. Is this the one where he dies? Because he's gonna have a heart attack if he keeps this up. Yeah. No. I can't thank Jared enough for continuing to write that character and, every season, it was just a so cool to be asked to come back. So, yeah, it was huge. It was huge. You can't put it really into words. It'll be sad when it's over. Speaker 4
And, Speaker 0
you know, but I think the world seems like it's going to, stay alive so anything's possible. Speaker 5
Amazing. Well, we Nothing but love for you, man. Speaker 4
Yeah. We appreciate the time you've given. We we took twelve minutes longer. We appreciate that. Speaker 0
Do you imagine if I walk out of here and I like, get hit by a bus that I wouldn't have been hit by? Speaker 4
Yeah. We would feel bad. Speaker 5
We better post something, like, after this, anywhere. Yeah. Speaker 4
Now you're gonna have to call us and let us know you got there okay. Speaker 2
Mark, the bus the bus would have hit you if you left on time. Speaker 0
Okay. That's a better way to look at it, Victor. I like your optimism. Speaker 4
I'm gonna play this off here with one of my favorite tracks from Letter Kenny and one of my favorite bands. Everything you've done wrong slone. Do Speaker 0
we just sit here while I'm Speaker 4
And that's all we have for this episode. If you'd like to support podcasts, please tell a friend also false on most social media outlets at protosan pod. Thank you for joining us. Now we're gonna kick the trash can around with our new buddy, Mark, on behalf of Mark. Tania, Matt Victor, and myself. Thank you for listening, and have a great week. 
