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The life of Kerry Talmage is a jokeBy Ellen GoodmanLucky for 24-year-old Kerry Talmage his pals coaxed him to tell a few jokes in a comedy contest at the Polo Park Inn nearly four years ago.Winning that contest catapulted him into a career as one of Winnipeg’s few professional comedians.He has entertained at Yuk Yuk’s several times since the comedy club opened on Osborne Street, over a year ago and made other appearances in Winnipeg and Brandon. In March he will tour Canada with Yuk Yuk’s for three months from Edmonton to the east coast.“There was a guy there, that night at the PPI — I never found out who he. was — who gave me a phone number to callrecalls Talmage, a Charles-wood resident. “He told me I handled myself well on stage and that he had a friend in comedy. ”House comedianIt turned out that phone call put him in touch with Pat Riordan at the Viscount Gort and resulted in a number of appearances there as a comedian. Talmage next tried out his talent at what was Cheers inOld Market Square. He soon became house comedian, holding auditions for Winnipeg talent.“So there were two comedians and me. I did everything from comedy to hosting a Trivial Pursuit contest. I threw in jokes wherever I could. ”Talmage then decided to start up his own agency, Comedy Connections, which booked appearances in the city for about nine part-time comedians. “I know of only three professional comedians in the city now including myself. One other recently left-the city.”He sold his agency when Yuk Yuk’s opened in Winnipeg. “When the biggest comedy chain in Canada came to town I knew that selling my company would be the wisest thing to do.”He soon headed for Yuk Yuk’s stage himself, first appearing at New Talent Night. The club hired him to do a show in Brandon, followed by appearances in Winnipeg. He has taken his routine from British Columbia to Kitchener to Saskatoon and Minneapolis.“I guess it’s been a bit of a surprise, he says of his career,, “more for myKerry Talmage believes comic talent can make it in Canada, but in Winnipeg it’s difficult.mom and dad, I think. But they’re both supportive.“I have a typical mother here who thinks I shouldget a real job like typing or something. I have a brother as well. So when somebody met her on the street and asked how I was, she said I’m in comedy. When asked about my brother she replied, oh, he’s not doing that well either.”Punch lineTalmage encounters some situations which make him wonder who’s the comedian. “One time a woman in the audience was heckling me, so I gave it right back. When her husband started to laugh, she got mad, saying that he should have backed her up. Then she stood up shouting that she didn’t want to be with him anyway, that she wanted a . divorce, came up and punched me in the mouth and walked out.”Another time, in Brandon, a hurled bottle of ketchup splattered him fromhead, to toe. A roughlooking group then handcuffed him to a table and a woman lifted her shirt in his face. “I was scared at first, but then they let me go and bought me a beer.”Comedy may have beenin the stars for Talmagebut it was not a part of hiscareer plans. He had considered pursuing an acting career from his days as a student at Oak Park High School. “I’d still like to branch out into acting, maybe in movies or commercials.”His routine has changed somewhat over the past couple of years. “I used to think the dirtier the better. Now I realize the cleaner the better, especially if you want on television. ’ ’New comedians can be tempted to pinch jokes from other routines, but that practice can spell disaster for a comedy career, he stresses.He explains a key to his humor is to look at situations three different ways: literally, sarcastically, and obscurely. The latter involves reversing situations or blowing them out of proportion. “I want the audience to picture a situation in their minds asmuch as possible.”“I love comedy. I’d like to do it for the rest of my life. The best high is to look back at the audience after I leave the stage to see people laughing.”Talmage says he may eventually leave Winnipeg. “I might end up living in Toronto or maybe even Alaska.“A lot of people say you can’t niake it in Canada as a comedian; But I don’t believe it.” • • • •
Newspaper Details
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
Sun, Jan 17, 1988
Page 111
Full Page
Clipped by
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USA 02 Apr 2022
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