Ian Boothby is an award-winning stand-up, sketch, and improv comedian, and he’s also a comic-book creator, writer, and screenwriter. Based in Vancouver, the multi-talented Boothby co-created Free Willie Shakespeare for the Vancouver Theatresports League, which won the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Excellence in Interactive Theatre in 1997. Since then, you’ve likely seen his work on various Canadian TV series, in the film Happy Gilmore, or in the Kingsgate Mall Tribute video on YouTube. Currently, Boothby performs with the sketch comedy group Titmouse! and “The Critical Hit Show: a Live Dungeons & Dragons Comedy Experience,” writes for CBC Radio’s The Irrelevant Show, and co-hosts the podcasts Sneaky Dragon, Compleatly Beatles, Totally Tintin, The Fansplainers and Full Marx – a Marx Brothers Podcast with David Dedrick. He also contributes to MAD Magazine and The New Yorker. We chatted with Boothby to learn more about his influences, where he finds new comedians, and why his favourite place to perform was in a restaurant.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Lately, it’s been doing true stories in shows like CBC and Me and 86ed a true Expo story. When working for MAD or The New Yorker, it’s finding a fresh angle on a classic subject.
Who are some of your influences?
Bob Odenkirk, Jim Henson, Maria Bamford, Colin Mochrie, Kyle Baker, Paul F. Tompkins
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Ryan Stiles. He could cross over between stand-up and improv in a way I’d never seen. Also, a lot of albums from comedians you’d say, “Yikes!” about now.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Maria Bamford. Brave, brilliant and hilarious. The Comedians of Comedy documentary she was in got me interested in stand-up again after a long break.
What is your pre-show ritual?
I’d ideally show up 5 minutes before the show. Pre-show is the most awkward time, you’re social on a very different level than you are on stage and you just want to get on stage. It’s like going to a restaurant but having to spend a half hour first eating crackers.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
I used to produce a 30-seat comedy show called Amuse Bouche in the back of a restaurant with no microphone. The intimacy made for some great shows and different performances than usual from the comedians.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
Kingsgate Mall Tribute. Originally done for Weird Owl Karaoke at Little Mountain Gallery, it became a video directed by Vicky Van for our James Bond Live comedy show. From there, we put it on YouTube, and it’s been featured on many radio stations and news programs when the subject of the mall comes up. Someone on YouTube even did a cover of it.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Instagram for international comics. For local comedians, checking the Little Mountain Gallery website for what’s coming up and finding a fun-looking poster.
Tell us a joke about your city.
I used to live in North Delta. I picked up a copy of The North Delta Optimist and the headline read, “ONE DAY YOU MIGHT NOT LIVE IN NORTH DELTA”.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
Eric Fell and I do a monthly comedy show at Little Mountain Gallery. We do the bi-monthly live comedy role-playing Critical Hit Show at the Rio Theatre. Pia Guerra and I have a regular feature in MAD Magazine called Meanwhile…, appear in The New Yorker, and have a three-times-a-week comic strip called Mannequin on the Moon.
Where can we follow you?
Critical Hit Show | Mannequin on the Moon
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
Eric Fell is doing some fun stuff on his own right now, as well as the group shows.
