Tag Archives: CraveTV

Mark Forward aims to win All of the Awards in fantastic Crave stand-up special

The last time I spoke to Mark Forward, it was in 2014. Back then he’d implored Canadian comics to support “rather than slag” each other to spread the word about our homegrown talent.

Since then, Forward has taken on the memorable role of Coach on Crave’s smash-hit Letterkenny, produced his own comedy special Mark Forward Presents, available for rent or download, and revived his podcast with Eric Andrews. And, most recently, he’s also one of three Canadian comics (D.J. Demers and Robby Hoffman are the others) who has landed their own Crave original stand-up specials.

Mark Forward Wins All of the Awards is available for streaming on Crave and features new material. It is, to put it simply, hilarious. Forward ranges around the stage, riffing on death, dogs, talking bees and finding the time to make sandwiches as a single dad, discussing the absurdities of each topic and pushing his personal boundaries to get a laugh. We spoke to Forward about Mark Forward Wins All of the Awards and his experience on Letterkenny.

Where was the venue, and when was this recorded?
Mark Forward: This was recorded at JFL 42, this past September, at Longboat Hall.

In your act, you made a joke about themes and how every comedian tries to have one in their act. You were just out there being silly, and having fun. Why was that important?
MF: Because I think that’s what I’ve always done. I have the odd stuff that’s a bit rantier, but I’ve always lived in the silliness. I went to the Edinburgh Festival, and I just saw a lot of serious standup shows. So, after my first experience there, I went home and wrote this one. Silly is where I live, and what I like. I like people that let go once they come in the door, and they giggle the whole way through. That’s what I like. I have nothing against the other things, but I sure like taking the piss out of it.

This was all-new material? 
MF: It’s a complete new hour. A couple of the bits have a longer life than the actual special, but they were all about death. I think the bee bit for one, was something I’ve been working on. So yeah, it was put in, it was something I wrote over a year, and I really like it. Can I say that?

Does it take a year to write? Does it sometimes take longer? How does that work?
MF: I never know when it’s coming, and I’m terrified it’s gonna stop. So, luckily for that show, I had an idea and a theme. But I’m always terrified that’s the last one.

Your stand-up act has evolved quite a bit, from the traditional to what you do now. Has it evolved organically?
MF: Totally organically. I wouldn’t have come up against doing that stuff when I was younger, because I didn’t have the confidence or the backing behind me. You have to grow organically as a comic, and start doing the stuff that makes you laugh, and that takes years to get there. But, the real initial point for me is, I was seeing Jon Dore for the first time, and he was just breaking all the rules, and it was just an eye-opening moment for me. I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t have to be what everybody else is. I can do the things I want to do.’

I wanted to ask you about the podcast, and the reason for you and Eric getting back together again. You joke that no one’s listening to it, and yet, you came back.
MF: We felt we needed to take some time away. I’m a big proponent of, if we’re not having total fun, then let’s not do it. So, we took a step away, and I missed it. I called him, and said, ‘Would you be willing to do it some more?’ And he was in. I think we’re having more fun than we had before, so yeah, I’m enjoying it a lot now.

Letterkenny has been a huge hit in Canada. People love it around the world, and you’ve been out on the Letterkenny tour. What’s it been like, being part of this whole world?
MF: It’s been a wild ride, and to get to know [creator] Jared [Keeso], and what a solid human being he is, it’s just been amazing, and I always text him every season, and say, ‘Is coach dead, or am I coming back?’ He has given me so much and been so kind to me, and that tour was unreal. I can’t thank that guy enough, for letting me be a part of his work ethic. I can’t say enough about that guy. He’s just a solid, solid dude. I see real joy in that he’s getting to do this, which is rare as well. He’s just happy. He should be exhausted, he should be bitchy, he should be … screaming, calling the shots, and he just doesn’t. The pressure is just … He’s unreal under it because he just loves what he’s doing.

Mark Forward Wins All of the Awards is available now on Crave.

Check out Mark’s website for upcoming stand-up dates in Ontario and Australia.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Crave gifts viewers with a whole mess of Letterkenny including a Christmas special and all-new six-pack of episodes

From a media release:

No holiday humbugs here. With the festive season on the approach, Crave delivers tidings of all-new LETTERKENNY quicker than you can say golds, frankincenses, and myrrhs. This Crave seasonal delivery includes the brand new special, A LETTERKENNY CHRISTMAS: THE THREE WISE MEN, streaming Friday, Nov. 23, followed by a fresh six-pack of episodes launching Christmas Day. Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the hit small town comedy is produced by New Metric Media in partnership with DHX Media and Play Fun Games.

“Pitter patter, let’s get Advent’er!” In the brand new special, A LETTERKENNY CHRISTMAS: THE THREE WISE MEN, the Hicks get in the festive spirit and throw a holiday get-together with enough gifts and jingle juice to go around. There is talk around town that it might just be the best Christmas party ever.

In keeping with what has become an annual holiday tradition, viewers wake up to more LETTERKENNY under the tree again this year with another all-new six-pack available to stream on Christmas Day. While the LETTERKENNY locals continue to seek out love in all sorts of places – from bush parties all the way to the big city – new and familiar faces make appearances around town, including guest stars Sarah Wayne Callies (THE WALKING DEAD) and Jonathan Torrens (TRAILER PARK BOYS) as Mennonite parents, Noah and Anita Dyck; and the return of Sarah Gadon as mysterious lady-skid, Gae.

In addition, production is currently underway on the next set of LETTERKENNY episodes, which sees The Hicks launch their own public access call-in show. Set to debut on Crave in 2019, Jacob Tierney returns to direct all episodes and reprise his role as the fan-favourite Christian leader, Glen. The episodes also feature a stacked slate of returning guest stars, including Tiio Horn as The Natives’ badass leader, Tanis; CSA-nominated Dan Petronijevic as Hick McMurray; Magalie Lépine Blondeau as Wayne’s lady love, Marie Fred; and Kelly McCormack (Killjoys) and Jess Salguiero (Saving Hope) as Shamrockette stars Mary-Anne and Betty-Anne.

Based on overwhelming demand, additional shows and markets have been added to the 2018 LETTERKENNY LIVE tour – a 90-minute comedy experience, starring Jared Keeso, Nathan Dales, K Trevor Wilson, and Mark Forward. Kicking off in Orillia on Dec.1, LETTERKENNY LIVE, THE ENCORE! tour, presented by Puppers Premium Lager and Crave, and produced by New Metric Media, features additional sketches and video not seen on the original tour, as well as original stand-up sets from Wilson and Forward. Tickets for LETTERKENNY LIVE, THE ENCORE! are available here.

LETTERKENNY LIVE, THE ENCORE! Tour Dates:

December 1 – Orillia, ON – Casino Rama

December 3 – Brantford, ON – Sanderson Centre

December 5 – St. Catharines, ON – Meridian Centre

December 6 – Mississauga, ON – Living Arts Centre

December 11 – Regina, SK – Conexus Arts Centre

December 13 – Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place

December 14 – Lethbridge, AB – ENMAX Centre

December 15 – Red Deer, AB – ENMAX Centrium

December 17 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place

December 18 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre

The first five seasons of LETTERKENNY, along with special episodes “Ferda Edition”, “The Haunting of MoDean’s II”, “St. Perfect’s Day,” “Super Hard Easter,” and the original web series Letterkenny Problems, are currently streaming on Crave. The first two seasons of LETTERKENNY are now streaming exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. LETTERKENNY is also available on iTunes and Google Play. Seasons 1-4 of LETTERKENNY are currently available on DVD wherever DVDs are sold.

Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the award-winning half-hour comedy revolves around the dustups Wayne (Keeso) and his buds – Daryl (Nathan Dales), Wayne’s free-spirited younger sister, Katy (Michelle Mylett), and Wayne’s buddy, Dan (K Trevor Wilson) – get into with their small-town rivals. Dylan Playfair and Andrew Herr reprise their roles as hotshot Hockey Players “Jonesy” and “Reilly”. Tyler Johnston and Evan Stern return as Skids Stewart and Roald. Mark Forward returns as the temperamental Coach.

LETTERKENNY is produced by New Metric Media, in partnership with DHX Media and Playfun Games in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, OMDC Tax Credits and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and distributed by DHX Media. Jared Keeso is executive producer, co-writer, star, and creator, Jacob Tierney is executive producer, director, and co-writer and Mark Montefiore is executive producer for New Metric Media.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Just For Laughs and CraveTV partner on three new original stand-up specials

From a media release:

Just For Laughs and CraveTV announced today that they will once again partner on three hour-long CraveTV Original stand-up comedy specials, exclusively for the premium streaming service. Showcasing Canada’s own Robby Hoffman, DJ Demers, and Mark Forward, the new stand-up specials will be taped in front of a live audience at Toronto’s Longboat Hall as part of JFL42, Toronto’s Just For Laughs comedy festival, before landing on CraveTV later this year.

Heading into its seventh edition, JFL42, running from September 20-29, 2018, is a pass-based interactive comedy festival allowing comedy fans to access more shows than ever before, establishing itself as one of today’s most successful and innovative comedy events.

The new stand-up specials join the long list of projects that Just For Laughs and Bell Media have partnered on in the past, including six seasons of JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS and HOMEGROWN COMICS HOSTED BY K. TREVOR WILSON (premiering on Monday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET on The Comedy Network). CraveTV’s first three original stand-up specials taped at JFL42 in 2017: DARCY MICHAEL GOES TO CHURCH, DEB DIGIOVANNI: HERE’S THE THING, and GRAHAM CHITTENDEN: RELUCTANT ADULT, which are all currently streaming on CraveTV.

Robby Hoffman is a writer and performer who just wrapped writing for TruTV’s THE CHRIS GETHARD SHOW. This year, she was named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Up Next’ comedians. She was recently a writer on the CBC shows WORKIN’ MOMS, and BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, and won an Emmy for her work on PBS’ ODD SQUAD. As a comedian, Hoffman has performed in many renowned festivals, including the Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Bridgetown, and Denver’s Crom Festival.

DJ Demers is an award-winning stand-up comedian. Demers appeared on Season 11 of NBC’s AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, and has performed stand-up on TBS’ CONAN. Winner of the 2014 Homegrown Comics Competition at the prestigious Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Demers has also performed as part of Toronto’s JFL42 Comedy Festival. Winner of the 2013 Toronto Comedy Brawl, and finalist on NBC’s STAND-UP FOR DIVERSITY, Demers also won ‘Best Breakout Artist’ at the 2015 Canadian Comedy Awards. In 2018, his album, [Indistinct Chatter], was nominated for a JUNO Award for Best Comedy Album.

Mark Forward is a multi-award-winning comedian. He has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and made his 10th return to the Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival this summer. He’s been on Comedy Central’s JOHN OLIVER’S NEW YORK STAND-UP SHOW and has made a number of appearances on CBS’ THE LATE LATE SHOW. An accomplished actor, Forward was featured in the third season of FX’s FARGO, was a writer and cast member on IFC and The Comedy Network’s THE JON DORE TELEVISION SHOW, and is a series regular on CraveTV’s LETTERKENNY. Loved for stealing almost every scene he is in, Forward has also self-distributed a phenomenal comedy special- and it’s only 99 cents!

The CraveTV Original stand-up specials are co-produced by Just For Laughs Television and Counterfeit Pictures in association with Bell Media’s CraveTV. Executive producers are Bruce Hills from Just For Laughs and Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo from Counterfeit Pictures. The specials are directed by Shelagh O’Brien.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Wynonna Earp: Melanie Scrofano talks directing, Mama Earp and Letterkenny

Fans of Wynonna Earp are still aching over the death of Xavier Dolls. And, understandably so. But last week’s new episode, “Colder Weather,” went a long way to healing those wounds with a memorable and emotional sendoff.

With a new episode coming later this week, here’s our interview with Melanie Scrofano, who talked about this season, the man who plays the show’s biggest bad, directing and her scene-stealing role on Letterkenny.

Despite the fact that it’s been fantastic to have a baby in real life, has it been kind of nice to not have to worry about your health while filming the third season of Wynonna Earp?
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah. There is such a freedom that came with having my body back, but also just not having … it was not just that it limits your movements, to do everything it was just less elegant. And it wasn’t as free as I wanted to feel, but it was also just hard feeling like everybody for lack of a better term, was babying you, because everybody understandably was like, ‘I don’t want to be the reason that she has a miscarriage on set.’

How fun has it been to come back into that world and to play this character for the third season?
MS: Well, funny you should mention that. I think Emily [Andras] wanted to start off with a bang and really remind people who Wynonna is and that for me was just so fun. I was scared in Season 2. I was like, ‘If we don’t get a Season 3, I won’t get to feel this free and have fun again.’ We just had the best time. I think there’s no better way to show people how not private I am any more than riding the mechanical bull and being drunk and having your shirt wide open.

A lot has been said about Megan Follows and the character. I know you’ve been asked this question before and I apologize, but I have to ask it, what was it like working with her?
MS: She is such an icon and you never know what you’re gonna get because she’s been around for long and done such iconic stuff. She brought her skills and professionalism and it really just reaffirmed my wanting to make the show the best it could be because that’s what she wanted to do. She questioned her character all the time and she always wanted to make it honest and authentic. You know, for someone going into Season 3 who could become a bit complacent, it was a great way to kickstart the season by really reaffirming all those questions why am I doing what I’m doing.

One of the big fears that Wynonna had back when we first met her in Season 1 is that she was crazy.
MS: I think any kid—don’t tell my parents—but you see your parents, and you want to emulate their good side, but more often than not we’re taken with what we don’t want to replicate. For Wynonna it’s one of her biggest fears is ending up … she was in a mental institution when she was a teenager. She was proven to be not crazy by the fact in Season 1 everything that she had been talking about turns out to be true.

However, there’s still an element of that all happened to her when she was so young and seeing her mom go to the psych ward, it never stopped being a part of her DNA to be afraid of it. I think it’s just a constant battle not to end up like her mom in a lot of ways. As a parent even.

Let’s talk about this character played by Jean Marchand. What can you say about this incredibly bad dude that has entered this world named Bulshar?
MS: It’s like everything else is a trickle-down of this demon so he’s like the scariest. The way Jean Marchand plays him, it’s just such an unexpected refinement. It’s kind of refreshing to have, it’s sort of like the scariest dogs are the ones that don’t bark.

He just oozes this sinisterness and doesn’t have to really say anything which is kind of cool.
MS: Yeah. What’s interesting is that he in real life is the most generous, like he will not stop giving me DVDs. He’s generous, kind, and a fan of the show before he was on it. He is exactly the opposite which is so often what you hear about these bad guys, but it’s so cool to see him play such a dark presence.

A quick question about directing. You directed a scene. Is that something you’ve always wanted to do? Is that a natural progression for you?
MS: I think it’s a natural progression. I think it’s something that maybe I didn’t know I always wanted to do but then once I did it, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this fits. It makes sense.’ I just love storytelling in general. I love being able to work with people and create … I think a lot of times as an actor the external really drives the internal. So being a part of creating the external down to just little details really help tell the story in a way that felt so, it was so satisfying.

I can’t talk to you without asking you about Letterkenny. You are fantastic as Mrs. McMurray. What’s it been like working with these guys and playing this character?
MS: It’s just so, they’re so fun. All you do, and I think you can tell when you watch the show like all we do is laugh and mess up takes. But that’s so fun and it’s nice to go from a show where I have so much on my shoulders—which I love and wouldn’t trade that for the world—but it’s nice to be able to breathe and play on somebody else’s show where they set such a great tone.

I just have fun with them and know that if Mrs. McMurray messes up, people are still gonna watch the show. There’s no pressure. So if Mrs. McMurray sucks, they’re still gonna watch Letterkenny. It’s an amazing show which is a breath of fresh air as an actor to not have an pressure.

Jared Keeso has created a really fun work environment. I mean, you all do work hard there, I know, but also they like to have a lot of fun.
MS: Yeah. And Jacob Tierney as well. As a team, they are just unstoppable.

Wynonna Earp airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Space.

Letterkenny is streaming on CraveTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Link: ‘Letterkenny’ review: Wonderfully weird Canadian comedy comes to Hulu

From Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone:

Link: ‘Letterkenny’ review: Wonderfully weird Canadian comedy comes to Hulu
Long before I figured out that Wayne’s pet insult “10-ply” refers to someone who’s soft, or could follow more than a fraction of what the hockey players or the skids (breakdancing meth-heads, led by Tyler Johnston’s melodramatic Stewart) were saying, I recognized that Letterkenny spoke in the only dialect I needed to hear: funny. Continue reading.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail