Comedian Daryl Makk
Who better to run Calgary’s newest comedy room than one of the city’s own veteran comedians? Probably no one —at least that’s Daryl Makk’s reasoning, and the governing philosophy behind the establishment of Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour. Poised to become the highlight of mid-week professional comedy in Calgary, Comedy Detour will be held every Wednesday nights at Kits on 16th starting April 23rd. “The best rooms to work are comedian-run rooms,” says Makk. “We know how to do it better. We know who works best with each other, what professionals will complement each other, and then you have a show that just flows.”
Makk is not only committed to putting some of the funniest local and touring comedians onstage, he also wants comedians to get some very overdue recognition in the industry. “Canadian comedy is like the witness protection program of the entertainment world — nobody knows who the hell we are,” he says. “People know the logos of clubs, and I’m trying to make it more exciting to get to know who the actual comics are.”
Makk recognizes the trend of Canada losing its best comics to the U.S. and the U.K. because of a lack of opportunity at home. “But that’s slowly changing,” he says. “There are a lot more Calgarian comics than there ever was before.” He knows from experience that Calgarians, when given the chance, will eat comedy up. “When Ron White can do a Canadian tour and Calgary is the only city where they have to add dates, where he sells out the Jubilee two nights in a row, it’s obvious we have a good comedy market. There’s a hungry audience, and we just need more places for them to go.”
Daryl Makk’s Comedy Detour opens April 23rd. Makk will headline the opening night, mc’d by Comedy Monday Night regular James Moore, and also featuring Stephanie Foley. When asked why the new weekly event is called Comedy Detour, Makk says, “When life’s road is full of ruts, take a comedy detour.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
• Loose Moose Micetro Improv and Theatre Sports, Fridays at 8 p.m.
• Dirty Laundry, every Monday night at The Church (2404 Erlton Rd. S.W.), Calgary’s only live, improvised weekly soap opera.
• Corny joke from funny Calgarian Chris Austman: “Here’s one for all the psychics out there….”
