Mark Forward, an award-winning Canadian comedian, will be reprising his role as Wayne Leung in season three of Mr. D on CBC this February. He is performing at the Ottawa Little Theatre Nov. 23. The Charlatan reporter Josh Charbot spoke with him about where the jokes come from and which he likes better—TV or stand-up.
The Charlatan (TC): How did you get started in stand-up comedy?
Mark Forward (MF): How did I get started . . . Well I get asked this a lot, it’s a weird question to answer. I just started (laughs).
TC: At smaller clubs?
MF: Well you do what everyone does. You start out at amateur night and then you just keep doing it every night and work your way up. It’s not really an interesting story.
TC: Who are your biggest inspirations as stand-up comedians?
MF: I’m a big fan of Zach Galifianakis, Louis C.K, and I was a big fan of Mitch Hedberg.
TC: Do you prefer working as a writer and actor on shows like Mr. D and the Jon Dore Show or do you prefer touring as a stand-up act?
MF: Well they’re different muscles right? But there’s nothing better than being live in front of an audience and getting instant gratification, that’s always nice. Don’t you like when people hug you?
TC: (Laughs) Yeah.
MF: They hug you right away. The other stuff is great too but yeah I love being in front of an audience.
TC: What can you reveal about the upcoming third season of Mr. D?
MF: Nothing.
TC: Too early for that?
MF: It gets funnier, you know every show with a new season gets better. But a lot more of the same things, weird stuff. Mr. Leung might die.
TC: What is your writing process for your stand-up routines?
MF: That’s a good question. I have no idea. If something hits me then I . . . I can’t answer that question. Every joke I write, I’m terrified it’s the last one. It’s true, and I think most comics feel that. We kinda go, oh that was kinda great, and then it evolves over time and then we have a ten minute bit on chipmunks and you go well, where did that come from and how the hell am I ever going to do that again?
TC: So what advice do you have for people trying to become stand-up comedians or comedy writers?
MF: Well that is a good question since I get asked a lot by comics starting out and the only thing you can do is just do it, just keep doing it. And they don’t want to hear that, everybody wants some magic thing. But there’s no magic thing. It’s shitty clubs, it’s terrible rooms, it’s just day and night of wishing you’d done something else with your life. There’s no easy way.
TC: Is there anything you’d like to say about your show at the Ottawa Little Theatre?
MF: It’s my first venture into my own show, my own theatre. So I’m nervous but I’d really love for people to come out and see a different kind of stand-up. It’s a fun, playful show and I’m really excited . . . and hopefully it’s gonna be a big success.
