The newest Great Canadian Laugh Off champion may need to share some prize money with an unsuspecting audience member.
Halifax comic Mark Little had managed to edge his way into the final eight at the 64-comic standoff, and the audience was loving his story about running into an old racist lady.
“Another one was about being bullied at school,” says Little. “The weird thing being that I was home schooled. That joke went over well.”
But what seemed to clinch it was an unconventional bit about the guys at hip hop shows whose jobs are to hype the rappers. Little invited a random audience member on stage and got her to read his jokes while he stood there cheering her on.
By the end of the night Little had been named Great Canadian Laugh Off champion, the first ever from the Maritimes, and was awarded $25,000. “I was in pure shock. I don’t think I even smiled for the first hour and a half,” he recalls.
“I’m really glad I’ve never won a game show or anything like that. If I won a million dollars I’d probably vomit all over myself.”
Little has only been performing standup for three and a half years. But the founding member of popular sketch comedy troupe Picnicface has already built up a strong reputation.
“He came with great buzz. And part of the buzz that came with him was that he was a great writer, and an original writer,” says Yuk Yuk’s owner Mark Breslin.
“I think that’s ultimately one of the things that really won the judges over. I mean, how many comics do I know will put Nietzsche in a joke?”
Toronto comic Mark Forward finished runner up, winning a year’s supply of mac and cheese.
Little is now back in Halifax but will be touring with Picnicface in Edmonton in June and in Vancouver in September, followed by L.A. He also plans to use some of his prize money to go perform in London.
“I just don’t want anything to slow down,” he says. “As long as progress is being made, I’m happy.”
