Dave Coulier hopes for a full house at the Comedy Nights at the Goose show this month in Langford.
“If people want to bring their boss to my show, they are not going to get embarrassed. But, even though I do a clean show I can’t vouch for the comedians that open for me,” he said in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles.
When Coulier performs at the Galloping Goose Grille, his show will be full of impersonations, harmonica playing, and the observational humour he finds in his own life.
“If I don’t do Bullwinkle or Popeye people come up to me after the show and complain. My standup is always evolving,” said Coulier, adding he has also included more modern characters in his show including SpongeBob SquarePants.
After decades of standup, Coulier admits to being heckled hundreds of times, but said he ignores it and continues the show.
“There is a reason why the comedian is the one standing with the microphone,” Coulier said.
While he grew up watching the raunchy comedy acts of Richard Pryor, he also took in the clean comedy of the Johnny Carson show. Coulier first appeared on that show in 1984.
“It was the most terrifying roller-coaster ride of my life,” he said of his experience on the Tonight Show.
Having a foul-language free show isn’t something he prides himself in, “It’s just who I am.
“When I was 19, I met Jay Leno at the Comedy Store. He said, ‘You are funny and very clean. When you have a clean show you can work anywhere,’” Coulier said in his best Jay Leno impersonation.
Coulier is best known for his eight seasons on the sitcom Full House where he played comedian Joey Gladstone. The show ended in 1995 and since then he has been on two reality shows Skating with Celebrities and The Surreal Life.
“Being on reality shows is just uncomfortable,” he said. When he was on The Surreal Life he shared a house with celebrities including Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block and Flava Flav from Public Enemy.
“I still talk to Flava Flav sometimes, he texts me … he’s just a sweetheart,” Coulier said.
It’s been 15 years since Coulier has been to Vancouver Island, the last time was to play a charity hockey game.
“If you’ve seen me play hockey, it’s pretty much just comedy too,” joked the comedian.
Coulier’s mother is from New Brunswick and he grew up in Detroit, but his passion for hockey began when he first laced his skates at five years old.
“It felt like I was from Canada because every weekend I would drive with my dad to Southern Ontario for hockey games,” he said.
Coulier still plays hockey every Sunday in a pickup league. “But now it’s mostly just for the beer,” he admitted.
Comedy Nights at the Goose is hosting Coulier’s show March 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Galloping Goose Grille at 1097 Langford Parkway.
