Comedian Paul Myerhaug is no stranger to Penticton. In fact, he knows exactly where he’s headed when he arrives.
“Burger 55 is going to be one of my first stops,” Myerhaug said.
He was surprised to hear about the location change.
“They moved out of the little old tire shop? No way!” Myerhaug said.
After grabbing a bite, the 10-year veteran of comedy will join Craig Campbell and Dan Quinn as part of the Snowed In Comedy Tour bringing the laughs to the Barking Parrot on Feb. 5.
The tour will be a blast from the past for Myerhaug, who had some good times back when he was on the tour three years ago.
He currently lives and operates out of London, England, but he came back to Canada to celebrate Christmas with his family, and was offered a spot on the tour.
“I thought I’d stick around and do that (the tour) as well because it’s my favourite comedy tour in the world,” Myerhaug said.
His love of snowboarding and the memories a trip through B.C. will bring back are two of the leading reasons.
“When I was growing up it (the Okanagan) was my favourite place to tour. Just coming back and being able to do the shows again is unreal,” Myerhaug said.
“You’re out until two, three in the morning and having fun and taking advantage of everything that the entertainment lifestyle has to offer. Some of the most fun memories of my life are coming through towns in B.C., it’s definitely a walk down memory lane.”
Both he and his act have grown since the late nights spent in B.C. clubs. Myerhaug said he’s still a storyteller, however, the stories have changed.
“I’m trying not to become a boring old man,” Myerhaug laughed.
His humorous stories now revolve around interesting happenings during international touring around Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Australia, as well as performing for Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
“I still have that Western-Canadian style, rather than just set up punch lines, it’s more storytelling. I still haven’t lost my roots, I’m still pretty much a party comic,” Myerhaug said.
Branching out as an international comic requires a bit of a learning curve, he said, but most of the shows are attended by expatriates.
“It’s a little different because you can’t rely on things like.. no one knows where Red Deer is,” Myerhaug laughed.
The move to London was a step Myerhaug had always wanted to take, modelling his career around comedians he idolized in his youth.
“I’ve always looked up to the guys who move there because it is sort of a keyhole to the rest of the world,” Myerhaug said.
While he’s travelled the world making people laugh, it’s always good to come back home.
“I’m excited to come back to Penticton, I love the Parrot,” Myerhaug said.
For tickets to the Snowed In Comedy Tour visit www.snowedincomedytour.com or visit the Penticton Lakeside Resort front desk. Tickets are $25.
