Stand-out Canadian comic Gerry Dee, best known for his role as a loveable, yet fool-hearted teacher on CBC’s Mr. D, is making a stop in the Okanagan on his latest comedy tour.
Mr. D ran from 2012 to 2018 and won several awards including Best TV Show at the 2013 Canadian Comedy Awards. Dee won Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards.
Now that Mr. D has concluded, Dee is happy to return to his roots on his 20 Years of Stand-up Tour.
“I’m excited to be back, it feels like yesterday when I was back on stage,” said Dee. “It’s bigger and more exciting, and it’s great to get back to how this all started.”
Dee’s upcoming tour stops in the Okanagan for one night only March 30 at the Kelowna Community Theatre, part of a country-wide, coast-to-coast tour.
Dee’s happy that the tour includes a spot in one of his favourite spots in the Okanagan.
“I love Kelowna, it has one of the more beautiful sceneries (from the tour), and I love the scenery with just walking around by the mountains and by the water,” said Dee.
Dee said that he hopes that he can stay an extra few days in Kelowna to get some potential golf and sight-seeing in, but that the tour and the length of time spent away from his family is something that affects his time spent in the Okanagan.
Almost on cue, the comic joked that the Kelowna weather may make the golf decision for him.
The success from Mr. D and his stint on T.V. has the 2007 Last Comic Standing stand-out not giving up on the potential of more T.V. shows.
“I have plans,” he said. “But I’m at the mercy of the networks. But I definitely hope to get back.”
Until then, Dee returns to his origins of stand-up comedy, where he gets his ideas from the everyday stuff, and his years of teaching.
“I write from my own world, and find lots of stuff people can relate to.”
In his 20 year career, Dee noticed the changes in the comedy world with the rise of social media and the types of comedy that are still funny, but more respectful.
“There’s been a lot of changes, you have to think a little more before you speak as a comic, which is a good thing,” said Dee. “I believe it’s important to not just say whatever you want. Makes you have to think a little more about the writing process.”
“(Social media) has helped a lot, it’s free advertising, and we promote ourselves now.”
While Dee has made his career through comedy, he said that his three children aren’t concerned with the star comic’s work.
“They don’t even know what I do,” Dee laughed. “But my youngest daughter thinks I’m funny, sometimes.”
Dee comes to Kelowna March 30, tickets can be bought at gerrydee.com.
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