“Everyone needs to laugh and comedy is a powerful art form that people enjoy”
Calgary-based comedian Daryl Makk – otherwise known as Daddy Makk – has had a passion for comedy since he was a small child. He said it wasn’t until he married and had children that his passion began to clash with his family life.
“It was hard to watch from the sidelines and not pursue what I loved doing the most,” Makk said, referring to when he was working as a long haul truck driver to provide a stable income for his family.
Daryl Makk preparing comedy skits for an upcoming show
Photo: SABA HAILEMARIAM/Calgary Journal
Makk said he worked hard, balancing comedy with his truck-driving job, because comedy alone wasn’t going to pay the bills and take care of his children.
“There is no safety net with comedy when you’re doing it full time, because you are self-employed in a very volatile and unpredictable industry,” Makk said.
Makk recalled one of his best nights, in Saskatoon, Sask. After his stand-up, a young lady thanked him for helping her cope with the death of her father. His material triggered the young lady to think of all the good times she had with her late father, she told him.
“That audience member made me realize this was something I had to pursue,” Makk said.
After his divorce, Makk returned to the comedy world in 1993.
“Clubs were closing their doors, and TV shows were starting to dry up a little bit. The boom in ‘84 created a big problem ahead for me,” Makk said.
Makk said this was discouraging for him, but not enough to quit. In that same year, 1993, one of the comedy clubs in Winnipeg was holding a contest called The Classic Laugh Off. Makk entered, joked his way into the finals and ended up winning. He said the win reassured him that he still had the goods, so he began touring across the country. Makk worked overseas in the United Kingdom, Australia, on cruise ships and most recently performed a show in Costa Rica.
Cory Mack has been a comedian for 20 years, and she said she distinctly remembers meeting Makk at a showcase called Just for Laughs. Mack enjoyed working with Makk and found that he was very professional.
“He’s funny, he’s courteous and he’s a go-getter,” Mack said.
Makk is currently working on creating a television show called The Planet Tour Show. He said he created the TV show because of a motorcycle accident he was involved in. It left him with cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a written-off bike. He said it really bothered him that someone could hit and then abandon him, so he developed The Planet Tour Show to promote sharing the road and wearing safety gear when riding a motorbike.
The show is kicking off with several episodes on YouTube, Makk said. Once he’s collected enough subscribers and sponsors on-board to launch his website, the show will be ready to shift into high gear.
Makk said his show is based on living off of his bike; going from one show to the next, meeting people along the way and showing people all the sights of the world while adding humour to it at the same time.
Makk’s video producer for The Planet Tour, Travis Cross, said he is really excited about the way things are turning out.
“The Planet Tour definitely has longevity. There’s going to be a great TV show coming out of this,” Cross said. |
Keith Fagin makes this comment
Wednesday, 24 February 2010