Skip to content

Comedians to yuk it up

Two Calgary comedians expect to have their audience in stitches this weekend. Matt Foster and Todd Ness are the line-up for Okotoks’ Yuk Yuk’s on Tour at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Calgary comedian Matt Foster will entertain at the Yuk Yuk’s on Tour event in at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Calgary comedian Matt Foster will entertain at the Yuk Yuk’s on Tour event in at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Two Calgary comedians expect to have their audience in stitches this weekend.

Matt Foster and Todd Ness are the line-up for Okotoks’ Yuk Yuk’s on Tour at the Rotary Performing Arts Centre Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Ness will headline the show with a mixture of observational comedy and storytelling that goes back to his childhood years.

“I talk about a wide variety of stuff,” he said. “I tell a lot of stories that have happened to be me that are absurd. It’s pretty high energy and it’s a lot of fun and it should be a lot of laughter.”

The Calgary comedian has been cracking people up on stages across western Canada for seven years, and has found audiences in smaller communities to have the most energy.

“I actually prefer them because people are more grateful when you come because comedy isn’t there as often,” he said. “I find people are more grateful and exited to have the show. It’s more of a luxury.”

It was during his childhood years that Ness knew he wanted to be a comedian.

“I remember being the class clown and being in hockey tournaments and making people laugh,” he said.

Comedy is the best form of live entertainment, according to Ness.

“You really have to be there to really experience the show,” he said. “There is a lot of good standup comedy on TV and Netflix. However, good as it is on TV it’s 100 times better when you’re there with people laughing.”

Opening the show with his hilarious observations, clever writing and embarrassing anecdotes is comedian of three years Matt Foster.

Foster said he doesn’t know what he will put out there until he gets the feel of the room.

“It’s seeing what the room is like when you get there,” he said. “I usually have a mixture of things that I talk about, like observational and everyday stuff. I have stories of my travels to other continents. My comedy is pretty relatable wherever I go.”

Foster said he likes to talk about everyday experiences his audience can relate to. A large part of what he talks about is coloured with anecdotes.

Unlike Ness, Foster is new to telling jokes in a public setting.

Although it was his long-harboured dream to be a comedian, Foster initially worked as a drummer on cruise ships, backing up entertainment in genres ranging from jazz to rock and roll.

He was too shy to get into the spotlight, and finally took the risk three years ago.

“It gives me a feeling that nothing else really has before,” he said. “It’s one of those things that no matter what mood I’m in it’s the best possible thing to be doing. You stand in front of people and you get that wave of laughter, which we always aim for. When the room is really rocking and everybody is unified it’s great.”

Tickets to see Yuk Yuk’s on Tour cost $20 and can be purchased at okotoksculture.ca, 403-938-3204 or at the Okotoks Art Gallery.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks