Mike MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Mike MacDonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian
and actor
. He has written and/or starred in many movies, including Mr. Nice Guy. In addition to his successful and well received live performances all over North America, MacDonald has appeared in such TV shows as The Late Show with David Letterman and The Arsenio Hall Show.
, West Germany
and Canada
... He was born in Metz, France
. He learned at an early age that humor would make him popular. When his father retired from the military, his family settled in Ottawa
, where Mike attended Brookfield High School
.
, toured Canada with a rock
group sponsored by the Canadian government. The tour ended and he returned to Ottawa
. MacDonald spent the next few years in various jobs including drive-in
restaurant
employee, ballroom dance
instructor, and teacher's aide for mentally handicapped children. Finally, in 1978 at the age of 23, MacDonald began to frequent clubs where he could try his own kind of stand-up comedy
. MacDonald later moved to Toronto
, where he began to perform throughout the city on a regular basis. As his reputation grew, job offers did as well. MacDonald quit his day job
so he could make comedy his sole living. He began to perform throughout Canada and made frequent forays into the United States.
. In addition, he has appeared on numerous TV shows including Late Night With David Letterman
, The Arsenio Hall Show
, Just For Laughs
, Showtime's Comedy Club All-Star Show, A&E's
An Evening at the Improv, and Comedy Central's
The A List
. His popularity continues to soar in both the US and Canada. He has hosted both the Gemini Awards and the Just For Laughs 10th Anniversary Special for the CBC
. MacDonald also holds the distinction of being the only comedian
to perform at each and every Just For Laughs
gala show.
MacDonald has starred in three well received specials for the CBC in Canada and for Showtime in the US. His first special, Mike MacDonald; On Target was the very first one hour prime time special by a stand-up comic in the history of the CBC. This success led to MacDonald’s next special, "My House! My Rules!" This special won its prime time slot when it aired in Canada. It also was nominated for two Gemini Awards. The Showtime version of "My House! My Rules!" was nominated for two CableACE Award
s, "Best Comedy Special" and "Best Writing in a Comedy Special". His third Showtime special, called “Happy As I Can Be”, was originally slated as a half-hour show. When executives saw the footage, they immediately expanded it to an hour. “Happy As I Can Be” in its one hour format also achieved a number 1 rating when it aired in prime time in Canada on the CBC.
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He has written and/or starred in many movies, including Mr. Nice Guy. In addition to his successful and well received live performances all over North America, MacDonald has appeared in such TV shows as The Late Show with David Letterman and The Arsenio Hall Show.
Early life
As the son of a career Canadian Air Force officer, MacDonald spent the first 15 years of his life on military bases throughout FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
... He was born in Metz, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He learned at an early age that humor would make him popular. When his father retired from the military, his family settled in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, where Mike attended Brookfield High School
Brookfield High School (Ottawa)
Brookfield High School is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board high school in the Riverside Park neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was officially opened in 1962....
.
Starting out
After high school, MacDonald, who was an accomplished drummerDrummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, toured Canada with a rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
group sponsored by the Canadian government. The tour ended and he returned to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. MacDonald spent the next few years in various jobs including drive-in
Drive-in
A drive-in is a facility such as a bank, restaurant, or movie theater where one can literally drive in with an automobile for service. It is usually distinguished from a drive-through. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk out...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
employee, ballroom dance
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
instructor, and teacher's aide for mentally handicapped children. Finally, in 1978 at the age of 23, MacDonald began to frequent clubs where he could try his own kind of stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
. MacDonald later moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where he began to perform throughout the city on a regular basis. As his reputation grew, job offers did as well. MacDonald quit his day job
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
so he could make comedy his sole living. He began to perform throughout Canada and made frequent forays into the United States.
Standup comedy career
MacDonald has had many successful and well received live performances all over North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In addition, he has appeared on numerous TV shows including Late Night With David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
, The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
, Just For Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
, Showtime's Comedy Club All-Star Show, A&E's
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
An Evening at the Improv, and Comedy Central's
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
The A List
The A list
The A List is the second album released by British-Norwegian boyband A1. The album was released in early 2000 after the success of the singles "Take on Me" and "Same Old Brand New You". The album was certified as Gold in the UK.-Track listing:-Charts:...
. His popularity continues to soar in both the US and Canada. He has hosted both the Gemini Awards and the Just For Laughs 10th Anniversary Special for the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. MacDonald also holds the distinction of being the only comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
to perform at each and every Just For Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
gala show.
MacDonald has starred in three well received specials for the CBC in Canada and for Showtime in the US. His first special, Mike MacDonald; On Target was the very first one hour prime time special by a stand-up comic in the history of the CBC. This success led to MacDonald’s next special, "My House! My Rules!" This special won its prime time slot when it aired in Canada. It also was nominated for two Gemini Awards. The Showtime version of "My House! My Rules!" was nominated for two CableACE Award
CableACE Award
The CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s, "Best Comedy Special" and "Best Writing in a Comedy Special". His third Showtime special, called “Happy As I Can Be”, was originally slated as a half-hour show. When executives saw the footage, they immediately expanded it to an hour. “Happy As I Can Be” in its one hour format also achieved a number 1 rating when it aired in prime time in Canada on the CBC.