Actors and Comics ‘Stand Up’ for Each Other as the Toughest Jobs in Show Business Get Even Tougher in Troubled Times

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede Which is tougher, acting or stand-up comedy? Undoubtedly, there are good days and bad days in each vocation, but it’s interesting how the practitioners of both genres don’t believe the grass is any greener on the other side. As with all industries, the entertainment business continues to face heavy challenges due to the pandemic. CTV Comedy Channel, in association with Just For Laughs, is celebrating Canadian comics and encouraging support for comedic artists experiencing hardship in these unprecedented times. To that end, four Crave Original Stand-up Specials are airing on CTV Comedy Channel this week (Monday to Thursday at 11 p.m. ET): AISHA BROWN: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER; TOM HENRY: 66 JOKES; MARK FORWARD WINS ALL THE AWARDS; and ROBBY HOFFMAN: I’M NERVOUS. All four specials are also available for streaming on Crave. Viewers are invited to donate to the Emergency Relief Fund for Canadian Comedians, organized by the Canadian Association of Stand-up Comedians, which assists with essential living costs. Donations can be made by visiting the official GoFundMe page. During a previous interview with Henry to promote TOM HENRY: 66 JOKES, it was suggested to him that of all the artistic endeavours he could have chosen for a career, stand-up comedy arguably is the most difficult. But Henry had a fascinating take on the subject. “The highs and the lows are really extreme,” Henry agreed. “It sort of falls apart when it’s not going well, and it’s very easy to start deconstructing it to the point where you go, ‘Am I just a guy with a microphone talking and nobody’s laughing?’ When it’s not going well, it’s just an attempt at stand-up comedy. But when it’s going well, and it’s just, ‘joke, laughter, joke, laughter, joke, laughter,’ that’s when you go, ‘THIS is stand-up comedy.’ ” Then Henry’s thoughts turned to his friends who are actors, and he made a bold statement. “I always think actors have it worse,” Henry said. “They’re solely just hoping to get cast in something that they have nothing to do with – I mean, unless they’re at the stage of their careers where they’re making their own stuff. But usually, they’re going to these auditions, and auditions are awful. You’re trying to impress people who have no reason to be impressed by you. And even if you do get the part, there’s a good chance that the thing you’ve been cast in won’t be any good, because, you know, most things aren’t that good.” So Henry believes that even on the days when stand-up comedy is going badly, at least stand-up comedians are still creating and crafting something, and he feels that all things considered, everyday actors have it far tougher. But as a counterpoint, several months later, Melanie Scrofano was being interviewed to promote Season 4 of WYNONNA EARP, which currently is airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on CTV Sci-Fi Channel. During the course of that conversation, Scrofano – who plays the title character – was told about Henry’s views on the subject of acting versus stand-up comedy. “He has an interesting take, but I think he’s wrong,” Scrofano said with a laugh. “Yes, he makes very valid points. As an actor, you don’t have control, that’s true. Whatever I do as an actor is either going to be augmented or diminished by what somebody else does with the music, or with the shot, or with the edit. But … I still think his job is tougher.” That’s what you call mutual respect! billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv