Graham Clark (comedian)

Graham Clark
Born (1981-07-11) July 11, 1981
Calgary, Alberta
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • writer
  • podcaster
Years active2005–present
OrganizationMaximum Fun
AgentPaquin Entertainment
Spouse(s)Sally White, 2023–present
Awards
Websitebeardpaintings.tumblr.com

Graham Clark (born July 11, 1981)[1] is a Canadian stand-up comedian and philanthropist from Vancouver, British Columbia. He is best known for pioneering podcasting as the co-host of Stop Podcasting Yourself.[2][3]

Clark is also a producer and regular guest on the CBC Radio One's comedy program The Debaters.[4]

Early life

Clark grew up in Calgary before moving to Vancouver in 2000.

He was an independent candidate in the 2009 British Columbia general election, running in Vancouver-Fairview.[5]

Comedy career

In 2001, Clark started hosting The Laugh Gallery, a weekly stand-up show at El Cocal restaurant in East Vancouver.[6][7] The Laugh Gallery moved across the street in 2006 to Rime, then down Commercial Drive to Havana, and finally relocated to its current home at Little Mountain Gallery following the venue's reopening in Gastown.[8]

On June 7, 2008, Clark appeared on The Debaters for the first time. He won Yuk Yuk's Great Canadian Laugh Off.[9]

He was a host of Citytv's satirical news show The CityNews List from 2009 until its cancellation in the 2010 Rogers Media layoffs.[10]

Clark appeared in season 1, episode 6 of HBO Canada's Funny as Hell in 2011.[11]

Tragedy Plus Time, his comedy blog column for Vancouver Is Awesome, ran from July 7, 2010 until March 24, 2011.[12][13]

On April 12, 2016, Clark was named one of the National Post's "Eight Extraordinary Canadians."[14]

He did punch-up writing on the first three seasons of Corner Gas Animated, from 2018 to 2020.[15]

From 2018-2019, Clark was a West Coast correspondent on This Hour Has 22 Minutes season 26.[16]

He cleaned up at the 2019 Vancouver Comedy Awards. Clark received Best Crowd Work Best Twitter Account, Best Comedy Parent, Best Local Headliner, Best Local Host / MC as well as Best Comedy Podcast for SPY.[17]

Clark released his album, Never Was, on October 31st 2023.[18] It received a Juno Award nomination for Comedy Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2024.[19]

Fringe

Clark has premiered multiple shows at various Fringe Festivals. In 2015, he performed Graham Clark Reads the Phone Book at the Toronto Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[20][21] In 2016, he returned to the Toronto Fringe with his show Instagraham.[22] In 2018, he brought his show Graham Clark's Not Here to the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.[23]

Stop Podcasting Yourself

In 2008, Clark was invited by his friend Dave Shumka to start a podcast in Shumka's basement studio.[24] Stop Podcasting Yourself accidentally invented the chat show format, and was a quick success.[25]

He and Shumka met Jesse Thorn and joined the Maximum Fun network in 2011.[26]

Shumka and Clark were nominated for, and won Best Podcast twice at the Canadian Comedy Awards, in 2012 and 2013 in recognition of Stop Podcasting Yourself. They also won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Audio Show or Series in 2014.

The podcast has been recorded live at festivals such as Just for Laughs.[27]

Stop Podcasting Yourself celebrated 500 episodes in 2017, and its 10th anniversary in 2018.[28][29][30]

Philanthropy

Beard paintings

In 2011, Clark began selling "beard paintings" painted using his iconic beard as a brush, for various causes.[31][32][33][34] His original beard paintings raised $5000 for a friend battling cancer.[35] His beard paintings have since benefitted earthquake relief efforts by GlobalMedic, Oxfam’s East Africa famine relief, Adsum for Women and Children, the Vancouver Food Bank, the Save the Rio Theatre Campaign, Charitable Impact, Alberta flood relief, Megaphone Magazine, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Emergency Shelter, Small Talk, and to purchase a new wheelchair for fellow Vancouver comedian Ryan Lachance.[36][37]

Graham Clark's 24 Hours of Stand-Up

Clark has done four 24-hour stand-up comedy marathons to raise money for local causes and the arts.[38] In 2019, he did 24 hours of stand-up to raise money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation for young people living with HIV and AIDS.[39] When local comedy venue Little Mountain Gallery announced its eviction later in 2021, Clark returned to raise money for their relocation.[40][41]

When Little Mountain Gallery reopened April 12 2024, Clark did another 24-hour hour fundraiser to fund its opening and build awareness of the new location.[42][43] In 2025, his stand-up comedy marathon raised funds for Vancouver's Filipino community following the Lapu Lapu festival attack.[44]

Other charity shows

May 21 2021, Clark raised money for global vaccine equity in a virtual comedy show for Partners In Health.[45]

In July 2024, Clark participated in Erica Sigurdson's "Feed Our Neighbours" comedy fundraiser.[46]

On February 6, 2026, Clark performed "Comedy for a Cause" at the Queen's Theatre in Nanaimo, British Columbia, with partial proceeds benefiting the Billon Foundation.[47]

Personal life

Clark is allergic to peanuts, gluten, and dairy.[48][49]

He eloped with journalist Sally White in Las Vegas in 2023.

References

  1. ^ Newton, Steve (2021-12-08). "Graham Clark spins his childhood love of Pee-wee Herman silliness into comedy gold and good deeds". The Georgia Straight.
  2. ^ "Stop Podcasting Yourself creators argue that there's artistry in podcasting". Q, December 22, 2016.
  3. ^ Conner, Shawn (2017-10-11). "Less time explaining, more time podcasting". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2025-08-18. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ^ "Whistling is wonderful". CBC Radio. 2021-02-05. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  5. ^ "VOTE FOR GRAHAM CLARK". YouTube. CityTv Vancouver. April 14, 2009.
  6. ^ MacPherson, Guy (2006-06-22). "It's all fun and games until..." The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  7. ^ MacPherson, Guy (2005-09-22). "Best Of Vancouver - Comics take a stand on their local favourites". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  8. ^ Clark, Graham (2010-12-08). "Tragedy Plus Time Volume 23 - Alicia Tobin". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-02-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Watt, Michael, "Episode #3.1", Great Canadian Laugh Off, Mark Breslin, Eddie Brill, Graham Clark, retrieved 2026-03-04
  10. ^ "The List". CityTv. Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  11. ^ Funny as Hell (TV Series 2011–2016) - Full cast & crew. Retrieved 2026-03-04 – via IMDb.
  12. ^ Clark, Graham (2010-07-07). "Tragedy Plus Time Volume 1 – Charlie Demers". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  13. ^ Clark, Graham (2011-03-24). "Tragedy Plus Time 37 - Sean Enemy". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  14. ^ Hopper, Tristin (2016-04-12). "Eight extraordinary Canadians on whether talent is innate — or learned". National Post.
  15. ^ "Graham Clark". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  16. ^ "Graham Clark". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  17. ^ Smith, Janet (2019-02-05). "Graham Clark scores headliner of the year, while Sophie Buddle nabs best dirty joke as Vancouver Comedy Awards winners announced". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  18. ^ "Never Was". Graham Clark. Bandcamp. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  19. ^ "Here are all the 2024 Juno nominees". CBC Music, February 6, 2024.
  20. ^ Kerr, Jeff (2015-07-03). "Graham Clark Reads the Phone Book (Laugh Gallery) 2015 Toronto Fringe Review | Mooney on Theatre". Mooney on Theatre. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  21. ^ "Graham Clark at the Comedy MIX". [The Georgia Straight]]. 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  22. ^ Silva, Michelle da (2016-07-01). "Fringe Review: Instagraham". NOW Toronto. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  23. ^ Olynyk, Justin (2018-07-21). "Graham Clark's Not Here". UMFM. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  24. ^ Techler, Graham (2017-02-15). "The Sprawling Podcast Universe of Maximum Fun". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2026-03-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ Lyons, Margaret (2021-02-25). "How a TV Critic Turned to Podcasts During a Pandemic". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  26. ^ Barrett, Jessica (2016-08-11). "Vancouver podcasters pump up the volume". BC Business. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  27. ^ "Stop Podcasting Yourself creators argue that there's artistry in podcasting". CBC Radio. 2016-12-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Warner, Andrea (2019-06-26). "Five Canadian Podcasts to Know". NUVO. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  29. ^ Zaschky, Jan (2017-10-12). "Stop Podcasting Yourself continues podcasting itself into 500th episode". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  30. ^ Dickson, Courtney (2018-04-15). "Vancouver comedians celebrate 10 years of podcasting". CBC British Columbia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "Graham Clark's Beard Paintings". Tumblr.
  32. ^ "Graham Clark". The Comedy Mix. 2013-10-13. Retrieved 2026-03-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ Park, Michael (2013-08-19). "Jesse Thorn interview". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  34. ^ Rossi, Cheryl (2011-09-21). "Comedian puts heart and beard into his art". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-02-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ MacLachlan, Stacey (2011-09-19). "Local Comedian Graham Clark's 'Beard Paintings' to Raise Money for Charities". BC Living. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  36. ^ Newton, Steve (2024-04-06). "Charitable comic Graham Clark's propensity for helping others came mostly from his mom". Ear of Newt. Retrieved 2026-03-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  37. ^ MacPherson, Guy (2011-09-14). "For standup comic Graham Clark, it's have beard, will paint". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  38. ^ "Graham Clark is Vancouver's 24-hour joke-telling marathon man". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
  39. ^ Mooney, Harrison (2019-11-22). "Q&A: Vancouver comedian Graham Clark prepares for 24-hour stand-up set". Vancouver Sun.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ^ "To save Little Mountain, Graham Clark again ventures into the dark night of the comedy soul". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  41. ^ Chai, Daniel (2021-12-09). "Vancouver comedian performing 24 hours of stand-up for charity next week | Events". Daily Hive. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  42. ^ "Graham Clark Is Doing Another 24-Hour Comedy Marathon". Vancouver Magazine. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  43. ^ "Graham Clark's 24 Hours of Stand-Up". SAD Mag. 2024-04-08. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  44. ^ "Graham Clark stages 24-hour marathon of laughs to raise funds for Filipino BC, May 23". Stir. 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  45. ^ Thomson, Cameron (2021-05-07). "Vancouver comedians come together in virtual fundraiser show for global vaccine equity". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  46. ^ Newton, Steve (2021-07-20). "Sophia Johnson emcees Feeding Our Neighbours comedy fundraiser on July 22". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  47. ^ "Comedy for a Cause with Graham Clark". The Queen's. 2026-02-07. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  48. ^ Usinger, Mike (2025-05-21). "What's In Your Fridge: Graham Clark". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
  49. ^ Clark, Graham (2023-10-30), Peanuts, Apple Music, retrieved 2026-03-04
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.