History Making Comedian At Funny Bone 

The key to any successful relationship is communication and Ian Bagg always strives to maintain peace with his audience by listening as he speaks. His act resembles a party and nobody likes a host who dominates the conversation and smothers out any words spoken by the guests. At The Funny Bone, April 24-27, Bagg will host a pleasant exchange with those in attendance. “It’s a controlled chaos. Come for a good time to escape; it’s like going to a barbeque to have good conversation. And I hear you,” Bagg said, who serves hearty laughs rather than sandwiches to his guests.

A Canadian, Bagg was raised in the small town of Terrace, about 850 miles from Vancouver, and though it was nice being able to know everybody, he was anxious to leave. His ticket out came from comedy which started at an Open-Mic night in a Vancouver Comedy Club when he first stepped on stage. “I didn’t win the contest but the owner said I should come back, so I did,” Bagg said.

It was an instant love affair and quickly became Bagg’s passion as he moved through the Canadian circuit. “It’s more addicting than heroin and with less track marks,” he said.

A high fills Bagg every time he takes the stage as his spirits soars above the crowd to a greater place. “I feel like the girl flying with wings on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese commercial,” he said.

There isn’t a single aspect of his career that Bagg doesn’t enjoy, though the traveling does get tiring, the resulting rewards make it more than worth it. A personal highlight was performing in the Middle East and China, places he otherwise wouldn’t have ever had the courage to visit on his own and he learned a lot.

    Having appeared on Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno and his own Comedy Central special, as well as other television appearances, he also enjoys the fame. Most recently he appeared on the History Channel’s, ‘The History of the Joke’ which has earned him the most recognition. “It’s probably my only chance to be on the History Channel so I took it.” Though for Bagg, nothing beats the effect he has on the audience. “I like having people love or hate what you do, either way it gets people fired up. The chicks are great, too,” Bagg added.

Bagg’s material comes straight from life and the experiences he has encountered from Canada to Los Angeles where he now resides. He feels the vast majority of the population will be able to relate to his act. “If you have ever been burnt by life, and I think 98% of people have, then come.” For language Bagg gives his routine an R rating, while he doesn’t swear just to be swearing he grew up around loggers and it was a regular part of their vocabulary.

    On Current TV, the network led by Al Gore, Bagg will soon be starting a late night talk show once a week. “It’s going to be Johnny Carson meets South Park,” he said. From an early age Bagg has been gearing himself for a talk show as, while in school, he would pretend his teachers were David Letterman or Paul Schaeffer, which often landed him in trouble. “I enjoyed answering questions and would say, ‘Well, you know Dave…..’”

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