What are you lookin at?

Yesterday morning an icon of canadian comedy died. Montreal's Ernie Butler passed away after a month of being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

He was 58

If you have read my blog you already know my love/hate affair with the city of montreal. The one thing I have always had for the game is respect for those that came before me and created the road for me to get better.

Ernie was a huge highway for many of us to use.

Over the years Ernie gave many comics there first chance to stretch their legs and try swinging the headliner bat. My first chance was in 1996 and I am still thankful for that. By that time I had enough time to headline but I was not nearly a "headliner".

Ernie had been lied to and told I was the next "big thing" in canadian comedy. Yeah great a young fuck with funny pants is the next big thing. How sad is that..some lame jokes and some funny fabric...look out comedy network. I have been in this game less then half the time Ernie had and am sick of that tag. It would be twelve long years before someone else would take that baton and run with it.

Since then I have played all three clubs at various times in montreal. In the early 2000's I did his radio show and talked it like I walked it. Ernie loved the fact I hacked on guys and said their names. After the interview he said to me that it reminded him of the old days. How comics were not scared to speak their mind.

In 2005 at the Just for Laughs fest I returned to play his club. I also did a radio interview at the delta with ernie. Sure things had changed and I was no longer the young comic who needed Ernie's club to spread my comedy wings. Over the years I never got involved with comedy politics in that town. I had not played ernies club in years but he was very gracious during the interview and complimentary.

When I was talking to a comic about going to the funeral they said

"what does it pay"

I am sure ernie would have liked that.

The one thing I loved about ernie even though it might not have been the best for me and my comedy:

Ernie was old school

I always respect that

On your travel to your big gig..I hope you packed light cause you got a big old head of memories