[CHANGE IN VENUE] Win Two Tickets to See Best Canadian Comedian 2016 Mike Ward, Dec 11-12

[UPDATED Dec 10, 3pm] The organizers have had to move Sunday night's E&A show to 4corners. Details about the new arrangement can be found on the updated poster below:

This weekend, Canadian standup comedian Mike Ward comes to Beijing for a two-gig stint. Despite his huggable appearance, if you've seen any of Ward's comedy you'll know that the bear muzzle in his promo poster serves as a warning, and you shouldn't expect to come out of his show feeling like you've been pawed by a teddy bear. On the contrary, Ward dabbles in the type of crass comedy that'll have you looking around to see whether anyone else is laughing before you can relax and accept you too are a horrible person.

Ward's comedy hasn't gone unnoticed, serving as a longtime host at the Just For Laughs Gala in Montreal since 2008, and this year winning the title of Best Comedian at the Canadian Comedy Awards.

Of course coverage can also have its downsides, and as with any comedian worth their salt, Mike Ward hasn't been spared his share of controversy in the limelight. Earlier this year, he incurred the wrath of French-Canadian pop singer Jérémy Gabriel (he obviously does care) and was found guilty of making fun of his disabilities by the Quebec Human Rights Commission. Ward refused to pay the CAD 42,000 in damages, racking up CAD 93,000 in legal fees and leading him to open a Gofundme page which to this day has helped him recoup CAD 38,000 of his money fighting the case. On his crowdfund page, Ward jokingly states, "Some are portraying me as a free speech hero, others as a coward that made fun of a disabled child. The truth lies somewhere in the middle."

For your chance to win two tickets to either the E&A Livehouse show on December 11 or the Fella's show on December 12 simply send an email to win@truerun.com with the title "I Want Tickets to Mike Ward!" before midday on Thursday, December 8. Please also include your name and phone number and which of the two shows you'd like to attend. If winning things goes against your religion then tickets for both nights are selling for RMB 120 presale and RMB 150 on the door.

To get you in the mood, below is an interview provided by the organizers conducted with Ward prior to his trip this way:

Why come to China?
Because I’ve never been and I’ve always been fascinated by the country. Plus, with President Trump in the White House, this might be the last chance I get. In a couple of years, they might not let fat-headed white guys in the country anymore.

What are you most looking forward to on this tour?
Meeting the comics that are going to be opening for me. I love comedians, and love the art of standup. Can’t wait to meet Chinese comics. I don’t speak a word of Mandarin, but I want to go see a Chinese show. Listen to the musicality of the comedy.

How did you get started in comedy?
I’ve been doing this since the mid 90s. I’ve had a farely successful career in French Canada. I decided to start touring internationally (in English) a couple years ago. It’s been going well.

You’re a bilingual comedian that performs regularly in English and French. What kind of adjustments do you have to make to your jokes when switching between languages?
I don’t adapt all that much. Funny is funny. If it’s funny in French, it will be funny in English, in Greek, in Spanish. I just make sure I don’t have too many Canadian references.

Congratulations on picking up the top prize this year at the Canadian Comedy Awards. What does an award like that mean to you?
I was happy and surprised just to get nominated. I was so sure I wasn’t going to win that I didn’t even go to the awards ceremony.

You now host The Nasty Show at Just For Laughs comedy festival – can you explain what the show is for anyone who’s not familiar with it?
It’s the best comedians in the world doing their dirtiest, nastiest material. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Louis CK, Jimmy Carr, Artie Lange, Ralphie May. Comedians that I love and respect. Plus the show airs on Showtime in the US, so it’s opened up a whole new market for me. [See Mike Ward's bit on last year's Nasty Show here.]

What’s next for Mike Ward?
I want to relax and write my new hour. I want to have a Netflix special within a year or two.

Images: files.gestionradioqc.com