And the Canadian Comedy Award goes to…

Well folks, the results are in, the winners have accepted their glass maple leaf award, and much drinking was done.

I am working on a piece about the awards ceremony, but I wanted to make sure you guys got the list of winners as soon as possible.

Here’s the press release:

Young People Fucking Are On Top With Three Awards with Director/Writer Martin Gero Receiving Two
The Hit Television Show Less Than Kind With Two Awards
The Jon Dore Television Show Receives Two Awards
Comedian Ron Sparks Also Takes Home Two

On Friday, October 2nd at the historic Imperial Theatre in beautiful Saint John, New Brunswick The Comedy Network Presents The Canadian Comedy Awards celebrated true excellence in Canadian Comedy.  A fabulous night was had by all hosted by another of Canada’s finest, the mighty Sean Cullen.  Presenters included the notorious Nikki Payne, Gordon Pinsent, Leah Pinsent, Peter Keleghan, Derek Edwards, Dan Redican, Lisa Lambert, Pat Thornton, Tim Steeves, Tim Progosh, Roger Abbott and Don Ferguson. 

One of the big winners of the evening was the film Young People Fucking. YPF celebrate three wins with Director, Writer Martin Gero receiving two awards, one for Director in Film and the other for Writing in Film, which he shared with Aaron Abrams.  Also from YPF actor/comedian Peter Oldring takes the award for Performance by a Male.
The hit CITY TV show Less Than Kind also a big winner for the first time with Wendel Meldrum taking the award for Performance by a Female. Less than Kind also takes Performance by an EnsembleJon Dore wins for Performance by a Male – Television for The Jon Dore Television Show and Adam Brodie and Dave Derewlany win for Direction – Television Program or Series for The Jon Dore TV Show.
The very witty Ron Sparks takes home two Canadian Comedy Awards for Taped Live Performance and the other for Writing – Television Program or Series, both for his episode of CTV’s Comedy Now.   The hilariously miserable Jeremy Hotz wins the award for Male Stand Up.  In 2008 Jeremy was presented with the Dave Broadfoot Award.  The wonderful Debra DiGiovanni wins Female Stand Up for the second time having previously taken the award in 2007.   
A posthumous award was given to the late Joe Bird for best radio clip for Zen Hokey Pokey from CBC’s The Irrelevant Show.  This is the first time a Canadian Comedy Award has been given posthumously. Sadly Joe Bird passed away on April 1, 2009 at the age of forty-one. Joe was a member of Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie. He was a Fringe Festival favourite and a mainstay of the Edmonton sketch and improv community.   
The Canadian Comedy Awards Show was produced by Harry Doupe.
Attached Photo Debra DiGiovanni “Best Female Stand Up”. photo by Jon Williams.
The Comedy Network Presents The Canadian Comedy Awards Winners 2009

LIVE   
Male Stand-Up
Jeremy Hotz
Female Stand-Up
Debra DiGiovanni
Stand-Up Newcomer
Nathan MacIntosh
Comedic Play or Revue
Barack To The Future
One Person Show
One Woman Show
Sketch Troupe
The Second City
Improv Troupe
Impromptu Splendor
Male Improvisor
Kerry Griffin
Female Improvisor
Jan Caruana
TELEVISION
Taped Live Performance
Ron Sparks – Comedy Now
Direction – Television Program or Series
Adam Brodie and Dave Derewlany – The Jon Dore TV Show (Jon Gets Haunted)
Writing – Television Program or Series
Ron Sparks – Comedy Now
Performance by a Male – Television
Jon Dore – The Jon Dore TV Show
Performance by a Female – Television
Wendel Meldrum – Less Than Kind
Performance by an Ensemble – Television
Less Than Kind
FILM
Performance by a Male – Film
Peter Oldring – Young People Fucking
Performance by a Female – Film
Samantha Bee – Coopers Camera
Writing, Film
Martin Gero and Aaron Abrams – Young People Fucking
Direction, Film
Martin Gero – Young People Fucking
PUBLIC VOTING
Radio Clip
Zen Hokey Pokey by Joe Bird, The Irrelevant Show, CBC Radio
Web Clip
Violator Rocket Ace Moving Pictures and the Imponderables
Canadian Comedy Person of the Year
Seth Rogen
Chairman Award
Lorne Perlmutar
THE FESTIVAL LINE UP CONTINUES ON IN SAINT JOHN!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

Comedy Writers’ Panel
12:00noon -  Delta Hotel, Trinity Royal room, 2nd floor. Tickets $5 at the door
Award-winning comedy writers talk about their work and lead a discussion on their craft. With Dan Redicken, Tim Steeves, Ron Sparks and Shannon Beckner
PANIC! Everybody’s doing it, The Second City Touring Company
2PM – Saint John High School Theatre Tickets $20/$10 students

The environment is destroyed! Your country is at war! Your house is worth nothing! Your boyfriend isn’t returning your calls! With bad news stories all around, it’s hard not to push the panic button. The Second City puts it all in perspective. This Second City revue is fast-paced and topical, featuring multiple Canadian Comedy Award-winners with the best scenes from Second City’s history, plus original satire ripped from today’s headlines. WINNERS of the Sketch Comedy Troupe Award tonight.

Les Smouthe 3, The French Show

5PM -  La Faubourg -  Tickets $10 at the Door
Famous comedy brothers Luc LeBlanc and Robert Gauvin, present over 20 characters with their thoughtful analysis of the world. Expect new characters and special guests Rock Kirk, Gaétan Tanguay and the sick fellow from Les Smouthe 1 and 2.
THE LAST LAUGH GALA featuring Jeremy Hotz, Deb DiGiovanni, Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson, Tim Steeves and hosted by Jessica Holmes.
8PM – Imperial Theatre. Tickets $48 SOLD OUT

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
2PM  -  Saint John High School Theatre. Tickets $20 / $10 students
This matinee variety show is suitable for all ages and features the hilarious ‘That Canadian Guy’ Glen Foster, Award winner Debra DiGiovanni,  with many exciting special guests who are coming together to benefit Mind Care New Brunswick.
In 1999 The Canadian Comedy Awards were founded as a non-profit organization to recognize Canadian achievements in comedy at home and abroad. THE COMEDY NETWORK PRESENTS THE CANADIAN COMEDY AWARDS AND FESTIVAL acknowledges a definitive group of Canadian artists and is strongly supported by the entertainment industry, the media and the comedy community. It is a unique vehicle to salute Canadian artistic excellence. Throughout its successful 10-year tenure, THE COMEDY NETWORK PRESENTS THE CANADIAN COMEDY AWARDS AND FESTIVAL has become a pivotal celebration of Canadian talent and is the only national awards festival to honour Canada’s comedic talent.

THE COMEDY NETWORK PRESENTS THE CANADIAN COMEDY AWARDS & FESTIVAL
attracts more than 130 Canadian artists who come together for performances, workshops, seminars, awards, special presentations such film and documentary shows, and of course networking. The series of events over five days includes the Funniest Person of
the region contest, stand-up, sketch and improv comedy shows plus a great deal of celebrating.
Canada’s first-and-only specialty comedy service, The Comedy Network airs comedy of all kinds, 24-hours-a-day, across multiple platforms, including a revolutionary broadband service at thecomedynetwork.ca. Launched in October 1997, The Comedy Network broadcasts, uncut and uncensored, an eclectic mix of scripted, stand-up, sketch, improv, and animated comedy – as well as topical comedy talk shows, game shows and classic situation comedies. Offering an unrivalled slate of original Canadian programming, The Comedy Network reinvests nearly 50 per cent of its revenues into home-grown productions. The Comedy Network, a division of CTV Television Inc., is available to nearly six million households across the country. Visit The Comedy Network’s website at thecomedynetwork.ca.