Canadian comedian Ron James has vivid memories of his last gig in Prince George 20 years ago because he almost died trying to get here in the dead of winter.
"I never made it the first day cause I got stuck in a primo blizzard between 100 Mile House and Williams Lake," James said talking about his very first tour of the B.C. Interior. "It eventually became part of my act - talking about that hellacious drive."
James had never had the experience of washer fluid freezing on the windshield before.
It was a Vancouver rental car vs. a Northern B.C. blizzard.
He's going to do it again. He figures he's got a chance to actually make it to his two shows June 10 and 11 at the P.G. Playhouse.
He's pretty confident he won't have to drive with his head hanging out the window this time.
"I thought yeah, let me see that country again, let me try to wrap my head around it to find out what it is that makes it tick because I have fond memories of the last time," James said.
He's got the shows here during his Pedal to the Medal tour and then has a couple of days off that he hopes can be used fishing with a buddy who's got a lodge north of P.G.
James is writing his ninth 90-minute television comedy special so he's got a lot of material to choose from, he said.
"I'm hoping I'll have some material that's applicable to Prince George itself," James said, who usually does a walkabout before his performance. "And I'll be there long enough to get into a tavern fight on the first night so I can comment on it the second night."
James said his show goes anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours without a break.
"I like to give folks an honest bang for their buck and a little bit for everybody and all age groups," James said. "The show's about changes in life, the struggles of life. I cover everything from Netflix to hunting with my father as a kid, to playing hockey, to raising daughters to being separated at mid life and all those demands, even food fads."
James was raised in a working class family where a strong work ethic finds a hard day's work is to be expected, he added.
"And then there's a good party on a Saturday night as well," James laughed. "Yeah, I always bring it. If I'm going that far I might as well put my heart into it."
James said that when we watch him on television those audiences are hearing the material for the first time. James said while he used to be a solo writer of his shows, he's gathered a couple of colleagues to help him with the last few.
"We write in a room in Toronto and we started a week ago for something we shoot in October that is going to be aired on New Year's Eve," James said. "And that's a tall order. A lot of people don't know that. But we have to gauge how the audience is going to respond so you have to trust your instincts."
James said when his instincts are validated as he's on a stage showcasing his latest work he is surprised about the audience reaction.
"Because it's a mystery," he added. "You come to the work with a sense of humility and awe and determination that these 35 years you've put in the business will find purchase with an audience and it's still a wonderful present when the audience does validate it. So yeah I'm surprised and I really try to be in the moment totally when I'm on that stage. I'm not anywhere else but with the room and it's important not to take the room for granted either. I hate lazy comedy. I detest comedy that's driven just by attitude. I think there's gotta be content and content for me is everything. My heroes like (George) Carlin and Robin Williams in his early days and (Richard) Pryor - they all had content, right? And I think some comedians have gotten very rich and very famous by having more attitude than content."
And it's a process, he added.
James went to Acadia University where he got a taste of theatre while studying history and political science to be a history teacher. He soon became a member of The Second City comedy troupe in the 1980s, did some television work out in L.A., had a few Comedy Network stints, came back to Canada after doing some voiceover work for animated series, worked in Canadian television and was named best Canadian comedian for his stand-up in 2000 and another for his stand up show in 2004. He won a Gemini Award for his work in This Hour Has 22 Minutes and had his own show on CBC called the Ron James Show from 2009 to 2014 and just recently appeared on Just for Laughs headlining his own show.
Through it all, James has seen a lot of stuff and this is what he knows.
"Life is all about the long haul and you have to make it work," James said. "You have to make it worthwhile. Ultimately the individual is responsible for how they choose to live their life and I certainly hope that one lives it with enlightenment. Without sounding too new age-y about the whole thing, you get outta life what you put into it. Energy expended is energy returned. And I'd like to think at the end of my days I've not taken my life for granted - that I've maximized it to the fullest."
So why are you playing Prince George, some people have asked James.
And here's his answer.
"Because it's there, stupid, and because it's in Canada and because it matters," James said. "Because people put their pants on one leg at a time and deserve to laugh and deserve to be represented. Why are laughs any less important that you're getting on a stage in Prince George as you would be in Vancouver? A lot of people place an awful lot of status and emphasis on the kind of rooms you're playing and where you're playing and where you are in your career. Well, you know it's not about where you want to get to, it's about where you're at. I've always had a great deal of fealty and a sense of duty with Canadian audiences that I can bring them a level of professional show that doesn't insult their intelligence and that makes them laugh."
For tickets and more information visit www.centralinteriortickets.com.
