For The Person Who Has Everything…

With Christmas is just around the corner, I saw this product and I wanted to share it with the world. Do you have a loved one who respects the real estate genius of Donald Trump and Jesus.  Well, here’s the gift that keeps on giving.

You can find BibleOpoly at the 7 Oaks Mall.

Wine On The Mountain 2009

The 4th annual Wine on the Mountain was set atop beautiful Grouse Mountain in the Lupin Room, this evening offered a wine and food pairing with world-class wines and exceptional Sommelier talent. Highlights will included live music, amazing hors d’oeuvres, fantastic auctions, the back by popular demand “wall of wine,”.  Global TV’s Chris Gailus and Senator Larry Campbell were the hosts for the evening.

Sarah and I spent the night taste testing wine, appetizers and chocolate.  I think I won a couple of auction prizes also. 

The event was all to help out the Adoptive Families Association of BC.

Check out my pictures from the event here.

The Bucket List

I first want to say thank you for all the support I’ve received over the past few days.  I know some of the radio gossip websites are focussing on the CFUN on air staff being let go but overall 23 people lost their jobs on Thursday.  I hope they aren’t mad but I wanted to recognize all (most of them) because I worked with them in some capacity and I hope for the best for all of them.

Talk 1410 – Stu Ferguson (program manager) John Nicholson (sales manager) Simi Sara (host) Dave Brindle (host) Nikki Renshaw (host) Renee Lukacs (producer) Libby Herman (producer) Ryan Houdayer (producer) Alex Ovies (sales) Olga Edwards (sales) Laura Simpson (sales) Gary Fix (sales)

QMFM - David Milne (middays and traffic announcer) Shelley Joyce (afternoon drive announcer)

Beat – Ben Soldinger (morning show sidekick)

Team – Paul Carson (sales)

Support staff – Janeen Lyons (traffic) Robin Hagenbuck (production)

I know there’s more but I’m working off memory.

So now I begin the search for what’s next in my life and my career.  I was driving in my car with my man-panion Ty and I decided to come up with a basic BUCKET LIST for the next short time in my life.  All these people are telling me to sit back and relax.  Take a few weeks off and just watch TV and get lazy.  This is your chance to do what YOU want to do.  I’ve got to be honest.  It’s only been 3 1/2 days and I’m already bored.  After 8 years of working Monday to Friday I’m not sure I’m looking forward to have tomorrow off and the next day…  So hopefully, this list will keep me focussed on just keeping busy and not letting this time off go to waste.

Here’s it is in no particular order.

1. Lose weight (20lbs would be nice)

2. Work in a kitchen

3. Play ice hockey

4. Trip to Las Vegas

5. Work in a casino

6. Finish a pilot script I’ve been working on with Ty

7. Open a comedy room in the Valley

8. Creatively write something for 30 minutes a day

9. Update my blog on a regular basis

10. Enjoy life!

I’m open to more ideas so please let me know what you would do if you had some time off.  Keep checking back for updates and other blog posts.  I promise to do my best to keep it interesting.

Day 1 after 8 years…

Yesterday the Talk 1410 format was changed to Team 1410.  The entire staff was terminated.  I believe we were all fairly compensated for our services and we were treated with the utmost respect while leaving the office.  I spent 1/4 of my life working at that radio station and I saw it go through many changes.  I can honestly say I didn’t dread coming to work everyday.  I worked with great people who gave me every opportunity to learn and develop my producing and broadcasting skills.  There is not one person to blame for the format change.  You could say it was the economy or maybe it just wasn’t what Vancouver wanted or needed.  Whenever someone asked me what I did for a living I always told them the same thing.  I get paid to talk, push buttons, surf the internet and answer the phone.  Who wouldn’t want that job?

Now its a matter of figuring out what the next step is.  Where does the legend of Art Factora dig his heels into now?  I have to believe that I’ve got options for my future.  As you know I’ve been doing comedy now for the past 5 years.  It took until this summer before I say any sort of recognition and maybe this is a sign to pursue it and see what’s available.  After 8 years of working a steady full-time radio job I’d like to think I’ve developed a few useful skills maybe even skills that could translate into a different and even lucrative career…  like a bank robber or a secret agent.  Whatever life brings I guess I just have to accept it and make the best of it.  This isn’t the end of the world it’s the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.  One with a severance package.  Questions? Comments… queries.  Know anyone who’s hiring?

Art Factora – former producer of The Joe Leary Show, The Jenn and Joe Show, The Val and Patrick Show, The Tina O Show, The Hilarie Barsky Show, Our Time With Karen and Hilarie, The Karen Kay Show, The Dr Cheryl Fraser Show and The Shannon Nelson Show…  not to mention the many hosts in between.  Wow, 8 years of hosts.  Damn.

Last Comedy Contest of 2009… I Promise

Sirius Satellite Radio and Russell Peters have teamed up for an online video comedy contest.  For the past 3 weeks comics and wannabe comics have been posting some of their best LIVE stand up routines.  Well, I’m not one to pass up a chance to place 4th in any comedy contest.  I got some help from my help Dale Wolfe and I posted a video he shot of me from a set I did at Yuk Yuks in Vancouver. Please take a minute and vote for me at http://www.russellpetersbff.com/ You have to register to vote.  You don’t have to put a real email address.  Go to the website and click on Top Rated and I’m on the 3rd page.

Or you can try this link.

DARBY’S COMEDY NIGHT CANCER BENEFIT FOR JENNIFER THOMSON!

****The benefit show will now be 2 shows on Tuesday November, 24th.  8pm and 10pm.  Please make reservations for one or both shows.  Thanks for your support.*****

Patrick Maliha aka Vancouver’s “Mother Theresa” has organized a benefit comedy show for our friend Jennifer Thomson.  Over the summer Jenn discovered she’s got thyroid cancer.  She’s been successfully battling this horrible disease for almost 4 months now.  Please join us on Tuesday, November 24th to help support someone who’s spent a good portion of her life supporting others.

To read about Jenn’s journey in her own words you can check out her Vancouver Province article here.

Here’s all the info you need                                                                                                                                                                             Darby’s Tuesday Night Comedy Presents…
A Cancer Benefit for Jennifer Thomson!

TUESDAY Nov. 24th
Darby’s Pub (2001 MacDonald St. at 4th Ave. in Kits)
Time: 9:00 pm (Please note early start time)
Price: $10.00
Reservations: 604-731-0617

MC= Patrick Maliha
1. Marke Driesschen
2. Art Factora
3. Dr. Russ Kennedy
4. Mike Wolfe
5. Greg Kettner
6. Sean Proudlove

Just this past summer, Vancouver radio personality and all around great gal Jennifer Thomson was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer and has been unable to work since the diagnosis. So we’ve all decided to get together and give her a little benefit show. Come on out and help us raise as much money as possible for our good friend Jennifer Thomson!

Jon and Art plus…

Do you see the resemblance?

About 3 months ago the wife of a comic in town took me aside and told me I should come up with a Jon Gosselin look a like joke.  She said I was a dead ringer and it’s going to kill.  All the comics in the back of room agreed and gave me a few lines to try like “I know you’re wondering but the kids are with Kate…  Kate’s a bitch, I agree”  I tried it for the first time that night and the only people who laughed were the comics in the back.  But then Jon and Kate became tabloid news and you couldn’t find a magazine or blog that wasn’t talking about them.  For the past month I don’t know if I can go more than a day without someone asking “has anyone told you who you look like” It happens at work and it happened at a restaurant last week.  Thank you Jon for being a douchebag and now I can start every set with a Jon and Kate joke.  It’s a gift from the comedy gods…  until people stop caring.

Out of Bounds My Ass

Now that the Vancouver Comedyfest is over it’s time to reflect on my performances.

1. XM Satellite Radio taping at the Media Club.  This was my first of 2 comedyfest shows and I was really impressed by the venue.  The XM people did a fantastic job decorating the room.  If you walked out of there without realizing who the major sponsor was then you’re an idiot.  This was one of the longest sets I’ve done outside of a coffee shop.  I believe I was clocked doing over 13 minutes.  I wouldn’t say it was my finest performance but I got some big laughs and I think it’s really cool that they will be airing all the shows on Laugh Attack 153 on XM.  The biggest surprise of the evening for me was an unknown comic (unknown to me) from Halifax named Mark Little.  Mark was the winner of this year’s Just For Laughs – Homegrown Competition and Yuk Yuk’s – Great Canadian Laugh Off.  He’s part of a sketch troupe known as Picnicface.  I highly suggest you check out their website and Youtube channel.  Mark absolutely murdered the crowd.  His set was a mix of self deprecating humour and then mixed with sketch type act outs.  He finished his set with a rap that was unexplainably hilarious.  Unfortunately, I can’t find a Youtube of it but when I do I’ll be posting it. http://www.picnicface.com/

2. Out of Bounds My Ass – I’m Only A Little Bit Racist.  This was my first visit to the newly renovated Vancouver East Cultural Centre aka The Cultch.  This is what a small theatre should look like.  I felt like I was in a Vaudeville show in the 30’s.  Everything from the seats to the acoustics and the green room are top notch.  The idea behind the show was to showcase 4 comedians of different ethnic origin (coloured people).  Kevin Avery is a black guy from San Francisco, Cedric Newman is originally from Jamaica and now lives in Montreal, Glen Foster is a middle aged white guy from Toronto, local comedian Reza Peyk is Iranian and I played the part of the Asian guy.  We all did about 8 minutes of ethnic humour and then Minelle Mahtani, a professor from the University of  Toronto gave a short speech on why racial humour is harmful but also important for us to overcome our differences.  We finished the show with a round table discussion which I believe was the best part of the show.  I really hope to be part of a show like this again in the future.  Another cool part about the show was that I met Oscar Nunez who plays Oscar on the TV show The Office and Scott Adsit who plays Pete Hornberger (Tina Fey’s stage manager) on 30 Rock.

New Youtube For Your Viewing Pleasure

Thanks to Dale Wolfe for taping my set at Yuk Yuks in Vancouver.

Vancouver Global Comedyfest 2009

click here for tickets

 

The Comedyfest officially kicks off tonight with “The Weasel” Pauly Shore at the Vogue Theatre.   This year’s festival has a bunch of HUGE comics and some others who are on the brink of stardom.  Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Tom Arnold and David Cross are household names.  This is Vancouver’s comedy Lollapalooza!  There are also a number of local up and coming comics like myself who are participating in their first ever comedy festival.

My first show is called “XM Presents Maple Leaf Comic Allstars”

MC Patrick Maliha

Headliner Simon King

Simon King

The other show is called “Out Of Bounds My Ass: I’m Only A Little Racist”

Starring Andy Kindler who has been a regular contributer on The Letterman Show for years.

Andy Kindler