Five Questions with comedian Dan Allaire

Interview by Jason Setnyk | Submitted Photo

Cornwall, Ontario – Dan Allaire, a beloved radio DJ from Cornwall, Ontario, has been making waves in the comedy scene across Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia for the past six years. Dan has had regular performances at Yuk Yuk’s in Ottawa, as well as their clubs in Toronto and Halifax. Also, Dan has taken the stage at various “On Tour” shows. Last summer, he entertained at HumourFest in Quebec City and the Portland Maine Comedy Festival.

There is exciting news for fans of Dan Allaire; he is set to open for Ed the Sock at the Cornwall & Area Pop Event After Party on Saturday, April 22nd, at the Best Western. But that’s not all – Dan will also be opening for Mark Vincent’s highly anticipated recording of his first comedy album at the Seaway Valley Theatre Company for two nights, on April 28th and 29th in Cornwall. Don’t miss your chance to see this talented comedian live in action!

Five Questions with The Seeker

1  – Can you tell us about your comedic background and how you got started in comedy?

“It was a “bucket list” item to do at least once in my life. I got the opportunity in 2017 and only did one show with the Questionable Comedians at Esca. The second year we did more shows, and then I was hooked. In 2019 I entered the Summer Comedy Competition Yuk Yuk’s in Ottawa and finished 3rd out of 100 comics. That’s when I realized that maybe this was something I could maybe do, and never looked back. The encouragement from my local peers like Mike Baird, Jamie Carr, Simon McLinden, and Mark Vincent was huge. Also, Shawn Fowler of the Cornwall Comedy Festival.”

2 – How would you describe your comedic style, and what sets it apart from others?

“It’s not an original style, but I like to tell stories. Most come from places of truth, and then I just exaggerate the details to add the right colour to make them more fun.”

3 – Can you walk us through your creative process for writing new material?

“I’m always assessing as I go through my day-to-day and make notes in my smartphone when something strikes me as a possible “bit.” Then I usually write the bit out on paper and start to test it on stage to see if it has merit to keep in my act. From there, it’s about performing it over and over at open mics and pub shows while editing and improving it until I feel it’s ready to add to my club sets.”

4 – Can you talk about a particularly memorable performance you’ve had and what made it special?

“There have been a few, but a highlight is when Yuk Yuk’s founder Mark Breslin saw me in front of only 14 people in Ottawa and was impressed enough to invite me to Toronto to feature for him at his club. That happened last June, and afterward, we sat down, and he liked the material and stage presence and gave me his stamp of approval to work his clubs across the country.”

5 – Can you talk about your experience with using social media to reach your audience and promote your comedy?

“Social media has been key to my early success. I was lucky enough to have a following from my morning radio gig, and as I started to promote comedy shows I was on, or even the ones I produce has proven so useful to help sell tickets and get people out to see me. It also makes me easy to find when bookers are interested in putting me on their shows.”

Follow Dan Allaire Comedy on Facebook.