K. Trevor Wilson, known for playing the lovable observationist Squirrely Dan in Letterkenny, is coming to Halifax.
Stopping into the Spatz Theatre on Sept. 20, the show is a part of his K. Trevor Wilson and Friends cross-country tour featuring a whole host of Canadian comics.
His Halifax stop will feature Albertan comic Clare Belford, Canadian comedy vet Todd Graham, and P.E.I. star Dan Hendricken. The tour is supported by Comedy Records and Sirius XM Comedy Club.
While it may have been tough for many comics coming out of the pandemic, Wilson says he got lucky with Letterkenny: Live on Tour, which he hosted alongside fellow cast members Nathan Dales, Mark Forward, and creator Jared Kesso. Though the tour was originally scheduled for 2020, it was delayed to 2022.
“I launched right back into it doing Letterkenny Live,” said Wilson in an interview with The Coast. “We did a three-month tour across the United States, and [we] really kind of jumped back into it with both feet and after that, I really haven't stopped doing stand-up since the pandemic ended.”
Wilson has been doing stand-up comedy way before his time on Letterkenny. In 2012, he received the Irwin Baker Homegrown award at the Just For Laughs festival, and was also named Canada’s best male stand-up at the 2015 Canadian Comedy Awards.
He’s filmed a special for Netflix, released two comedy albums titled SexCop FirePenis and Sorry! (A Canadian Album), and has even acted as a judge on Roast Battles Canada.
However, this will be Wilson’s first soft-seat theatre tour that he’s headlined himself, and while the lineup will be changing throughout its three-month run, each show will be a night of non-stop laughs.
As for why he’s hitting up the Maritimes? For him, he says it’s where it all started.
“We’ve had a long history with Comedy Records and the East Coast,” said Wilson. “When Comedy Records started out, one of the first tours we ever did was an East Coast college tour. Myself, Barry Taylor, and Matt O’Brien, way back in the 2010s…We’ve been there, so for us, it was a no-brainer going back to these constants, kind of where it all started for us.”
Drawing upon experience
Stand-up is where Wilson was meant to be. His routines often focus on life experiences, from the aggravating mundanity of having two pet rabbits, to the awful differences between Cap’n Crunch in different countries. Permeating his bits are moments of intentional silence and a matter-of-fact tone that make his punchlines all the more hilarious.
“I’ve been very lucky that I’ve led a life that lends itself very well to comedy,” he said. “I think that’s part of being a comedian—having the ability to recognize those funny moments. I’ve always said, when something happens to me that most people would be too embarrassed to ever talk about again, I go, well, that’s going up on stage.”
Honesty goes a long way for Wilson, as well.
“I find that the more you’re honest with your experiences, the more it resonates because odds are it’s happened to someone else other than you.”
His time with Letterkenny had seen his career grow more and more. When it was announced the 12th season of Letterkenny would be the show’s last, partly so its creator could focus his time more on his other show, Shoresy, Wilson was glad to see fans on social media voice their support of the cast and crew.
“It was great to see how many people were going to miss the show because we were sure going to miss making it,” said Wilson.
One moment from the show Wilson says he still gets asked about is an iconic cold open featuring the three main cast members playing catch, before Wilson’s character is left out of the pitching circle when he brings up a certain sexual maneuver.
“I think everyone will always remember us playing catch,” he said. “That’s the one people want to talk to me about the most, so I’d have to say that’s probably the most memorable one I ever did.”
So if you’re a fan of Letterkenny, or have had the pleasure of catching one of Wilson’s many stand-up appearances, you’ll want to check out his show at the Spatz Theatre on Sept. 20. He will also be performing in Sydney on Sept. 19 and Summerside, P.E.I. on Sept. 21.
