“Not all dad jokes are bad jokes!” – especially when Steve Patterson tells them. In his new act Patterdad, the award-winning comedian and host of CBC Radio’s The Debaters riffs on how fatherhood changes one’s life, particularly his.
Patterson’s quest to make dad jokes cool comes to Courtenay on Friday, November 15. Presented by the Sid Williams Theatre Society’s Blue Circle Series, he’ll share laugh-out-loud tales about how life has turned upside down since becoming a dad.
Drawing from his stand-up album Patterdad Volume 1 and his 2021 book Dad Up!, Patterson’s act blends funny anecdotes and real-life stories from a decade of dad-dom.
“It’s a culmination of life as a father to two young girls. Really, I just wanted to make something that my kids could listen to.”
Reflecting on the challenges of fatherhood, Patterson introduces audiences to his family: ten-year-old Scarlett, five-year-old Norah, his wife Nancy and their dog Ferris "ifarted" Patterson. (He wanted to call the dog “ifarted” so his wife would have to yell it at the park. The middle name was a compromise.)
His act, while family-oriented, isn’t just for parents; it’s humor anyone familiar with the quirks of family life can relate to. As he explains, “You don’t have to be a parent to enjoy it because we can all connect with family dynamics.”
That connection became even more meaningful for Patterson during the pandemic. With touring on hold, extended time at home with family not only shaped his material but gave him a fresh perspective.
“Obviously, life was different for everybody at that time. I was home; it was a few months after our second daughter had been born, and we had about 3,000 consecutive meals together.” This newfound closeness provided plenty of inspiration and the pandemic gave him the time to write his book.
“It was a blessing to be able to be home for that long. Though, I’m not sure that my wife would say that…but writing the book also gave me the chance to get some time by myself and give them a break from me.”
Before fatherhood, Patterson’s comedy often focussed on broader social and political issues. “I’ve always been interested in current events and joking about what’s going on,” he explains. But in recent years, he’s noticed audiences increasingly come to comedy shows for a break from the news.
“These days, the context has changed – you don’t always know whether the news is ‘the news,’ and sometimes people want to get away from it. So I still touch on it, but I mostly talk about how it relates to my life now as a parent.” This shift gives his comedic material an intimate, relatable tone that resonates with audiences across generations.
Patterson’s journey into comedy wasn’t planned. While studying pre-law at York University, he enjoyed the discussions but disliked the endless reading. His comedy career began unexpectedly when friends signed him up for an open mic.
“I went out with friends, and unbeknownst to me, they had signed me up at Yuk Yuks on an amateur stand-up night. So there I was in the audience when my name got called. I had to go up and perform for seven minutes,” he recalls. “It was well enough received that the people at Yuk Yuks invited me back. I couldn’t tell you what I talked about – I kinda blacked out.”
This experience eventually led him to trade in his initial career in advertising copywriting for stand-up, where he could be funny without needing a sales pitch.
Touring became a staple for Patterson early on, with regular circuits through Canada, Ireland and Australia. Unlike many Canadian comedians who aspire to make it big in the US, he was never tempted. “Turns out Americans aren’t that into hearing jokes about their own country,” he laughs.
Career highlights include multiple appearances at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival. And, of course, he’s also well-known as the host of The Debaters, which he joined about 19 years ago.
After a performance at the Halifax Comedy Fest, a CBC producer approached him about hosting. Patterson jumped at the chance, drawn to the show’s unique format that features being on stage with two other comedians and an in-the-moment, improvisational style. “I don’t think any of us realized we’d still be at it two decades later.”
For his own performances, Patterson makes a point of getting to know the cities he’s visiting and testing his material in similar settings. “Working in a theatre is different than a club, and a club’s different than an open mic.”
This fall’s shows include Ontario for a few weeks before heading back to family life then out to BC, keeping his trips short to get home often. “It’s the classic Canadian story: I’d love to do a national tour, but my wife won’t let me.”
Alongside touring solo and with The Debaters, Patterson is working on another book, though he admits writing can feel lonely: “I’m sure there are lonelier things than writing a book, but I don’t know what they are.” Hosting the Steve Leacock Awards recently reignited his passion for writing, which he hopes will further influence his comedy.
To see a hilarious and heartwarming performance that offers a funny look at family life, get your tickets now.