For the first time in his marriage, Derek Edwards is having to be a “house husband” since his wife went back to work.
But the Toronto-based comic contends he’s coping just fine with the so-called domestic grind.
“It’s the easiest thing in the world. I’ve got seven hours a day to kill. What are you gonna do? I throw a ham in the oven and I have time to start a hobby,” adds Edwards, the father of two teenage sons.
Just in case the housewives of Red Deer have enough time on their hands to picket his performance on Friday, March 11, at Red Deer’s Memorial Centre, the 53-year-old qualifies this by admitting there are some things he doesn’t do around the house — such as the laundry.
“My wife doesn’t let me do laundry . . . I’ve had some incidents. . . . ”
There’s also the tricky matter of Ontario’s laundry curfew. Torontonians get discounted electrical rates if they do their laundry after 9 p.m. or on weekends to reduce usage during peak hours, says Edwards, who jokes Albertans wouldn’t know about this kind of thing, “since you get all of your power for free.”
Edwards is actually boning up on some real Alberta-related news prior to bringing his It’s a Blunderful Life Tour through the three Prairie provinces this month.
But you won’t hear him riffing on the topic of Premier Ed Stelmach stepping down — Edwards said he seldom jokes about politicians because most people consider them a yawn. “Like Harper . . . I’m not even sure he’s human,” said the comedian, who compares Canada’s reserved prime minister to an alien. “Can you see him having a belly laugh?
“It’s like, ‘This human suit is chafing my scales.’ ”
Better to focus on something everyone cares about: the weather — although Edwards admits that if he can get Albertans to laugh about getting -40C windchills in March, he’ll be earning his applause for sure.
The Timmons, Ont., native has been a professional comedian for over 15 years. In that time, he has amassed an impressive string of credits, including winning the 1995 Vail National Comedy Invitational in Vail, Colo.
He’s also left them laughing at the Molson Canadian Toronto Comedy Festival and the International Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
His numerous television appearances include A&E’s Comedy On The Road, his own CBC-TV comedy special Comics!, Open Mike with Mike Bullard on The Comedy Network and CTV, and the Just for Laughs Comedy Show.
Additionally, Edwards filmed his own one-hour special for The Comedy Network’s Comedy Now series entitled Blood, Sweat & Beers.
Tickets to the 8 p.m. Red Deer show are $51.25 from the Black Knight Ticket Centre.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com