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Comedy out of everyday drama

For a guy who’s funny on screen, Gerry Dee said he deals with a whole lot of drama in his everyday life.The trick is squeezing comic nuggets out of sundry tragedies, added the comedian, who performs a stand-up show on Monday, May 11, at Red Deer’s Memorial Centre.
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Comedian Gerry Dee performs at the Memorial Centre on Monday

For a guy who’s funny on screen, Gerry Dee said he deals with a whole lot of drama in his everyday life.

The trick is squeezing comic nuggets out of sundry tragedies, added the comedian, who performs a stand-up show on Monday, May 11, at Red Deer’s Memorial Centre.

For instance: “Just this morning, my daughters were fighting over something,” said the star of the award-winning CBC show Mr. D.

Both his five-year-old and seven-year-old wanted to take the same skipping rope to school, so his quick-thinking wife suggested they settle the matter by picking a number between one and 10. She whispered the secret numeral to Dee.

The older daughter started things off by picking the number five.

The younger one also followed up with “five.”

“We told them, ‘No, you’ve got to pick different numbers,’ ” recalled Dee.

This caused a need for detailed explanation.

Just as Dee thought the process was thoroughly understood, his seven-year-old took two guesses in a row.

“She didn’t want to wait. And the little one couldn’t remember which numbers were already said. ...”

In the end, his daughters “picked every number between one and 10 — except the one my wife had selected,” said Dee.

When an outcome was finally decided, bringing the whole ordeal to a merciful close, the winner smiled smugly, while her sister bawled her eyes out.

“Even when you try to do something that should be simple — it’s a disaster,” said Dee.

Fortunately, “I’ve learned over time how to make a joke out of a disaster,” added the comedian, who also has a toddler son to deal with.

Many of his domestic jokes find their way into his stand-up act. “The show will be about things everyone will be able to relate to,” said Dee. “Some stuff is brand-new ... it’s a real mix, and I’ll also be talking to the crowd.”

The former social studies teacher, who plays a buffoonish and manipulative version of himself on TV, admitted teachers are among his biggest fans.

They are also some of his greatest detractors, judging by the hostile tweets and emails he sometimes receives from teachers who feel he doesn’t give their profession enough respect.

Some people take themselves too seriously, said Dee. “I just ignore them.”

He’s got too much else to worry about, including balancing his family life, stand-up tours and television obligations, which include co-writing the show.

“My wife often gets asked, ‘Is your husband really funny?’ and she tells them, ‘No, not really. He’s pretty serious.’ ”

They’re no different than any other family, maintained Dee — except that private dramas get milked for laughs for the amusement of audiences across the country.

“You have to take a situation and find the humour in it.”

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $67.50 from the Black Knight Ticket Centre.

lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com