Comedian looking forward to city stop this weekend

By Lethbridge Herald on November 3, 2023.

Canadian comedian and producer Andrew Packer will bring is On Guard comedy tour to the Good Times Comedy Club this weekend. Submitted photo by Denis Lipman

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Canadian comedian and producer Andrew Packer is bringing his comedy tour to Lethbridge as one of his 10 stops across Alberta for the first time since 2019. 

Packer spoke to the Herald just before his tour across the province began and said he was very excited to come back to Lethbridge to perform his first comedy special On Guard, after performing across the country for over nine years. 

“On Guard is basically my first professional body of work, my first comedy special that has now come out on my YouTube channel and a media company out Nashville has decided to pick it up as well, and they’re going to be re-releasing it on their YouTube channel.”

He said the 800 pound Gorilla media company will also be distributing his comedy special on all audio platforms including Apple Music, Spotify and Google Play. 

“You can listen to an hour of my stand-up comedy material that I’ve been building since I started essentially,” said Packer. 

Since he recorded the special a few things have changed in his life that will infuse live shows with fresh material. 

Packer explained the name On Guard comes from a couple of different connotations from growing up as a Canadian, and touring across Canada more than any other country. 

“I’ve been going coast to coast for the past six years now, so there are a lot of themes that are about Canada, kind of adding some satire onto how we’re viewed by the global stage, as well as some nuances that come with being Canadian,” said Packer. 

He said the show is basically him tipping his hat to his home country and where he started with stand-up comedy. 

“I also have a pretty significant bit about lifeguards, so it’s got that connotation as well, which just made it feel like On Guard is a good name for this comedy special and album,” said Packer.

He said he is very excited to be performing in southern Alberta because this part of the province is one of his favourite places to perform in Canada for many reasons. 

“Not only are the people amazing and shows and everything, but I just love it even just driving across Alberta because it’s got the mountains, you got the planes, you got the Badlands of Drumheller and where the dinosaurs are. There’s just such a variety that I feel like it’s all the best parts of Canada in one province,” said Packer. 

When it comes to the show itself, Packer said  he will be touring with his own headliner, fellow stand-up comedian Marc-Anthony Sinagoga who will be bringing his own personal experiences into the show to make it relatable to their audiences. 

“What I find most enjoyable to talk about on stages, is the things that kind of relate us all to each other. When I talk about relationships, I am talking about my own personal experiences, but they are experiences that I anticipate a lot of audience members could relate to, by either experiencing themselves or maybe just by realizing that this was a shared experience,” said Packer. 

He said that even though he makes fun of his wife every once in a while, he mostly jokes about his own shortcomings and ways of thinking that he had to overcome in order to be a better husband. 

Packer said those in the audience can expect a little bit of interactions, but not to worry as he will not be making fun of everyone unless is from someone who put themselves up for it by heckling which unfortunately comes with the territory of stand-up comedy. 

“I like to interact with the crowd, I find it is something that makes the show a little bit more personal, and people can experience something altogether with us. It is unique and I think it adds such excitement to the show,” said Packer. 

Packer will be bringing his On Guard comedy tour to Good Times Comedy Club on Sunday at 7 p.m.

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