Patrick deWitt has written his name in the history books as a two-time winner of the coveted Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.
The acclaimed British Columbia author earned the medal — and $25,000 cash prize — for his celebrated novel, The Librarianist, at Saturday night's 77th annual Leacock Award Gala Dinner.
“An artist wins a prize and is asked what it means to win,” deWitt said in his acceptance speech while pausing and nodding at Steve Patterson, the event's master of ceremonies, who asked the three shortlisted finalists together this exact question moments before.
“I sincerely don’t know the answer to the question. I’m certain it does not mean that the winner’s work is empirically superior to all the other works of art created during that period of time.”
In deWitt's honest and slightly comedic acceptance speech for his second Leacock medal, it was gratitude, respect and self-awareness that came forward.
“I’d like to thank my colleagues and fellow shortlisters Deborah (Willis) and Ali (Bryan). It’s been an honour to share this experience with both of you,” said deWitt while also attributing to the Leacock Associates the community this award has established.
He also thanked Canadian readers “who have been so kind and encouraging to me ... I accept your praise for what it is proof of to me: our fraternity and connection.”
Canadian camaraderie framed the event. With Patterson, a much-loved comedian and host of CBC's The Debaters, hosting the evening, laughter often filled the air at the Leacock Museum.
Using light-hearted jabs at politicians, being a Canadian writer, the concept of aging and the presence of AI in society, Patterson moved the evening along with humour and a strong sense of what brings people together. He noted hockey and sarcasm as aspects of Canadian identity, playfully remarking that the lowest form of wit is not, as the saying goes, sarcasm, but not having a sense of humour in the first place.
Almost 200 people attended the gala, said Daphne Mainprize, organizer of the event and president of the Stephen Leacock Associates 2024 board of directors. She said 130 people attended an event on Friday during which the Student Humorous Short Story winner, Sylvie Potje, was honoured.
Each presenter on Saturday night noted the sharp intellect of all three shortlisted finalists in writing their novels.
John Levesque joked plenty about the mystery of Ali Bryan’s novel title, Coq, eluding him. But he quickly shifted gears to take responsibility for the fault and ultimately praised her romantic comedy as a “well hung portrait of family humour.”
Terry Fallis praised deWitt’s protagonist and the many details that “seem perfect” in the “heartfelt and sometimes heartbreaking context” of The Librarianist. He read an excerpt that highlighted relationships brutally honest enough to enter the realm of comedy.
Rod Carley described Willis’s debut novel, Girlfriend on Mars, with so much affection that he brought her the first prize of the evening: a bucket of Mars bars.
He described her novel as dark comedy, satire, “rooted in real world issues and fuelled by a general sense of outrage ... Comedy makes you laugh. Satire makes you laugh and think. Willis makes you laugh and think and want to cancel your social media accounts,” Carley joked.
The presenters were not alone in their tactful use of jokes and self-deprecating humour. Remarks from sponsors, mayors and authors often made the audience chuckle and cheer.
“Real humour can’t be done by algorithms,” Patterson noted in his opening remarks, and the atmosphere of situational humour was upheld by all those present.
But beneath the laughter was something just as important, several noted.
“This is the community where I feel most at home,” Bryan explained, referencing the impact of making the shortlist and the exposure they acquire as writers. She stressed “we’re still talking about Leacock,” and reflected on the honour she felt by being nominated for an award named in his honour.
Willis said she was particularly struck by the significance of the event and how there is none other like it in Canada.
“For me I was hit by the intros,” she remarked after the presenters summarized each author’s work for the audience. "It’s a moving moment right now. It’s amazing to celebrate, (being) the only award of this type.”
Once named the winner, deWitt reflected on the submission process and his inspirations. Though his publishers help find things like the Leacock Medal for Humour award to enter.
“I don’t look at myself as a humourist, so for that to come out to my readers ... it’s an honour,” he said.
Manticore Books had a table set up with the works of past winners and the 2024 shortlist of authors, with staff quickly applying Leacock Medal winner stickers to deWitt’s hardcover after the announcement.
deWitt said being named the winner is much to take in, making it difficult to consider what advice he might offer authors entering their works in the 2025 competition.
What of the cash prize? Since some of the evening’s humour touched on societal factors and, as Leacock himself would approve, economic subjects. Patterson lovingly chided about melting the coin down for the precious metal but also shamed himself for expressing the thought at all within the same sentence.
All joking aside, “money is different to different people. To me, money is time,” says deWitt.
All three shortlisters agreed the financial gains from the award helps them to focus their time on their craft. “It’s the gift of time,” says Bryan, who, along with Willis, each won $5,000.
deWitt spoke about whole experience, of creating community among artists and readers far and wide and how this celebration pulls him out of daily life, “sitting alone in a room.”
He says “this (experience) means that the book resonated with people. It’s a big deal and spurs me on.”
