The first time Jeff Faulkner grabbed the mic and did stand-up comedy, he was hooked by the rush. Now he wants to keep it going.
The longtime Barrie resident, a 38-year-old married father of a young son, is hoping people can push him to the next level, which is a slot at next month's Halifax Comedy Festival.
Faulkner, who works as a commercial roofing consultant by day, has made it to the last 100 comics standing as part of CBC Comedy's Next Up contest, which is an opportunity for a comedian who hasn't headlined at a major comedy club in Canada to earn a chance to win a spot at the Halifax festival.
To vote for Faulkner and to see the other video submissions, click here. Voting ends March 15.
While Faulkner has always appreciated stand-up comedy, it was something his grandmother said when she fell ill about never having an regrets in life that stuck with him.
Several years ago, a friend suggested Faulkner check out a comedy contest in Peterborough.
"I've always clowned around and joked with my friends, maybe didn't always take things too seriously as I should have throughout life," said the former advertisting representative for The Orillia Packet & Times.
"But I'd never considered this as an actual thing. I tried this contest and I immediatey fell in love with it. As soon as I got off the stage, I was floating and wanted to find the next show immediately."
With the CBC contest, meanwhile, comedians were asked to submit a 60- to 90-second video. This week, the prospects were also issued a social-media challenge to write a joke about their commute to they'll post to platforms of their choosing.
"I've watched some of the other videos, and it makes me confident, but I also don't really know what they're looking for," Faulkner said.
"It's hard to say. I like my material and what I'm going to submit for these social challenges, so I think I have as good a chance of anybody. But I'm also pretty superstitious, so I don't want to... you know."
Faulkner said the material has to be "tastefully done" and devoid of gratuitous vulgarity.
"The stuff I'm submitting is stuff, I think, would play well with CBC," he said. "I have material that is bluer and maybe not family-friendly, but that's not going to be part of the equation for this contest."
Another challenge will be issued next Monday.
But whatever happens, both with the contest and sticking with stand-up comedy, Faulkner is just happy to have taken the shot.
"There's no pressure," he said, adding it's also a great message to send his young son about pushing to achieve your goals.
Faulkner, who has lived in Barrie since he was a little boy, says he draws his material predominantly from day-to-day life.
"I'm not smart enough to make stuff up, so it's basically life experiences that I've completely exaggerated to get a reaction," he said.
Faulkner always has a notepad with him to jot down things that could end up in his routine, after bouncing the material off friends and family.
"I'll sometimes try to fit it into coversations to see what kind of reactions I'll get," he said. "I don't like let people know I'm testing it out, because then you don't get an authentic response.
"But really there's no way to know how it's going to do until you perform it on stage," Faulkner added. "You can write it out, tweak it and constantly play with it, but until you're on stage you have no idea."
There have been times when Faulkner has written what he believes are some of his best jokes and they bomb, "but on the flip side, you'll write something that you think is hot garbage and it crushes!"
A lot is dependent on the crowd, too.
"That's the beauty of this. You could do the same set 10 nights in a row, with the exact same words and the exact same pauses; six of them will be great and four of them will be terrible," he said.
"It's just how the crowd connects with you. The smallest thing can throw you right off, too. That's part of the fun."
So what does it take to get up on stage?
"So here's the cycle: Every day I have a show, I think about quitting comedy the entire day," Faulkner said. "Until I get to the show and get that first laugh, then all those worries and anxiety go away. It's just this huge rush. I wish I could bottle it and have available at all times, because the high you get on stage is like nothing else.
"And then you book the next show and go through the same thing all over again, the exact same waves of emotions. 'I'm going to quit,' or 'I'm just not going to go'. Then you get there and fall in love with it all over again."
Faulkner's attraction to comedy includes Steve Martin's book, Born Standing Up, published in 2007.
"It blew my mind, how well-written it was and just the idea that there are so many people who pursue this, but the only thing that's going to separate you is being original," he said.
Another legend at the top of the list is Richard Pryor. "I think he's the funniest who's ever done it."
"I'm a big nerd, too. I collect vinyl from Don Rickles right up to current-day comics like Jim Jefferies or Bill Burr," Faulkner said. "I'm totally throwing my whole life into it and I'm completely obsessed."
You can often catch Faulkner performing his stand-up comedy at the Foxx Lounge in downtown Barrie on Tuesday nights. Or, he's oftentimes also just hanging around to support the other comedians.
"It's a great place to test material," he said.
