Over the years, Mochrie has starred in a variety of commercials, TV shows and movies. He was the recipient of the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Improviser in 2000 and the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Performance on the Canadian version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? the following year.
He speaks about the upcoming tour in this recent call from his Toronto home.
What compelled you to want to come to Northeast Ohio in January?
I’m not sure. The people who book us just hate us. They push us into the most arduous of conditions, but I think it will be fine. This is our 23rd year of touring and in all that time, we have only had to cancel one show because of the weather. I’m fine. Brad tends to whine a little more, but that is not unusual.
Your love for improv goes way back. Talk about what first drew you to it.
When I first saw it when I was in theater school, my friend was doing this thing called Theatersports. It was comedy in a sports setting. I saw it and was immediately taken with it. I thought it was amazing. They had no script. I didn’t really know it was called improv, but Jonathan Winters was known for doing improv. He was on all the talk shows and variety shows in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I just loved him because you knew he wasn’t working with a script. I took a class and then made this long, slow, crawling path to middle stardom.
You were part of the Toronto comedy scene in the ‘80s. What was that like?
I started with Second City, and Kids in the Hall were doing their stage shows at a place called the Rivoli in Toronto. It was a bustling comedy Mecca. It was great to be a part of that. It’s still going on today. There are so many great comedy venues whether it’s sketch or standup or improv.
What is it about Canada that is produces so much great comedy?
Oh, I feel I should have an answer. Part of it is that America is that we have an influx from both America and Britain. We had the classic sitcoms from the U.S. and all the great British shows like Monty Python and Benny Hill and a wide range of comedy and sort of melded it into our own. We had this giant besides us and we just wanted to get noticed. Comedy was the best way to do that.
You auditioned for the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? three times before officially getting the gig. Why was the third time the charm?
The first time was with my cast from Second City. Everyone was really supportive, so nobody stood out. It wasn’t until I thought, “You know what? Screw everyone. Look at me.” That’s a valuable lesson for kids out there. Always think about yourself.
What was that experience of doing the show like?
It was a long run. We did the British one until 1998 and then the one with Drew [Carey] from 1998 to 2004 and then it came back with Aisha [Tyler], and we shot our last episode two years ago. They managed to get two more seasons out of all the extra stuff we had. It gave us all a career, and I’m very thankful for that. It also gave us a chance to be able to tour. For a lazy guy, it was the best gig in the world. It was two weekends where you get together with your friends, and you goof around, and you go for a drink after, and that was it.
Did you learn anything about Cleveland from Drew Carey?
The only thing I remember is that the Browns were having problems in those days. That became a running gag during the show Drew loves Cleveland. It’s nice to see someone who’s proud from whence he came, and he certainly has that Cleveland pride.
When did you and Brad begin taking the show on the road?
It was during the Drew period. Every Super Bowl weekend, Drew would take us to Vegas, and we would do a show. It was great, but everyone in the cast had friends, so you didn’t get a big chance to do stuff because there were so many people on stage. Brad approached me and said, “Why don’t we lose the dead weight and do our own show?”
How has the show evolved?
It’s relaxed in a chaotic way. We’re both fine with whatever happens. There is this weird optimism that it will always work out. We have added a musical tribute to the city we are in. It’s become my favorite part of the show even though I also fear it the most since I can’t really sing.
You truly are “asking for trouble.” Has an audience suggestion ever stumped you?
There are times you are thrown a little bit. We are trying to find different ways of asking for things. When we ask for “most unusual occupation,” we try to get answers other than proctologist. One time, this person told us their cousin was the person you call when you are trapped in an elevator. That one really threw us, but we still managed to come up with a sketch about it.
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This article appears in Dec 4-17, 2024.