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Just For Laughs comedian confident about his comedy

Angelo Tsarouchas is an interesting hybrid of Greek and Canadian nationalities, but still blends in to life in Los Angeles incredibly well. Not only has he made a name for himself in the Canadian comedy industry, he continues to make new fans across the world while traveling on tour. Tsarouchas has been featured on Just For Laughs, Russell Peter’s World Tour and Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show.

The Just for Laughs comedian took time before his Canadian tour to talk to the Gazette about life as a comedian, body image and what he has planned for the future.

What’s it like being a comedian in Canada?

Being a comic in Canada, because it’s such a big country, you’re covering long distances. People ask why Canadians are so funny, but it’s probably because we have to travel so long to tell a joke.

How do people react to Canadian comedy compared to material from comedians of different backgrounds?

I’ve toured the world doing stand up comedy, and it’s funny because if you can do stand up in Canada, you can pretty much do it anywhere. I worked in Russell Peter’s World Tour and Vince Vaughn’s comedy show in the States, and I find people from different countries like to hear the Canadian perspective on things. Growing up in Canada, I got the British comedy and the American comedy—I got to watch both, so it’s a hybrid of the two. And Canadians read, so I think that makes us funnier.

Have you ever performed to an audience that didn’t get your material? How do you react in a situation like that?

One time I was performing about an hour out of LA at San Manuel Casino, and it was like performing to Middle Earth! They were booing me while I was trying to tell joke. Sometimes they just don’t get it, but they don’t want you to think they’re stupid, so they bash you instead. But all you can do is laugh, because I know my jokes are funny and I’m confident as a performer.

You make fun of yourself a lot on stage. Was it ever difficult to poke fun at yourself, especially your physical appearance?

You are what you are. When you’re close to 400 pounds, it doesn’t blend in well. Some comedians are really thin, some are fat, and some look like losers but tell you that they’re chick magnets. Your physical appearance helps with how the joke is perceived. Some people come up to me after a show and say, “I’m not comfortable that you’re so comfortable being fat,” but this is who I am right now.

How does working on a film differ from doing standup comedy?

Stand up comedy is immediate gratification. You tell a joke and the crowd approves of it or they respond—you know if your joke is funny or not immediately. Film is a different animal because it’s all about following your instincts. The first screening I saw of it was at the Beverly Hills film festival, and I was nervous because unlike stand up and you tell a joke and people laugh, but I had to wait and watch people’s reactions.

What are your plans for the future?

I’ve had good success in the last few years. I’ve worked a lot of films and I’m developing a television sitcom show in LA based on my comedy. It came a bit later than I thought it would, but there’s still a sense of accomplishment. In any field you’re in, you want to be rewarded somehow and you want to get recognized. I don’t necessarily need people to approve my work, but the fact that people like it is a great thing.

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