Jay Baruchel talks Amazon’s LOL and his love of Canada

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If Jay Baruchel was locked in a room with 10 of the funniest Canadians to see who could be the final one laughing, he is aware of he’d be the primary one eradicated.

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“I might be completely s— at it,” Baruchel, 39, says in a video name from his residence in Toronto. Fortunately for him — and audiences — he’s simply the host of LOL: Final One Laughing Canada, a actuality competitors that pits a few of Canada’s most well-known comedians in opposition to each other to see who can hold a straight face for six hours. The one who can hold on till the tip with out breaking into a smile wins the LOL crown and a $100,000 donation to the charity of their alternative.

The six-episode sequence, which is streaming now on Prime Video, is a part of a franchise, with worldwide variations airing in Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Japan.

The Canadian Amazon Authentic options Colin Mochrie (Whose Line is it Anyway?), Dave Foley (Youngsters within the Corridor), Andrew Phung (Kim’s Comfort), Okay. Trevor Wilson (Letterkenny), Tom Inexperienced (Highway Journey, The Tom Inexperienced Present), Caroline Rhea (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Deb DiGiovanni (MuchMusic’s Video on Trial), YouTuber Jonathan Lajoie, Brandon Ash-Mohammed (TallBoyz) and Mae Martin (Netflix’s Really feel Good).

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Whereas Baruchel, who’s greatest identified for starring in Knocked Up, Million Greenback Child, Tropic Thunder and That is the Finish, freely admits he would have been “the f—ing first one out” if he was competing, he says he had the perfect gig as host.

“I can’t stress sufficient how nice it was to hang around with individuals I’ve adored since I used to be a toddler,” the Montreal-born actor says. “I used to be within the presence of greatness.”

With the primary 4 episodes accessible to stream now, Baruchel spoke extra concerning the actuality competitors and opened up on why he’ll by no means go away Canada behind.

It’s 10 Canadian comedy legends. What was it prefer to be the ringleader of all this insanity?

“It was truthfully the best. Youngsters within the Corridor began after I was in elementary faculty and Dave Foley made a film within the ‘90s known as The Improper Man, which I feel is the funniest film ever made.”

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Had been you stunned on the jokes that get the comedians eradicated?

“Yeah. It’s a type of issues the place the older you get, you notice none of us are resistant to the issues that made us giggle after we have been 4 — individuals falling, fart stuff — all that can by no means not be humorous. So it was nice to see comedy legends be as inventive with a few of that as the remainder of us.”

What’s the technique for successful a contest like this?

“I feel if I used to be in it, it will be to maintain as a lot of a large berth from all people as I might. The one factor I might have executed could be to attempt look away from the digital camera, however on our present, there’s 40 f—ing cameras and so they’re all hidden throughout the set.”

What separates Canadian comedy from the remainder of the world?
“If rock ’n’ roll is like blues-meets-country, I might argue that Canadian humour is equal components British humour and American humour — however at the same time as I say that, there’s by no means been a time the place we haven’t been down there making their jokes with and for them. The man who found Charlie Chaplin — Mack Sennett — was Canadian. The man who’s accountable for serving to us giggle at stuff onscreen was Canadian. So we’ve been there from the start of American in style comedy. If you develop up right here, you watch lots of American sketch comedy and British sketch comedy, along with our personal stuff. So what I feel you have got is like an ad-libby, blues-riffy American comedy paired with British stuff that comes off the custom of musical theatre. That’s essentially the most analytical reply I can provide you.”

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With Knocked Up and Tropic Thunder, you have been a part of this new wave of comedians, however you didn’t go away residence. Why was it essential so that you can keep in Canada?

“Our family was by no means one the place we have been raised within the cult of pondering the brass ring was elsewhere. There are individuals right here for whom that is only a place they keep till they’ll get some place else, however my household was not that household. I grew up right here and I prefer it right here and my household is right here, so I’m right here.

“It’s an fascinating factor about our Canadian identification the place we have now to qualify our Canadian-ness. If I used to be an American and I made a decision to remain there, nobody would ask me why. As soon as I began working within the States, I felt it incumbent on myself to contribute to my very own tradition. I simply all the time knew after I was a child anytime we noticed our celebrities come again on Canadian TV or cinema was after work had form of dried up for them elsewhere. That despatched a crappy message. That they’ll solely come residence if there’s no work some place else. However I simply assume that is the perfect nation on the earth and there’s no place I’d fairly be.”

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I do know you’re a die-hard Montreal Canadiens fan. Issues don’t look too good for the Habs proper now. In case your workforce doesn’t make the NHL playoffs, who’re you cheering for?

“The Canadian public having a blast. In the event that they don’t make it and the Flames do, I like (former Canadien) Tyler Toffoli rather a lot and the Flames are a tougher workforce to hate, so I suppose …  I might say no matter Canadian workforce is left however that may be horses— as a result of if it’s the Leafs, I’m not f—ing cheering for them. So it stays to be seen. In all probability no one.”

LOL: Final One Laughing Canada is streaming now on Prime Video

mdaniell@postmedia.com