He is fast, funny and probably the best veteran of the North American funnyman circuit.
In addition to his successful and well received live performances all over North America, Mike MacDonald has appeared in such TV shows as The Late Show with David Letterman and the Arsenio Hall Show.
As the son of a career Canadian Air Force officer, MacDonald learned at an early age that humor would make him popular. “I guess I’m one of the few Air Force brats who found out that comedy was an easy way to make new friends quickly,” says MacDonald. “Since we moved often, I had to find new ways of breaking into a new gang of kids.”
Born in Metz, France, MacDonald spent the first 15 years of his life on military bases throughout France, West Germany and Canada. When his father retired from the military, the family settled in Ottawa where MacDonald attended high school. It was there that he began to develop a serious interest in theatre and performing.
After high school, MacDonald, as an accomplished drummer, toured the country with a rock group sponsored by the Canadian government. When the tour ended he returned to Ottawa and spent the next few years in various jobs including drive-in restaurant employee, ballroom dance instructor, and teacher’s aide for mentally challenged children. In 1978 at the age of 23, and at the suggestion of a friend, MacDonald began to frequent clubs where he could try his own brand of stand-up comedy.
MacDonald began to perform throughout Canada and made frequent forays into the United States. In addition to his successful and well received live performances all over North America, Mike MacDonald has appeared on numerous TV shows including “Late Night with David Letterman”, “The Arsenio Hall Show”, “Just for Laughs”, Showtime’s “Comedy Club All-Star Show”, A&E’s “An Evening at the Improv” and Comedy Central’s “The A List”.
Mike MacDonald’s popularity continues to skyrocket both in the United States and Canada. He has hosted both the Gemini Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Emmy Awards) and the “Just for Laughs 10th Anniversary Special” for the CBC and starred in a sitcom on that network called “Mosquito Lake.” Mike has also starred in three well received and critically acclaimed specials for the CBC in Canada and for Showtime in the U.S.
His first special, “MIKE MacDonald; ON TARGET” was the first one hour prime time special by a stand-up comic in the history of the CBC. This success led to MIKE’S next special, “MY HOUSE! MY RULES!” which also won its prime time slot when it aired in Canada and was nominated for two Gemini Awards for “Best Writing” and “Best Performance” in a comedy special.
The Showtime version of “MY HOUSE! MY RULES!” was nominated for two Ace Awards --”Best Comedy Special” and “Best Writing in a Comedy Special”. His third Showtime special, “HAPPY AS I CAN BE”, was originally slated as a half-hour show, but when executives screened the footage they immediately expanded it to an hour.
Mike has Bi-Polar Disorder. He is the poster-boy for showing how people with mental health challenges can become very successful members of their community.
Mike is a huge champion of Stand Up For Mental Health and our programs. Mike has supported SMH from the start, and we love him for that.
