HABIB SIAM PRESENTS THE LOCK DOCK COMEDY SHOW – A 6-NIGHT STAND-UP AFFAIR

Promo was never a strong suit. I abandoned what would’ve been a career in marketing psychology – and by that, I mean I dropped the course in college. I worked in drug rehab counseling instead, but none of that is relevant to how I started stand-up or why I’m plugging a show. Let’s maybe start over.

 “I got into comedy off a break-up.” Is it plagiarism if you quote yourself? Call it trace paranoia from my Ph.D. experience. I’d just received my doctorate, gotten back together with the girl I thought I’d marry, and felt like Leo on the Titanic. The part on the deck, not the end of the flick where he drowns. I’m not accustomed to being happy but I was, and it came tumbling down, pretty quick. Break-up, unemployment, health issues… it unraveled in a blur. And when I finally hit bottom, I decided to try stand-up.

There’s no way to say this without sounding sappy, but comedy’s done a lot for me, as has Montreal’s stand-up community. When I started performing, I had no home and was bouncing around from sublease to sublease. People offered beds, futons, and couches. Cats I barely knew. And that kindness was transformative. The stage has taught me a lot about who I am, showed sides of self I didn’t know were there, and reminded me of the less comfortable parts I’d seen before but willfully ignored.

So what’s up with this show already?

The point is I feel like I owe a lot of people. For the most part, during my time in comedy, all I’ve done is take: take advice, take stages, take mics. I wanted to say thank you to everyone I feel indebted to in a more meaningful way than just saying thanks. The Lock Dock Comedy Show is my way of doing that. For 6 nights in July and August, at Old Montreal’s Marché des Eclusiers, I get to host peers I respect and have had the pleasure of watching and learning from. It’s a blessing to have people with this much talent guide you through your craft – comics who have been on television, performed at Just For Laughs, and rocked international fringe festivals. Sometimes I genuinely stare at the line-ups and can’t decide which show I’d go to if I forced to pick one.

Lock Dock premieres Wednesday, July 6, with special guest Sandhill on pre and post-joke DJ duties. It’s a weekly affair with a different line-up every time around. The opener has some particularly special acts, in no particular order:

Abdul Butt – The man I most often get mistaken for, even though I’m a foot taller and a little more beige.

Emma Wilkie – Your alien spaceship joyride joke makes me wish I could borrow your brain for a day – or ever.

John St. Godard – “Lebanese #2 and the old gay dude”, webisodes coming July 2017.

Amanda McQueen – My comedy crush is at that stage where you may need to be on every show.

Chris Sandiford – You called me venerable once. I Googled the term and got mad. That’s how I’d felt about you but never had the word for it.

Jason Hatrick – The man who booked me for my first set. I’d have never guessed that random email would have led to this. Thank you, over and over.

Jason Hatrick

Oh, and there’s so much more and the other nights too…

Peter J. Radomski, Darren Henwood, Kris Dulgar, Rodney Ramsey, Paul Baluyot, Tranna Wintour, Jeff Schouela, Bruno Ly, Mike Carrozza, Walter J Lyng, Scott Carter, Jon Selig, Shawn Stenhouse, Reese Turner, Brad MacDonald and this year’s Montreal rep at Just For Laughs’ Homegrown contest, Daniel Carin… plus a couple of out of town surprises.

Come by for an ab workout that doesn’t involve crunches.

The Lock Dock Comedy Show

Dates: Wednesday(s) July 6, 13, 20 and August 3, 10, 17

Time: Doors at 7 PM – Show at 8 PM.

Location: Marché des Eclusiers – 400 rue de la Commune O. / 438-7958265

Cover Charge: $10 at the door (online ticketing coming soon)

Event Page: CLICK ME!