Canadian Comedy Awards 2009 - THREE Nominations!
July 17, 2009
Canadian Comedy Award (may not be exactly as pictured)
[EDIT - We've updated our FAQ on Voting - Click here for more info!]
We were pretty thrilled last year to receive a record two nominations for funniest web video in the 2008 Canadian Comedy Awards - so we’re blown away to have recieved three nominations (for The Violator, Mushmouth, and Basement Accident) in 2009! As far as we know that’s a record for any Canadian Comedy Award category which we’ll be extremely shameless in awkwardly bringing up in uncomfortable social situations!
Of course this an honour that wouldn’t have been possible without our long-standing collaborative work with The Imponderables - whose “unique” brand of “genius” makes the whole thing possible.
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I don’t think I was supposed to type the air-quotes.
Seriously, the Imponderables were nominated (for about the tenth year in a row) for funniest sketch group as well… and given the year they’ve had - they would sure be my favourites to pick up another block of lucite for their shelves.
The CCA’s always have a very special place in our heart - not only as they have long recognized some of Canada’s legendary comic talent (Cathy Jones, Rick Mercer, Rick Farrell, Mary Walsh, Mike Myers, Colin Mochrie, Eugine Levy, Seth Rogen - to name-drop but a few) but they are one of the few creative arts awards that recognize the work being done in short-form video on the web.
Even better the “Web Video” field is one of only three awards which include public voting (Pretty Funny Web Video, Pretty Funny Radio Clip, and Canadian Comedy Person of the Year). So if you want to help us out you can head over to the Canadian Comedy Awards Voting Website and Register for a free account to vote!.
[Edit - Yes, as with last year, feel free to link to our nomination badges from your own sites or blogs if you wish, I've included sample code below]
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Also there’s been some question if we have a preference which RAMP show people vote for. So as to not split our vote, we’re encouraging fans of RAMP to vote for “The Violator” this year. While we love all three of our nominees equally - how can you not want to see the improbable run of this plucky underdog continue?
Jason Patrick Rothery selected for 2009 SoulPepper Academy!
January 13, 2009
Rocket Ace is extremely excited to congratulate RAMP co-founder, head of development, and our resident screenwriter Jason Rothery on his selection to the 2009 Soulpepper Academy!
An initiative of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre, the Academy is a unique full-time two-year residency comprised of ten multi-disciplinary theatre artists from across the country with the goal to create “the next generation of cultural leaders” through a mix of full-time skills development, involvement with Soulpepper productions, collaborative new-works creation, and youth and community artistic outreach initiatives.
While we selfishly hate to share Jason with anyone, I suppose we couldn’t have hoped to keep his brilliance hidden forever, so we’re extremely happy to have him join us in Toronto and can’t wait to see what amazing creations the Soulpepper Academy brings to the city in the coming months!
(Aw man, I set this to publish on January <em>2008</em>… so much for making ‘09 the <em>year of less typos</em>!)
Brand New Sketch at the Rivoli on Tuesday!
January 11, 2009
What better way to get the new year off to a proper start than joining us for the first Imponderables & Acquaintances of the year at the Rivoli in Toronto - 334 Queen Street West, Toronto - starting at 9pm on Tuesday January 13th!
Trevor Boris, mainstay of “Video on Trial“, midnight lothario of The Couchathon 2008, and that sexy fellow over to the left there will be hosting with all his considerable comedic skill.
Along with the titular Imponderables (getting all ready for The Chicago Sketchfest) the show will also feature a little number called “Deadpan Powerpoint Presents: The Keys to Invincibility in Verbal Argumentation” … details of which I have none - but, frankly, it sounds freaking awesome.
Oh, and there’s a world-premiere of a brand-new RocketAce / Imponderables video. The first of 2009.
If that’s your thing.
As always at live shows, if you see any of the usual suspects - come say hello and get some free buttons and stickers and stuff!
The Violator Goes to London!
January 8, 2009
Much like reigning beauty-pageant champions have duties and requirements throughout the year, so is it for those whose head hangs heavy with the duties of the Fez D’Or. Except instead of “duties and requirements” we mean “The Violator” is being played in London, England on January 10th. Part of a forward-thinking collaboration between Daryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival and the London Short Film Festival, we’re not sure if the Roxy Bar and Screen can handle that much sexy-awesomeness - but you can find out this Saturday night at 8pm. Daryl’s got all the information on location and tickets, and “tube stops” and whatnot. Check it out if you’re in the area. The HLAP shows are a legendary good time, and (if we may toot our own horn) “Violator” looks great on the big-screen.
Not enough wanton hyperbole?
Normally to ship a film to England one has to fill out a lengthy declaration that one’s film “contains no pornography, treasonous content, nor advocates harm against the persons of the royal family”*… but since Daryl is hand-delivering all the films we had to promise no such thing!**
* We may have embellished the terms of the declaration, but only slightly.
**Those looking for actual pornography or treasonous, royal-harming, doctrine may be signifcantly disappointed.
It’s the most wonderful Tuesday of the year…
December 2, 2008
Man, is it already time for the last Imponderables and Acquaintances of the year, already?
Well the boys will do it up in style no doubt, celebrating the end of an era by resurrecting one of only two U.S. Presidents to ever be impeached to rock the MC duties… or a completely different Andrew Johnson which would be cool too… whatever.
Most importantly that top-secret brand new video that we debuted at The Toronto Sketchfest will probably show up for those of you who couldn’t get into the ridiculously sold-out Sketchfest show (which, according to reports, was most of you).
But hey even if you don’t want to see new RAMP and Imponderables hilarity (a little birdie told me the boys are going to test a whole bucket of brand-new material this month) there’s lots of reasons to come out to the Rivoli tonight: The Riv’s tasty food selection! The Chapuda Brothers! The kick-ass new Tea bar that opened next door! Ron Sparks and his Amazing Desk of News! Pay What You Can!
Kick your holiday season off on the right foot - The Last “Imps & Acks” of the year starts at 9pm at the Rivoli - 334 Queen Street West, Toronto.
Usual RAMP live show goodies are in effect - find anyone from RAMP at the show and demand holiday goodies - we’ll be loaded down Santa-style with stickers and buttons and junk like that. You won’t even have to sit on our lap!
(Kind of) new RAMP video at Toronto SketchFest
November 21, 2008
Our old buddies/chums/couchathon lab-rats - The Imponderables are performing as part of the Toronto Sketch Fest, on Saturday November 22nd.
According to the event calendar they’re performing at the brand-spanking-new Comedy Bar at 9pm along with Bull Hooey and… waitaminute, Picnicface!? Are those guys stalking us or something? First the Canadian Comedy Awards, now this? Look they’re hilarious and everything, but this is seriously getting creepy.
Provided this isn’t all a clever ruse by Picnicface to shank us and steal our precious kidneys , we’ll also be publicly performing a brand new RAMP/Imp’s video that was only seen (in a different edit) during a “super secret” part of the Couchathon… soo…. brand new! Essentially brand new! Mostly brand new! “Gently used” brand new!
Yeah… it’ll be on the web soon enough… but you could see it FIRST, HUGE, and… FUNNIER… (plus some top-top-top shelf live comedy) all for a measly $12 (or $36 for a four-show pass).
More ticket info here or reserve your tickets by calling the Comedy Bar directly at 647-898-532.
Usual RAMP swag rules in effect - find anyone from RAMP at the show and demand free shit and we’ll give you stickers and buttons and other cool crap. Or we’ll tell you the secret of Matt’s *first* fiancé. The one we claim never exists when grilled by the press. Your call.
Heads Up - The Comedy Bar is so brand new that their box office is Cash Only! Don’t be “that guy” who expects his plastic to bail him out at the last minute, capice?
Thank You, Couchathon Supporters!
November 12, 2008
Over the thirty hours of the Couchathon, hundreds of you donated nearly ten thousand dollars to help Sick Kids Foundation and Child’s Play.
We are blown away by your generosity, and can offer only our most sincere thanks in return.
The bitter draught of defeat!
October 4, 2008
Clearly we were not wearing our lucky socks in Regina as the coveted Canadian Comedy Award for Best Web Video this year went to Adrian Parks and Sean Hazell’s Sure Lock: A True Poo Story, and the sketch award this year went to Vancouver’s own Canadian Content - leaving the RocketAce / Imponderables camp 0 for 3 on the night. Then again, with an open bar, it really was an honour just to be nominated!
Undaunted, your representative RAMP team still managed to snatch victory from the jaws of less-victory by getting to spend a couple of excellent days at the Canadian Comedy Awards and Festival, tilting a glass or two with some of our favourite comedy friends and foes from coast to coast, and even finally managing to meet some of those fine Picnicface folk from Halifax.
So I guess that’s kind of like winning… except with more bitter, bitter, tears and frequent trips to the Casino in it’s crazy limo-bus.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the sketch shows on Thursday and Friday (especially those brave souls who eschewed the end of the ‘Riders game) - hopefully we’ll be back in Regina soon!
Live Shows in Regina on the 2nd and 3rd!
October 1, 2008
Hello Saskatchewan’s capital! As part of the 2008 Canadian Comedy Awards we’ll soon be winging our way to lovely Regina - home of the Pats, the Roughriders, and the mysterious “Buffalo Days”! Plus we’re lending our “skills” to a couple of live shows as part of the tie in Laughing Gas Regina Comedy Festival!!
Thurs. Oct 2 - 7:00 PM | Sketch Madness Show
Fri. Oct 3 - 10:00 PM | Sketch Madness Show
Applause Dinner Theatre
1975 Broad Street
tickets $20
Some of our pre-recorded comedy stylings will abound as part of a live performance from those Imponderables guys we’ve been known to hang around with - plus it should be different material both nights!
But that’s just the tip of the comedy iceberg as the show also features a coast-to-cost sketch comedy extravaganza with Canadian Content, The Second City, the Sketchersons, and those Lunchnose guys. Buffetfeet? Pot-Luck-Spleen? Come to think of it “Pot-Luck Spleen” sounds like some kind of hard-boiled Asian pulp-novel hero.
Thursday is hosted by Janet Wright and Lorne Cardina, and Friday by Dave Foley… seriously, what else do you want from an evening’s entertainment? If this much awesome isn’t enough to get you out of the house, I’m not sure anything ever will.
It’s pretty hard to “sweeten the deal” when you’ve got content like that… I guess we could pack in some free buttons or something. Track down Matt or Brad at either show, or many of the festivals varied events and I’m sure they’ll give you swag, or gum, or business cards, or whatever they happen to have in their pockets.
I know they’re both really looking forward to spending some time with all our great Saskatchewan friends and fans - and taking in some of the natural beauty of our surroundings!
“Violator” Wins the Fez D’Or!
September 10, 2008
There are many, many, awards out there that your humble RocketAce crew would like to win some day, but few of them have we craved badly as the mythical Fez D’Or, the golden fez of Daryl’s Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival. The grand prize of a festival pretty much tailor made for our unique depravities (unless someone starts giving out an award for “Breakfast-based serialized new-media” I’m not sure there will ever be a better fit).
Such was our jubilation to be informed that “The Violator“, won the coveted prize at this years festival. Such was our shame that due to a very, very, stupid mix-up we entirely missed the screening, thinking it was next week. We even had a lovely post scheduled to go up this week encouraging everyone to come out for the big Toronto screening. Suffice it to say Matt was inconsolable. We had outfits. I own fezes. Multiple. Fezes.
Our sincere thanks to everyone who did go, and text messaged us the results Sunday when it was too late to do anything about it. Our sincere (belated) thanks to the astute jury for recognizing the latent genius of a film about toys getting molested in a theme park. Our sincere thanks to The Imponderables for orginally thinking how much comedy potential was present in getting molested in a theme park. And finally thanks to the audience who actually got the date of the festival right. I’m sure you all had an amazingly hilarious time while we did such important things as:
- drove around the city looking for parking
- purchased a burrito
- ate said burrito
- went to a Toronto Film Festival event to visit with people we see literally every week
- vaguely consider going to a movie
- wonder if something was slightly off with that burrito we ate
I’m sure you’ll agree that it was a tough call as to whose evening was more jammed packed with thrills and excitement.
*Sigh*
