Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996. Marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate, you'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Rockin' Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter. Here comes Dave. Oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missin'. Spinning tales in the podcast cave. So much laughs and insights everywhere. Peter and Dave, they're on the mics. All right, join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.

Peter McCully: Welcome back to the Pulse Community Podcast. I'm Peter McCully, and we're tracking the pulse of life here on Mid Vancouver Island as we wrap up February and welcome March — the month that marks the beginning of spring.

Dave Graham: Spring, my favourite season tied with summer, winter, and fall. I'm Dave Graham. Yes, February. Almost done. The Olympics are over in Italy and somehow I watch more ice skating than ever before. I believe they call it figure skating. I don't really understand it, so it all looks pretty much the same to my eyes. They go through what appear to be rather similar moves. There's that spinning thing and the twirling thing, and the tossing and the landing, and occasionally the falling.

Peter McCully: Well, Dave, those are moves that require years of training and dedication and physical conditioning. The skaters are constantly pushing the limits of what can be done while wearing blades on your feet.

Dave Graham: Oh, I understand that. There's a lot of skill involved and an immense amount of effort to reach that level of performance. I guess I won't ever be able to fully appreciate this sport because, well, I never really mastered skating myself, and yet still I call myself a Canadian.

Peter McCully: Dave, how's the Italian cooking coming along?

Dave Graham: Oh, badly. I started to make my own pasta from scratch the other day, and it was going really well until it didn't, and then I had to scramble to keep the Italian theme going, and so I ordered a pizza. I thought it was a pretty smooth recovery. Then I began making a carbonara recipe. See what I did there? Then I began making a carbonara recipe, but it called for guanciale, which is cured pork cheeks. Who stocks cured pork cheeks? So, I used bacon.

Peter McCully: So how did it turn out, Dave?

Dave Graham: Peter, there are very few things in life that don't get better with a little bacon.

Peter McCully: You may have a point, Dave. Today on the podcast, Derek Edwards, one of Canada's most beloved standup comedians, joins us to talk about his comedic journey. Three decades on the road and what keeps him laughing? After all these years, Derek brings his latest tour to Vancouver Island with four stops in March.

Derek Edwards: You know, somebody brought a baby to a show once — can you believe it? And I get a laugh, say there's a hundred people there. So everyone would laugh and then stop. And then the baby would laugh because she thought it was hilarious. You know, the sound of all these people laughing. And then everyone would hear the baby laugh and they would laugh again. There was no need for me to be there.

Dave Graham: Oh, that's good. A baby upstaging a comedian. But in his defence, babies can be very funny. That is, when they're not being scary.

Peter McCully: You find babies scary, Dave?

Dave Graham: I'm about as familiar with babies as I am with figure skating. I hear there's a special way you have to hold them, and they're just so needy and they can't tell you what's wrong when they cry. It's all pretty overwhelming. I'm feeling overwhelmed. I need to call myself happy thoughts. Oh, bacon.

Peter McCully: Susanne Cunningham joins the podcast as chair of the Mid Island Health Alliance through community-powered philanthropy and strong partnerships. This volunteer-driven group is opening the Primrose Medical Centre in Qualicum Beach this September.

Susanne Cunningham: The build would probably be about $900,000, and so we're getting very, very close to being able to see that happen. So a little bit more fundraising is warranted. The other dollars equalling the 1.2 to 1.5 are for equipment and furnishing the rooms and fixturing the centre. So we would welcome the financial support from within the community to help that go. So given that the build happens in May, and we equip in June and July, we're looking at August setup and a start-up in September.

Dave Graham: A new medical clinic in Qualicum Beach. That is exciting news for this region and for those who have trouble accessing primary care. And at last, we have an actual date. Yes. September — not that far off.

Peter McCully: On a future edition of the podcast, Dave, we'll be joined by Colin James. Colin will be on the Island this spring with a number of performances.

Dave Graham: It isn't every day we get to speak with an eight-time Juno Award winner. Oh, by the way, Peter, could we see if Colin would have time to check out my guitar playing? It wouldn't take long. Maybe give me some tips. You know, I think I pretty much mastered the first — well, several notes of his debut hit "Voodoo Thing" — and I might have some skill.

Peter McCully: I don't think so, Dave. Also coming up on the Pulse Podcast, award-winning author Monique Gray Smith, who joins us to discuss her latest book. Sharing stories and reflections, Monique will be at Fireside Books in March. Keep an eye on the website for the date.

Dave Graham: And we'll chat with speaker, writer, and technologist Jeff Shields about AI and how it can be used in our everyday lives at home and in small business. Now, this is a conversation that will have people raising eyebrows and perhaps even saying, "Wow."

Peter McCully: And I'd like to say the clock is ticking with regards to our latest contest. Visit our website or Facebook page to enter for a commemorative Super Bowl 60 sweater.

Dave Graham: Host of the F3 Podcast, Aaron Haluschak Frazier and Chef Jonathan Frazier picked this sweater up for us in San Francisco, and we have it ready to award to one lucky listener.

Peter McCully: So visit our Facebook page, The Pulse Community, or our website at thepulsecommunity.ca. The draw is Thursday, February 26th.

Fireside Books: There's exciting news for book lovers — Fireside Books in Parksville now has a second location in Port Alberni. The Bookwyrm — used books are just $5 or less. The Bookwyrm on the corner of Redford and Anderson opens seven days a week from 10 to 5. Building your personal library for less — Fireside Books at 464 Island Highway East in Parksville is a book dragon's dream come true. Browse their extensive collections seven days a week. Both locations make growing your personal library easier than ever. New and used books and so much more. Order online at firesidebooks.ca and pick up at either location. Details available online. Ask about returning books for a book credit. Fireside Books and the Bookwyrm — two locations. One amazing adventure in browsing.

Peter McCully: March break will soon be here. We hope the parents are planning for the occasion. Perhaps they'll be able to take the kids to the ocean to witness the herring run. Between the fishing boats, the eagles, whales, and seals, the ocean comes alive during this remarkable natural event. It's time for Marilyn to introduce our first guest, who's associated with another remarkable event.

Marilyn: Suzanne Cunningham is chair of the Mid Island Health Alliance, a volunteer-led nonprofit addressing the critical shortage of primary care in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and surrounding areas through community-powered philanthropy and strong partnerships. MIHA is opening the Primrose Medical Centre in Qualicum Beach this September.

Dave Graham: Suzanne, congratulations on being able to announce that the Mid Island Health Alliance will be opening a new medical centre in Qualicum Beach in September of this year. Let's start with defining our players here with Mid Island Health Alliance, if you will.

Susanne Cunningham: The Health Alliance is actually a volunteer-led not-for-profit society dedicated to addressing the critical shortage of primary care in Oceanside communities. The Alliance is made up of experienced business and healthcare professionals who bring a diverse and complementary set of skills together for their projects. MIHA is a facilitating and advocacy group, and we're here to promote and help residents get care.

Dave Graham: Can you indulge us in the origin story for this whole thing?

Susanne Cunningham: The Primrose Centre emerged through a conversation between Mayor Westbrook and myself. He suggested I talk to Paul Connor, who had a vacated space in the old Bank of Montreal building in Qualicum Beach, which would be ideal for a medical clinic.

I spoke to Paul. We pulled some key players together, including those who were very good at marketing and clinical operations, and expertise in renovations and construction. We brought them all together in the same room, and we started with our vision and got it going. The vision centred itself around the medical centre in the heart of Qualicum Beach — it was especially important because it ensured accessibility for the residents.

The building was formerly, as I said, the Bank of Montreal, and is now under new ownership and is being transformed into a new healthcare facility. Dr. Paul Connor originally led the charge along with MIHA, with Dr. Kelly Hatfield, who is our physician consultant, to ensure that the project is moving forward and succeeding.

And we have additional folks such as the Nanaimo Foundation, and certainly Donna Hayes, who is with RW Wall and Construction and Renovation. So we're all in the same room doing the same thing.

Dave Graham: I can't speak from experience, I don't think, but funding healthcare infrastructure has gotta be a challenge. How did MIHA respond to this reality?

Susanne Cunningham: Well, the current healthcare funding environment is a significant challenge in today's world, and particularly for community-based clinics that require both financial and human resources. MIHA quickly recognized that securing space and funding through traditional means could take years.

It took us probably about a year to realize the need. We did an assessment. The need was more for space than actually doctors, initially. If you don't have space, you have no place for the doctors to practice. So we realized that we needed physical plant for them to actually work in. So once we were able to do that, we went after funding, and it's really challenging — both from a government standpoint and a health authority standpoint and so on.

But we realized the crisis was there. And because there was such a lack of physicians for our residents, we decided to try a new model and try to go from a community-based perspective and see if we could get the community interested in helping and supporting and bringing Primrose to life.

Dave Graham: You have described the Primrose Medical Centre as the future backbone of healthcare delivery in Qualicum Beach. Is it the community-centric focus that is at the heart of this model?

Susanne Cunningham: Well, it has to be, absolutely. I think not only the fact that the community is there — the way we practice is different. So in terms of primary care, the delivery is changing. Physicians of today are not as they were even 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago. They're expecting different ways and means of doing things.

In particular, their goal is to work towards team-based practice. So there's a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary group of folks who all come around the patient or the resident to make sure that the care is there. So more of a holistic approach versus the doctor doing his own thing and owning his practice. Now we have physicians who want to come.

They want to take care of their patients, but they also want work-life balance. And they want a life. And so practice is changing. And one of the things that we put in place through Primrose is actually a model of care that allows for that balance, allows for that cultural nuance, so that physicians are more content and that we can hold onto them and retain them.

Dave Graham: It makes so much sense when you say it out loud like that. How significant is the physician shortage in this region and how is this clinic going to help? Obviously you've got — what — four physicians signed up already?

Susanne Cunningham: And thank goodness we do. Qualicum Beach and the surrounding Mid Island communities — we did an assessment of need.

We spent a day and delved into the literature, delved into all the numbers, and in essence, what we found is there are approximately 9,000 residents who do not have a physician in this region. The numbers can fluctuate from day to day and not everybody's on the list. So getting a true number is interesting, but at best we know that there are about 8,000 to 9,000 residents who don't have a physician.

And the only way we know that is that we have a Health Connect registry that is actually governed and monitored through the Ministry to tell us who we have and who we don't. And so that's the way they can evaluate how many positions are needed. But looking ahead, the region can probably project a requirement of 20 to 30 more additional physicians over the next three to five years.

And why is that? Mostly because of retirement and practice change, because physicians don't have large practices, population growth, and the changing patterns of how physicians are practising. The Primrose Centre itself has 3,300 square feet of repurposed clinical space, and it will have the capacity to serve up to 10,000 patients when fully operational.

That will significantly improve access to care for all the residents. So that's really important for us.

Dave Graham: How about specialties? Are we going to see any specialties at this clinic?

Susanne Cunningham: In addition to primary care, the Primrose Medical Centre will host specialty clinics based on community referral needs that will include women's health, geriatrics, and maternal care.

Also, specialists such as cardiologists and dermatologists for cancer care, and selected psychiatric and mental health providers will offer their services on a rotational basis. We've already had that dialogue with many of them, and they're very interested in coming, and so we're very excited about that aspect.

So not only primary care with our four physicians, but also those who can add to the specialty component — which typically our residents would need to travel to Nanaimo or even go to Victoria to see a physician for.

Dave Graham: Can you just talk a little bit about the recruitment process?

Susanne Cunningham: Wholeheartedly. It takes a village, but cultural fit is very important, certainly in the model that we're putting together. It's important that the clinic, the physician, and the broader community all match. They all fit. It's essential for long-term retention and success. One of our benefits is that we've been privileged to have Dr.

Kelly Hatfield on board, working closely with MIHA and the Central Island Division of Family Practice to recruit and use the established channels of posting positions and so on, where the candidates are fully reviewed to ensure alignment with the clinic's collaborative and team-based approach — to make sure that it's in keeping with their philosophy and the philosophy of the clinic would promote.

So that's really important as well for the success of the clinic and how well it functions. But also for the community itself — the initial four physicians trained internationally and within BC and across Canada will be there at launch, and we will have capacity for up to five more once the clinic opens.

So we're excited about that. Recruitment will be ongoing. The Mid Island Health Alliance has actually just newly formed a recruitment and retention committee, which forms a collaborative, community-based group focused on attracting, welcoming, and retaining our physicians and nurse practitioners in the Mid Island region.

Weaving a provider into the fabric of the community is key to our retention, and really important for us to keep them here. It's about a lifestyle, and that's certainly what we're trying to promote here. The committee brings together multiple leaders — municipal leaders, healthcare system partners, business and tourism organizations, and passionate community members — to support healthcare providers not just professionally, but also personally and socially.

So it's not just the physician, but it's their family. It's their children, it's the schools. What about the daycare? So keeping in mind the broader picture of what's happening in the region is very important. What does it mean for housing? What does it mean for real estate? What activities can keep our families coming back for more? That's what's really important.

It's certainly very, very significant in our recruitment process, and all of these things have been part of Kelly's discussions with the group to make sure that these things really meet their needs. They need to come happy.

Dave Graham: Kelly, being Dr. Kelly Hatfield, whom you've mentioned already serving as medical director — just how important a role has she been playing in all of this?

Susanne Cunningham: We're so fortunate to have Dr. Hatfield on board. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping the clinic's operational framework. Her recruitment strategies, which we just discussed, and the long-term care vision are something she's helped us establish. Her commitment to collaborative practice and community-centred care has helped us establish a sound foundation for how Primrose works and operates in the initial stages of opening.

She will not only facilitate the onboarding of new physicians, but also critical going forward will be for future residents and students who choose to do their practice at the centre — so we can perpetuate the ongoing flow of new physicians through the system. And that's really important to keep building that volume, if you will, and that practice and consistency for the residents of Oceanside.

Dave Graham: The Primrose Medical Centre is designed to support medical learners, residents, and early career physicians from across the country and abroad. Can you explain how that will be manifested?

Susanne Cunningham: Certainly. One of the things that we don't have here in the Oceanside is a hospital. So you'll find that larger cities or towns that have hospitals have provision for learning — for students to go work in the hospital, to learn through the hospital and their practices, and to meet the needs of patients who are in the hospital.

One of the things that we are promoting here at Primrose is that we have medical learners and residents actually come within the environment of the centre and learn as they go, with the blessing — or the advantage — of other physicians who can teach and learn and mentor and coach, so that they have that solid foundation as they go forward to be fully fledged physicians.

We have that, and Dr. Hatfield will help us with that process, because she's developed that ability not only in Primrose, but in her current practice, which is the Medical Centre, and with First Nations and so on. So she's already doing that kind of work of mentorship and leadership.

Susanne Cunningham: One of the things we're thinking about right now is how does the Primrose Medical Centre really help the community in the long term?

And one of the things that we're trying to do with our approach is to make sure that we can provide the services to the residents so that we alleviate the pressures that may be on some of our urgent cares and emergency departments and other hospitals that don't have primary care integrated. And so the resident is taken care of in their community, by their community centres and their physicians, and that will alleviate some of the stress and strain on some of the other healthcare entities.

Dave Graham: The community is invited to participate financially at one level. Are there other ways that we can help?

Susanne Cunningham: Community philanthropy is one of the things that we've built the Primrose philosophy on, and so raising funds is asking the community to get behind the need here from a financial perspective. But MIHA invites residents, businesses, and supporters to bring Primrose Medical Centre to life by contributing to construction, equipment, and startup costs.

And so donations can be made through the MIHA website. That's www.midislandhealthalliance.ca. Our startup costs are about 1.2 to 1.5 million, covering the leasehold improvements and the medical equipment, and are being funded through community-powered philanthropy — mostly through the community. And we've been very, very fortunate to date. MIHA has received a generous donation through Paul Connor and his wife Jill of $500,000.

Former owners of the building and long-term Qualicum Beach residents, passionate about the cause. But we also have private donations now exceeding $700,000. So we're well on our way, and we're very excited about that and very grateful to all the donors who've got us this far, and will continue to work so we can open on time.

We're certainly acknowledging the Nanaimo District Hospital Foundation. The reason being is that they have been an advocate and a facilitator for us. They have been able — because they are a charitable organization — to actually receive the donations that have been given through the site. They hold our account, the MIHA account, and so donations will go through them.

They will issue the tax receipt, and they will ensure that the donors are recognized and appreciated as we go forward together. So it's a really, really wonderful partnership, and we created that very, very early on in our journey to make sure that we were forming the relationships that we needed to get things done.

We really needed to acknowledge the foundation. But the community input and engagement are central to MIHA's success. Residents can participate through advocacy, volunteering, sharing expertise, joining community conversations, and helping raise awareness. At its core, Primrose Medical Centre is a community-driven response to a shared challenge, and we're very excited about offering this to the region.

Dave Graham: Between now and the opening date in September, are there still some major obstacles to overcome?

Susanne Cunningham: Securing the dollars to do the work is really exciting. Our goal is actually to seek permits for the build in April, working with the town for that, and in May we're hoping to start the build, if you will. We have RW Wall already engaged, the architects and the construction firm ready to go.

The build would probably be about $900,000, and so we're getting very, very close to being able to see that happen. So a little bit more fundraising is warranted. The other dollars equalling the 1.2 to 1.5 are for equipment and furnishing the rooms and fixturing the centre. So we would welcome the financial support from within the community to help that go.

So given that the build happens in May and we equip in June and July, we're looking at August setup and a start-up in September.

Peter McCully: Thanks to Suzanne Cunningham and the entire team at the Mid Island Health Alliance. The Primrose Medical Centre is going to make a real difference in the lives of people throughout the region. If you'd like to learn more or support the effort, there are links in our story notes at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Dave Graham: That is tangible evidence of what a community can accomplish when people come together around something that matters. Hey, if you have someone in mind that you think we should be talking to, if you have a tip for a story we should be telling, we want to hear from you. Leave a voice or a text message through the contact link on our website.

Peter McCully: We've added Vancouver Island webcam links to the Pulse Community.ca website. Not only will you find links to all our podcasts, but events and contests too.

Dave Graham: The Pulse Community Podcast is available on Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. We're also on Facebook and Instagram.

Thrifty Foods: At Thrifty Foods, we love to help nonprofits, charities, and schools. Our Thrifty Foods Smile Card bulk program allows organizations to immediately save up to 6% on the purchase of Smile Cards in bulk, allowing you to keep more money in your organization's pockets. Ask for details at Thrifty Foods in Parksville.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996. Marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Dave Graham: Peter, I want to share an experience I had recently when I went out to enjoy the benefits of Shinrin-yoku. What's that, Dave? Shinrin-yoku is the Japanese term for forest bathing. It has become a recognized form of therapy. After reading a little bit about it the other day, I decided to get out there and give it a whirl, but it was a little bit cold out. I wasn't able to stay out for very long.

Peter McCully: Well, Dave, it hasn't been that cold out. Wait, wait, wait — you do know that you keep your clothes on for forest bathing, right?

Dave Graham: Yes. Yes. Oh, look, it's time for our next guest. Here's Marilyn.

Marilyn: Derek Edwards has been a cornerstone of Canadian comedy for over three decades, delivering observational humour that resonates with audiences coast to coast. The award-winning comedian brings his latest tour to Vancouver Island this spring and joins us to discuss his comedy journey, life on the road, and what keeps him laughing after all these years.

Derek Edwards: Hey there, Peter.

Peter McCully: Hey. Hey Derek. How you doing?

Derek Edwards: Very good. Top of the day to you — how are things out there?

Peter McCully: You know, we had a little flurry here in Parksville last night. It was two degrees. The daffodils are still making an appearance, and it looks like the cherry trees will be blooming in another couple of weeks.

Derek Edwards: I had to go ask — the snow coming down now is so sticky and heavy. Maybe you've heard — Toronto finally got a Canadian winter, not that you'd really understand what that meant. Are you from the Island?

Peter McCully: Well, I grew up in Nova Scotia. I moved here about 25 years ago, so I've had lots of snow and I've had lots of West Coast weather.

Derek Edwards: You'd probably prefer the latter. Is that true?

Peter McCully: Liquid sunshine. Thanks for taking time from your busy day. I know it's laundry day today.

Derek Edwards: Oh, is it really? Ah, I've gotta do that then. Thanks, Shirley — gave me a reminder. I guess you guys get a lot more done because it's earlier there all the time.

Peter McCully: Well, depends on where you are.

Derek Edwards: I'm looking forward to it. I did an interview with a fellow, he signs off, we had a real pleasant chat. Goes well. "Enjoy the weather. I'm golfing tomorrow."

Peter McCully: Yes.

Derek Edwards: Just no conscience, this man.

Peter McCully: Yes.

Derek Edwards: Just a mean spirit and evil demon. And we've been hitting it off, too. Just shows you — I'm three weeks away. I'm jumping on the plane and yes, I'm getting giddy about it.

Peter McCully: Derek, you've been making Canadians laugh for over three decades now. I recall seeing you on Just for Laughs back in the day. What was the moment or experience in your life that made you realize that standup comedy was what you wanted to do?

Derek Edwards: Well, if it hits you all at once like that, it's a good question, but it kind of creeps up a little at a time. I tried an open mic night here and it went terribly, and then I tried another one.

This is when the Yuk Yuk's had a club — by the way, smoke-filled club in Yorkville with all black walls in a basement. It's very dungeon-like, but there was an intensity. Everybody was staring at the stage and it was all tight-packed in. Soon as it went well that first time, man, that's kind of when the hook landed in.

You're still making zero money. You have to have a job and a real life and, you know, some perspective. It was more fun, I think, for me, because I got to vent all the things. I had a job for years. For years. I mean, I didn't get on stage until my thirties. So many of the comics I came up with started when they were right out of high school — zero life experience.

I think I had way more fun making it.

Peter McCully: And what did you do for a living before you made it as a comedian, Derek?

Derek Edwards: Well, countless things, but just before and during, I was a painter. I was a painter for College Pro. They gave me a card — it said my name, College Pro. Oddly, I was not a pro as I had just started and I had never been to college, but I had the card and it got me in the door.

So yes, I got over my fear of heights from all the ladders and it was just a good all-around thing. You know,

Peter McCully: the great thing about painting is you have lots of time to think.

Derek Edwards: That's true. That is very true, and they were pretty easy going. If suddenly I were to acquire a gig — say a three-day gig in Kitchener, for instance — they were good about it.

Oh yes, just go ahead and take Thursday and Friday off as long as you're here Monday. They were terrifically lenient like that, so it was a good launching point and, you know, something's gotta pay the bills.

Peter McCully: Yes.

Derek Edwards: I attributed it all to the painting. It's very relaxing, honest to God.

Peter McCully: And that's why the jobs always took two or three days longer.

Right.

Derek Edwards: I guess we could blame you for the lack of productivity there.

Peter McCully: Derek, did you come from a funny household? Were your mom and dad? Brothers and sisters? Funny.

Derek Edwards: Oh, my sister still kills me. Yes. And Dad was funny. And mom, being from Britain, had a whole different angle on it. Yes, they were a funny group.

You know, everybody's a comic. It's like the truest thing. I'm not saying that it was unique in any way. A lot of people I knew — their folks were funny. Everybody was cracking wise. Do you have the nerve to try it in front of a big room of strangers? That was the only line in the sand, really.

Peter McCully: Well, Rick Mercer says everyone knows Derek is the funniest man in Canada. Your comedy is very observational and has a very relatable quality to it. Where do you find your best material?

Derek Edwards: Well, first of all, he said that a long time ago — he might have changed his mind, just to keep things on an even keel here. But yes, he's a good man. Oh geez. Material comes at you from different angles, and mainly it's more interactions with other people.

Some you can absolutely relate to as a human being. You know, the person at the counter, the person you talk to at the drive-through, a friend at the coffee shop or the pub — you know, simple conversations can sometimes translate to some real gold. And that kind of thing's been working for me pretty good. Thanks for asking.

Peter McCully: What is it that makes something genuinely funny to you — both as a comedian crafting your own material and as an audience member watching other performers?

Derek Edwards: I honestly don't know the answer to that question. You know, the first guy I ever saw perform live — Canadian — was Norm MacDonald. You know Norm, right?

Peter McCully: Yep.

Derek Edwards: Just the word play and the timing — it was so beautiful. And yet I saw Lee Mack. All he does on stage is fall down. He does pratfalls, and for some reason it's hilarious. Do you remember Super Dave Osborne?

Peter McCully: Who wouldn't?

Derek Edwards: Who wouldn't? Exactly. Super Dave. And it was also subtle at the beginning, and he ends with this slapstick where he bailed off the CN Tower or something, and it just crushes. Funny.

And you had the word play — a Monty Python sketch might crush you. I don't know if there is a definition of funny, but I guess it's like pornography: you know it when you see it.

Peter McCully: You mentioned Norm MacDonald's delivery. You yourself have a very distinct delivery.

Derek Edwards: Okay. I just take that as a feather in the cap.

Thank you very much. Somebody asked me, "Oh geez, dear — how do you do the whole thing when you're standing there doing comedy?" I go, "Just be yourself, but like kind of exponentially, you know? It's like you squared." You know, I'm a little goofy, a little bit of a hoser, backwoods, sunken type — with this and that influences.

I just go up there and times myself by two. Times two — if that simplifies it for any would-be comics who might be listening. God bless you.

I'm just out of the loop. I've had this — I didn't have pets. I had this fear of dogs. I know how pathetic that sounds, but I never tell a friend that you have an irrational fear, because they never forget. A friend of mine calls me up — he just got a dog, a full-grown German Shepherd from the pound, and he invites me over to his house without telling me. You know, because he's funny. And I tap on the door and I hear a sound. I can't duplicate it — something like, oh… It sounded like somebody was trying to start a tank. Okay.

So, whatever. There's something enormous behind that door. And he comes out and he's got his new dog by the collar — but just barely. "Hey, how you doing?" And now the dog is like surrounding me. He's all over and he's sniffing. I'm so tense. And at one point he sticks his head right under here.

Now I'm on my toes, in the lurch for something clever to respond with. Geez. "New curtains there?" And he says, "Don't act so nervous. He can smell fear." See, I can't believe his eyes aren't watering.

Peter McCully: Now, Derek, when you're out on the road on tour and you're stopping somewhere like Tim Hortons or a restaurant or whatever, and folks who recognize you come up — do they want to tell you funny stories and jokes?

Derek Edwards: It's a courteous country. You've gotta understand — if you're maybe seated and somebody has been to a show and they've seen you, they feel more comfortable with a chat.

You know, back in the day, you'd read the newspaper at the coffee shop, somebody might settle in and tell me this or that, something funny. They'll do it out East Coast sometimes because they're hilarious out there, and they will crack you up. They will tell you something you can't even believe how funny it was.

So it's a rare thing, but it's a treat. I mean, some of the best taglines anybody's ever got were working in Newfoundland. People are shouting stuff out from the crowd, but it's not heckling — it's helping their act. They get off stage, rush over to a table, and write down all the heckles. Is it way funnier than the stuff they had written down already?

Peter McCully: They think they're getting a rebate on their ticket. Yes.

Derek Edwards: You know, it's a frugal group, once you get past Quebec.

Peter McCully: You're embarking on another West Coast tour through BC and Vancouver Island in just a few weeks. The tour is titled Oxymoron. Tell us about that.

Derek Edwards: You know, I just realized — I woke up this morning and it was right around 11, which I guess is right, not your time now — but that "Oxy" could be mistaken for a drug, that painkiller.

There's that — it could probably turn you into a moron. Really, it's just about thickheadedness and it's a haphazard title for a silly group of jokes. Yes, it's been working nicely for me as it goes along, and a lot of slaps on the back after a show, and I'm hoping it'll keep going well out there. You know, the BC crowd's always been good.

Peter McCully: I wanted to ask you about that. You mentioned the East Coast audiences. Are British Columbia audiences a little different? Do they have their own particular character?

Derek Edwards: Yes, I guess they do. Yes, and there's certain little nuances. They're so pretty. There is a certain self-satisfied swagger to the folks of Nelson that really makes it difficult to entertain.

But you know, as a rule, just people that happen to be living in really pretty surroundings — same as any other community. And I shouldn't be hacking on Nelson because next time I'm back there, they could be even more hostile and condescending. But you know, you ask for the truth — you've got a podcast, where do I sit? In my basement doing nothing.

So you want the truth, you get the truth. But in general, Canadians are courteous and nice. It's a worldly group that comes out to these theatres, anyway — they know any reference you're gonna use. They all get a good chuckle.

Peter McCully: After all these years on the road, what keeps touring fresh and exciting for you?

Derek Edwards: The bills. The bills, yes. Even if I could just hear her grin over the telephone — then I made a little money that day, it makes my week. You stand there making a group of strangers laugh. It's marvellous. Everybody's had those days at a party where you're in the kitchen and you're on fire. You know you're cracking and everybody's chuckling.

You know how fun that is, and that satisfaction doesn't diminish. It's absolutely as cool as when I started.

Peter McCully: Derek, you've worked alongside some of Canada's biggest comedy legends over the years. Who influenced your approach to comedy?

Derek Edwards: I don't know if you've heard of Howard Nemetz, Simon Rakoff, Lawrence Morgenstern, Bobby Bogie, and countless others. Oh. Here's a name. Greg Morton. Have you ever heard of him?

Peter McCully: Yes. He does all the Star Wars sounds.

Derek Edwards: Yes. He is a phenomenal performer. I think he's had his own room in Vegas — where you just have your own room and people come to see you and you don't have to take down your family pictures off the dressing room counter.

You know, he's an amazing performer and just pure energy. It's like something you see on Star Trek — the old Star Trek. To me, that little pure energy — that's Greg Morton. Anyway, he's brutally hilarious. And you're just — oh, what a lesson of humility to work with that guy. Just like, "Geez, that went pretty good. I'm thinking that's pretty close to a four and a half out of five." And then Greg goes on, and you realize what a miserable waste of space your life has been. He's like Canada's chaplain. He's unbelievably good.

Peter McCully: I'm happy to say that I'm not taking up as much space as I did a couple of years ago, because I've lost a little weight, but it's still questionable.

Derek Edwards: You did. You lost the weight. It's all that broadcasting — must be exhausting.

Peter McCully: Oh, it is. It's terrible. Getting up and going to the fridge and coming back to the microphone. Yes.

Derek Edwards: I would've thought those trips to the fridge would've made up for whatever weight you might have lost. I guess it depends what you keep in the fridge.

Peter McCully: Wobbly pops.

Derek Edwards: Ah. How else could you put up with talking to comics?

Peter McCully: What's the most challenging aspect of being a touring comedian that audiences might not realize? You have, you know, a show every night or every other night. And conversely, what's the most rewarding part that keeps you coming back and out on the road?

Derek Edwards: I just did an Ontario tour where all of a sudden they got 80 inches of snow in one day. So I'm arriving in Huntsville, Sudbury, North Bay — someplace in Northern Ontario.

The amount of terrifying moments it took me on that drive to get to the gig — nobody knows, nobody cares. And some of them, of course, had to go through a great deal of turmoil to get there, even if they were only going 10 miles. I was going much farther — usually a two-hour drive that took six hours. So that happened to me all through the last tour. And I'm not whining, you know, I chose the life. But goodness me. Just white-knuckled.

And the best thing about that — here's the good side — is that the real nerves I would get, my nervous part of the day, would be in the green room just before the show. But all the nerves have kind of been drained through the drive, especially when you're going around snowploughs and all. I don't know if you can remember these vehicles — you are — and you'll have to just imagine them. Like you're on Venus or something. So certainly all the nervous energy is done with.

I go out there and there's a natural rapport. Everybody's been through some kind of difficulty to get into the building. They're just ecstatic to be warm and safe. Come on. And we have a great time together and I'm not tense at all. That's the beauty.

So this is a summer phenomenon. I'm on a northern road, little tiny road.

Come around the bend. Guess what's in front of me? A house. You can't even see what's pulling it — just somebody's domicile rolling down the road. People, you can't pass a house. Just me. That's all I've got. My quiver is empty. So you sit there rethinking every decision that's led you to this juncture in your life, doing eight kilometres an hour, and I still don't know what was going on there.

What is this? An agoraphobic having a vacation?

Peter McCully: When you're crafting new material, what's your process? Do you workshop jokes at smaller places, or do you have another approach? Does your poor family take the brunt of all of this?

Derek Edwards: A friend of mine, Dave, says his wife used to be enthralled with his writing process.

Now he practices most of the material to her right shoulder blade, and she walks away. Family don't give a fly, whatever. So lately I practice my material on the podcasts I do. So for instance, I listen to CBC Radio — forgive me, but I was at a cabin and there was nothing else to do. And Erin Cameron was on strike just a few months back, and they were — you know, it was pandemonium. And they said the so far 623 flights have been cancelled, I remember, and it's increasing exponentially by the hour — because I don't think she understood math. That was the 10 o'clock news. So by the news at noon, that would've been 241,804,357 flights cancelled, and you've gotta hope that WestJet can pull up the slack.

There are only 40 million people — that's been cancelled, six flights for every man, woman, and child. You see a deep hole like that. Now, I can't try that kind of joke out on stage — people would just think I lost my mind. But I trust you, and you were very kind in your response.

Peter McCully: I enjoyed that because I can still do math.

Derek Edwards: I was surprised. I mean, I had to obviously figure this stuff out and geez — how long it's been since I did longhand math with a pen.

Peter McCully: Media has changed dramatically with social media, streaming platforms, and podcasts. How have you navigated these changes and made use of them? I mean, when you come out on stage now, I'm sure you're looking at 400 faces and 200 phones.

Derek Edwards: It's an awfully courteous group that comes out to these theatre shows, and they want to get away from everything. They want to get away from the news entirely. You don't come to see some guy whose show is titled Oxymoron if you want to be involved in every moment-to-moment going on in the current world. No, no — I'm an escape hatch.

I've gone entire decades without considering what's going on with the leadership of America, because who could possibly care less? But now you've gotta tiptoe through the tulips to make sure you don't step on any toes. It's a little bit more laborious to make sure you're not hurting anyone's feelings, or fuelling the trouble that's been stirred up.

Peter McCully: What about when they're holding their phones up and recording you? Does that throw you off a little bit?

Derek Edwards: That's a rarity. Weirder though is when people bring their kids. You know, somebody brought a baby to a show once — can you believe it? And I get a laugh, say there's a hundred people there. So everyone would laugh and then stop.

And then the baby would laugh because she thought it was hilarious — you know, the sound of all these people laughing. And then everyone would hear the baby laugh and they would laugh. There was no need for me to be there.

Peter McCully: You'd only have to use half the material you brought.

Derek Edwards: Hey, you know what? I just do the one joke and I'm out of there.

She was so beautiful and charming as a little kid. This little baby — what are you gonna do? If anything, this little kid made it more delightful. You know what — just a ringing, tingling laugh went all through the room. Not to go on and on, but yes, it's not just phones. It can be a trouble.

Peter McCully: Well, Derek, we're going to look forward to the Oxymoron Tour on Vancouver Island, and I did want to ask you — before we go, after all these years in comedy, and you still have lots of years ahead of you, what still surprises you about performing? And what's next for Derek?

Derek Edwards: Myself and a buddy were brainstorming yesterday — if you want to call it that. Well, drinking. Anyway, we were having a good chat talking about — there's a place called the Comedy Bar in downtown Toronto. We're gonna start running some shows out of there. He wants to call it the "Makes Over Hype Super Show," where we will bring on people and it'll be new material.

And he's a great host, this guy Mike. And so there'll be a place to try out stuff right here in Toronto, not too far away from my door — about 60 or 70 people. It's a really good testing ground, but you know, it's still fun out there. There's still a great satisfaction even if you have to work hard for it, you know?

And as much as I ever work hard, there's a real wash of satisfaction — finishing the paint in a room, you know. It was all dark blue and smudgy when you got in, and now it's like pristine, some kind of off-white green looking awesome. And you walk away without a flaw in the paint job. You just go, "Yes."

I geez — I'm Miss Paint talking to you all this time. Starting to want to pick up the old brush again, by good gravy. I love it, Tommy.

Dave Graham: Derek Edwards — observational comedy at its finest. Catch his shows this March on Vancouver Island. We'll have all the details in our story notes at thepulsecommunity.ca. You know, that man has a gift for finding funny in the everyday.

That's something I aspire to. In fact, I'm working right now on a funny story about the time I went running naked through the woods.

Peter McCully: Well, that's great, Dave. Hey — we have a new podcast for you. Cindy Thompson of Parksville has joined the Pulse Community family with a Resilience Project. Through guest stories, listeners can discover key elements that can move us from surviving to thriving.

The latest episode features psychologist Dr. Rob Lee, focusing on the challenges that veterans experience during military service and following their tour of duty.

Dave Graham: Parksville counsellors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood are back with Non-Partisan Hacks, taking listeners behind the scenes of municipal advocacy work that directly impacts Vancouver Island taxpayers.

Peter McCully: Our Skookum Kids Stories feature Captain Dave and the crew of the Mellow Submarine, and Peter and Gracie, the Eskimo dog.

And our kids' story is now offering colouring pages to go along with each episode. This week's episode features Peter and Gracie visiting the Fish Hatchery to see how it all works.

Dave Graham: Our Radio Archaeology classic radio series features original episodes of Dragnet featuring Sergeant Joe Friday, and Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.

Peter McCully: You'll find these podcasts and more at thepulsecommunity.ca. And while you're there, sign up for our newsletter and keep up to date on the latest podcasts, guests, and contests.

Dave Graham: Our Super Bowl giveaway is going to happen soon. So make sure you enter for the commemorative Super Bowl 60 sweater. Visit our Facebook page or thepulsecommunity.ca and good luck in the draw Thursday, February 26th.

Peter McCully: Well, thanks for joining us. Now get out there and savour the last of winter and the start of spring.

Dave Graham: And bear witness to the enormity and magic of the herring run. Did you know that there will be seabirds that have flown here from as far away as Russia? Isn't that amazing? How did they learn there's an annual seafood buffet just off the east coast of Vancouver Island?

Peter McCully: I don't know, Dave. Maybe it's a good thing that not all questions in life have been answered on our podcast.

Dave Graham: So are you sure that forest bathing is done with clothes on?

Rockin' Rhonda: Here come Peter. Here comes Dave. Oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missing, spinning tales in the hot podcast cave. So laughs and insights everywhere. What a treat.

Rockin' Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter, here comes Dave, oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves. No missin'. Spinning tales in the podcast cave. So to speak. Laughs and insights everywhere. What a treat. Peter and Dave, they're on the mics — all right. Join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.