A Windsor comedian who has won many awards for his work will represent the city at next month's Juno Awards in London.
Dave Merheje has won accolades at the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, Just for Laughs, the Melbourne Comedy Festival Headliners Show, and for season 7 of Mr D on CBC, but a nod for Best Comedy Album of the Year is especially gratifying.
"This one is important, as well too because myself and Macaw Productions worked so hard on this since 2016," Merheje told BlackburnNews. "It was a full thing that meant a lot to us."
Photo of comedian, Dave Mereheje courtesy of Facebook.
Also nominated in the category is The Chanty Show with Chanty Marostica, Lady Jazz by Debra DiGiovanni, Awkwarder by Mayce Galoni, and Chicken! by Pat Thornton.
"Good Friend Bad Grammar" was filmed over two shows at The Drake Underground, in Toronto in May 2016.
"My buddy's wife said that name because I'm bad sometimes at grammar. They were laughing in the car, and she was like, 'Man, you're bad at grammar, but you're a good friend," explained Merheje. "When she said that I was like that would be a good name for a title."
Much of Merheje's act focuses on his upbringing in Windsor.
"I talk about crossing the border from Windsor to Detroit. I talk about my Mom and my Dad," he said. "All my family is there, all my aunts and uncles. There's quite a big Lebanese community. There's a lot of funny things that happen, stories growing up. I feel Windsor is a funny city."
Merheje names Richard Pryor as his biggest influence growing up, and while some wonder if comedians of the past could perform their acts today, he does not doubt Pryor could.
"I think so. He influenced a lot of people, myself included. He was very vulnerable. He talked about everything in his life. He put it all out there," Merheje said. "I think that's the dopest comedy."
Singer, Sarah McLaughlin will host this year's Juno Awards at the Budweiser Gardens on March 17 in London. Corey Hart will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and composer, David Foster will receive this year's Humanitarian Award.
