Lloyd's Llunch Counter

Natural play for all kids, in Sussex NB

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 01:19:00 +0000

Long post, but please do me a huge favour and read it, ok? OK.

This Sunday, July 26, Kraft will announce the four finalists in their Kraft Project Play contest for a $250,000 prize! Sussex's Discovery Park, which is the most amazing nature-inspired universally accessible playpark I've ever seen, is in the running and hopes to make the final 4, thanks to the hardworking committee from the Sussex Elementary Home & School and other community partners. After the grant the committee just received from the Enabling Access fund, the Kraft prize would allow construction on Discovery Park to start right away.

To help show the judges that our community is behind the Discovery Park project, and hopefully inspire them to shortlist it for the voting round, I'd like to ask you to do 3 very simple things:

1. Click this link, read about the Discovery Park plans and leave a comment saying why you think this project would be good for our community. http://kraftprojectplay.com/en/nominations/profile/discovery-park-wwwdiscoveryparkca/

2. If you use Twitter, post a Tweet using the hashtag #KPP_DISCOVERYPARK saying why you support Discovery Park.

3. Share this post with your Facebook and Twitter friends and even your real life friends. Tell them why you think this project, which will open up the play area to all kids, is important for our community, and ask them to comment, tweet, share.

I want to tell you why this means so much to me. The initial pencil drawing, which through the efforts of a brilliant committee, has morphed into the amazing park plan you see represented here, was done by my wife Jodi at our dining room table, after she was asked to join the Home and School specifically to help with the grade 1&2 playground project. She took her idea of a fully-accessible playpark to the committee, and one by one they all added their ideas to make Jodi's drawing even more accessible, to add as many natural elements as possible, and after countless hours, they came up with what I feel is, without any overstatement, the most amazing playpark you'll ever see.

Of course you know that our oldest boy Eric lives with complex special needs, resulting in part from three massive strokes he experienced when he was 3 and 4 years old. Living with Eric has changed the way I look at the world.

While there are improvements all the time, (and the Sussex area has been working very hard to open up the community to people with mobility issues), the world overall is not designed for people with any kind of disability.

This is never more apparent than when you take your children to a playpark, and two of them have a blast using every piece of equipment, while the third gets bored quickly because maybe there is one swing for them, or maybe a ramp that goes up onto a structure where there usually isn't much for them to do when they get up there.

I also imagine that if your kid has anxiety issues, or like Eric, has sensory processing problems, recess on the playpark might at times have a negative connotation.

There is also the issue of having older play partners.It can be hard for grandparents to join in on the playground fun. And I'm finding it harder and harder to lift 60 lb Eric to the top of a slide (he LOVES slides).

The Discovery Park committee have thought long and hard about these issues and this park, in which 90% of the play features are universally accessible, addresses all of these concerns and more. The louder toys such as the musical garden, with real instruments for the kids to experiment with, are set away from the area that's made with quieter play in mind.

The willow huts are a great place for a kid to have a little quiet time, too. The ramp to the top of the slide and the transfer station at the top make it easy to get a mobility device up, and to get down onto the slide in stages. Those transfer stations will be found in several areas around the playground, to make transfers easier from a chair, walker, or for someone who just finds it difficult to get to the ground. The extra wide slide is made so kids can have a race down, or a grandparent or other play partner can go down alongside a child who needs help. Surfaces are accessible (the wood chips you often see in parks, which are presented as accessible, are nearly impossible to get most mobility devices across).

When we lived in Toronto, there were a couple of parks that had more accessible features. They were not as widely accessible as Discovery Park will be, but they were worth the drive. So drive we did. In order to allow both of our kids (Nicholas wasn't born yet!) to enjoy the playground experience as much as possible, we were willing to drive 45 minutes each way to get to these parks. I know Discovery Park will be that kind of destination for families in our wider region too.

You might think it's just a playpark, For families like ours and several others in the area, it's a life changer.

When the committee launched the fundraising program for Discovery Park, they heard that Marc Garneau, Canada's first astronaut in space, was going to be in the area (his mother was born in Sussex), and they asked if he'd help launch the fundraising initiative. He agreed, and after reviewing the plans, he said to CTV News that Discovery Park appeals to him as a scientist, engineer and leader, because it is "leading edge in the sense of thinking about what kind of playground environments children thrive in... It's unique here in Canada." This is a man who has spoken at countless schools across Canada, and even has two named after him. this is a man with a Ph. D. in Engineering. That's a hard endorsement to argue with.

(and so you don't think it's just a "special needs playpark", you should hear the reaction of the kids at the school when they look at the plans. This park is truly the future of playpark design, and design in general, because it has been imagined with ALL kids in mind. That's the point of universal design.)

So, thank you to those of you who read this far. I hope you'll help this project out with the three easy things I mentioned above.

Let's show the Kraft Project Play judges that the Sussex area is excited about this amazing project.

5 Frustrating Things About Being a Man in His 40s

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 16:59:00 +0000

I'm 41. Overall, it's ok, but there are some parts that suck. Here they are:

5. The hair. I took my kids to the barber shop and the barber said to my 6-year-old, "look, there's more hair on your bib that I've cut off your head than Daddy has at all." I said "clearly, Mr. Barber, you've never been to the beach with Daddy."
I could have sworn that the shampoo I bought said it would give my hair more body, not the other way around.
If you're a Star Wars fan, here's a visual: C3P0 from the neck up, Chewie from the neck down.

My two Dads having a special moment.

4.The exhaustion. I used to sleep at night. Now I sleep whenever I can. If I'm reading a book to my kids, and the word "yawn" is in the book, it will make me yawn. In fact, I just yawned each time I typed the word yawn. And there, I did it again.

3. The peeing. I don't remember the moment that I went from being able to say "I have to pee. I should find a place in which to do so farily soon" to having to say "I HAVE TO PEE! NOW! EMERGENCY!"

My pee timeline just goes like this:

1. Don't have to pee...

2. Don't have to pee...

3. don't have to pee...

4. HAVE TO PEE NOW!!!

2.The ass. I haven't had an ass since I hit my 40s. That's not as ass back there. It's a long back with a hole at the bottom. It's like a golf course! And the rough is... well, everywhere. It's a very poorly groomed golf course.

My theory about the old man disappearing ass is this: you know how sometimes, with women, gravity kicks in even more in certain parts? (if you're a man reading this with your wife, this is the time to say "I have no idea what he means.") Well, I believe that, with men, gravity gives up a little. And the ass just slides up a bit. then it gets all hooked up in the tailbone area, and moves around to the front and just settles in there under the ribcage. This is not my beer belly. This is my ass belly.

I don't have buns, I have flatbread.

1. The doctor. I swear, if I run into my doctor at the grocery store, my first thought is still "when did I last wash my ass?" in case he decides this is the moment for that test. You know the one.

(Mike Birbiglia was much younger than 40 in this description of that test. But it is still as terrifying.)

Am I the only 40-something man with these frustrations? Any others out there that I should have included?

Funny, Daddy now available on YouTube

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Sat, 31 May 2014 16:13:00 +0000

So a while ago, I recorded my solo show Funny, Daddy and offered it for sale, with partial proceeds going to Children's Wish Foundation. Some of you paid for the download. Thanks!
If you paid for it, but haven't watched it, I want to let you know that the Box.net link I sent will no longer be available (monthly fees for box.net are higher than gross all-time sales for this video, so being a math genius, I realized that wasn't worth it). instead, the video is now on Youtube. Which means that if you didn't buy it, you can still watch it. (if you paid for it, and it now being freely available is a problem, send me a message and I'll refund your money).
Actually, rather than free, I'm considering it "Pay What You Want" (PWYW). If you watch it, feel free to pay whatever you think it was worth using the PayPal link in the video description on YouTube. If you would prefer to watch for free, that's cool, too.
I won't hound you about this, I promise. i might send out a reminder or two, but I won't be as much of as pest as many of you have told me I was in the past. Promise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq-5y3QO1o4

Does This Taste Funny?

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:44:00 +0000

After having a lot of fun touring around Canada's Maritime provinces with my solo show Funny, Daddy in 2013 with great media and audience reviews, I'm getting ready for a fall 2014 tour of my new 1-hour solo show Does This Taste Funny?

Prepping for my specialty: Entertained Squab.
Photo by Keith Hawkins

My new show will be an hour of food-related jokes and stories. It's the tale of why, despite graduating from a great culinary school and working in amazing kitchens in Canada and Europe, I'm not a chef today. Mixed in with the food jokes will be funny stories from behind-the-scenes of the restaurant biz!

I'm working out the details and dates and of course the script now, and I want to make sure this tour is as well-organized as possible. In order to ensure that, there are a ton of up-front expenses (booking venues, advertising etc). So, after talking to a few people who have used crowdfunding websites like IndieGogo to help pre-fund their tours and/or shows, I have decided to launch an IndieGogo campaign of my own.

I'm hoping to find a bunch of people who would like to help me get this tour off on the right foot by contributing to my IndieGogo campaign. You can find my campaign by clicking here.

In exchange for your contribution, you will receive some cool perks. You can receive one of my favourite recipes monthly for the rest of the year, or if you play your cards right, I'll come to your house and cook you dinner for 4 before a show! Check these out:

*All contributions of $25 or more will be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club. You will receive 1 of my favourite recipes by email monthly throughout 2014, with details like where I got the idea & how I made it my own. With each recipe I will include 1 of the food-related jokes or stories I'm working on for Does This Taste Funny?

$2 (Contributor level: Cook) - Each $2 sponsor will receive a digital download of Does This Taste Funny?
All sponsor levels will be thanked in the show program.

$10 (Contributor level: Chef's Apprentice) - Each $10 sponsor will receive a ticket to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice. ($15 value). If you're not near a show, I'll donate your ticket to a deserving local charity.

$25 (Contributor level: Demi-Chef) - Each $25 sponsor will receive 2 tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, PLUS a free digital download of the show. ($35 value)

*All contributions of $25 or more will be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club. You will receive 1 of my favourite recipes by email monthly throughout 2014, with details like where I got the idea & how I made it my own. With each recipe I will include 1 of the food-related jokes or stories I'm working on for Does This Taste Funny?

$50 (Contributor level: Chef de Partie) - Each $50 sponsor will receive TWO pairs of tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, plus a free digital download of the show ($65 value) PLUS you'll be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club throughout 2014.

$100 (Contributor level: Sous Chef) - Each $100 sponsor will receive FOUR pairs of tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, plus a free digital download of the show PLUS a Bay of Funny Comedy t-shirt ($145 value) PLUS you'll be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club throughout 2014.

$250 (Contributor level - Executive Chef) - Each $250 sponsor will get 5 pairs of tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, + a digital download of the show + a Bay of Funny Comedy t-shirt + a bottle of wine ($50-$75 retail) delivered to your home pre-show + cab fare to and from the show (on account of the wine) (approximately $280 value) + you'll be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club for 2014.
If you're not near a show you'll get a liquor store gift card & I'll donate your tickets to charity

$500 (Contributor level - Restaurateur) - Each $500 sponsor will receive TEN PAIRS of tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, plus a free digital download of the show plus a Bay of Funny Comedy t-shirt plus a bottle of wine and cab fare to and from the show PLUS a $150 donation in your name to the charity of your choice, post-tour.(approximately $580 value)
PLUS you'll be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club throughout 2014.

$1,000 (Contributor level - Minister of Food) - Each $1000 sponsor will receive 10 PAIRS of tickets to a Does This Taste Funny? show of their choice, + a free digital download of the show + a Bay of Funny Comedy t-shirt plus a bottle of wine and cab fare to and from the show plus a $150 donation in your name to the charity of your choice, post-tour PLUS Lloyd Ravn will come to your home and prepare a 3-course dinner for 4 people before the show.(priceless?)
PLUS you'll be added to the Lloyd's Llunch Counter Recipe of the Month Club for 2014.

I hope you'll jump on the Does This Taste Funny? bandwagon and make a contribution in exchange for one of the perks outlined above, as well as share my campaign with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and e-mail. Here's the link again: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/does-this-taste-funny-2014-comedy-tour

Thanks for your support!

Lloyd

New Tim Hortons Ad Suggestion

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 11:29:00 +0000

Dear Tim Hortons,

I think I've written an amazing tv and radio commercial. Feel free to use it.

Man, in an office: "Did you know that Tim Hortons (insert whatever you are currently promoting here)?"

Woman standing near him: "Whaaaaat?"

Everyone in the office: "We're you raised by wolves or something? In polite society, we say 'pardon me?'"

Voice over: "Tim Hortons. You've always got time for manners."

Help Me Help Children's Hospitals in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 14:22:00 +0000

This is one of my all-time favourite pictures.

Eric was on a weekend pass from a particularly long hospital stay, after his second and third strokes, back-to-back. He and I were so relieved to be home that we were asleep on the couch in minutes.

Those were very difficult and terrifying days, watching Eric go through severe medical emergencies at such a young age. But thanks to extremely hard work of pediatric doctors and nurses and therapists (we stopped counting when Eric had been seen by more than 100 doctors from several different specialties by age 4), Eric's health has been pretty stable for the past few years.

That's why I decided to donate a portion of each sale from downloads of my 1-hour solo show Funny, Daddy to Children's Miracle Network, helping children's hospitals across Canada, as my way of saying "thank you for saving this kid's life".

The show itself is the story of the ups and downs of my time as a parent, and Eric's hospital stays and the wonderful care that we received during those stays, play a big role in the story. I do find an opportunity to roast the medical community a little, too (in a loving way, of course).

I appreciate the support I've had on this so far, and I would love it if a great big pile of my friends and family jumped on board today with a $5 purchase. I know literally hundreds of you have sent me messages saying "I wish I could see that show" when it was touring around the Maritimes. Well, now's your chance.
It's easy. You can pay with a credit card or PayPal athttp://bayoffunny.com/index.php/funny-daddy-dvd

Or, you can send an interac e-mail transfer to NoLloydering@gmail.com.

You'll receive a download link in your email shortly after paying.

Thanks!

Llove,

Lloyd

Being a Maritimer in Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:09:00 +0000

A sample of my solo show Funny, Daddy, now available for download for only $5 at http://bayoffunny.com/index.php/funny-daddy-dvd

The best part of being a stay-at-home Dad

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:07:00 +0000

The best part of being a stay-at-home dad is the wrestling.

I mean, in what other job can you just wrestle at the drop of a hat?

Even wrestlers have to wait for the bell. but a stay-at-home dad can just throw a kid on the

floor anytime they want. And I can usually win, too.

But when it isn’t looking good for me, I have my secret finishing move that works every time.

interestingly enough, it was the same move that got me kicked off of my high school wrestling

team. The raspberry kiss to the tummy. Always works. Apparently not allowed.

-Lloyd Ravn in Funny, Daddy (available at www.BayOfFunny.com)

Top 10 Bay of Funny Comedy moments of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 02:00:00 +0000

Top 10 Bay of Funny Comedy moments of 2013

10: Lloyd Ravn launching the 2013 lineup and launching his solo show Funny, Daddy to a full 500-seat theatre.

9. Stephen Kinch making the crowd at the Caveau in Moncton nearly pee with his story of the most uncomfortable thing you can imagine happening with your parents!

8. Darren Elmore performing for the first time in his (very small) home town and killing them with his "growing up gay in this town" material.

7. Francois Weber taming the wildest crowd of the year at the Belleisle Community Centre in Belleisle, NB with his always crowd-pleasing style.

6. James Uloth having the New Brunswick audience wrapped around his finger as he talked about about his hilarious everyday observations.

5. Gilson Lubin showing that islanders get islanders as he cracked up the Prince Edward Island audience with his tales of being a St Lucian in Canada.

4. Sandra Battaglini teaching the audience at the Saint John Theatre Company's BMO Rehearsal Hall the Italian word for... Ummmm, go see Sandra live and find out what word it was and you'll know why the Saint John crowd was laugh-crying so hard.

3. Casey Corbin starting his set in Sussex, NB with 15-20 minutes of hilarious Maritimes-themed jokes that any Maritime comedian would kill to have written.

2. Gavin Stephens, pointing out the uncomfortable truth to an audience at The Guild in Charlottetown: "so you guys built a house for Anne of Green Gables, eh? That must have pissed off your homeless people."

1. Tim Steeves absolutely killing by candlelight at the All Seasons Inn in Sussex during the December ice storm / power outage.

To be part of the 2014 Top 10 Bay of Funny Comedy moments purchase a 2014 Bay of Funny Comedy pass (8 shows for $60, 3 shows for $24, 1 show for $9). Passes are good for Bay of Funny Comedy shows happening all over the Maritimes in 2014. Visit http://bayoffunny.com/index.php/season-pass to order your pass now!

Have a hilarious New Year!

Attention hitmen looking for me: Where to find me in August

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 12:53:00 +0000

If I owe you money, here are some places you can find me in August, hopefully earning some of the money I owe you:

Watch www.bayOfFunny.com for more details

August 1: Tyne Valley Oyster Festival in PEI with Francois Weber and Matt Stewart. Click here for info.

August 7: The Guild in Charlottetown with my solo show Funny, Daddy in support of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation who are an important part of the story I tell in this show.https://www.facebook.com/events/432061286891697/

August 9: Watermark Theatre in North Rustico, PEI with Funny, Daddy in support of QEH Foundation. https://www.facebook.com/events/109516929242807/

August 10: Souris Show Hall in Souris, PEI with Funny, Daddy in support of QEH Foundation. https://www.facebook.com/events/561331240570200/

August 17: MCing Shane Ogden Presents... Manolis Zontanos! the Three Mile in Saint John, NB. Contact Shane Ogden for $10 tickets! This is going to be a killer show!!!

August 21: Happinez Wine Bar in Saint John as part of the first Fundy Fringe Festival with my solo show Funny, Daddy. 8:45 PM. Tickets at the door only.

Augsut 22: Happinez again for Fundy Fringe. 10:15 PM

Augsut 23: Saint John Arts Centre for Fundy Fringe. 9 PM

August 24: Saint John Arts Centre again for Fundy Fringe. 9 PM

August 25: A Matinee presentation of Funny, Daddy at the Saint John Arts Centre for Fundy Fringe. 3:45 PM.

August 31: Atlantic Fringe in Halifax. 7 PM Venue TBA.

2 More Atlantic Fringe shows in September too! (September 1 and 8)

Funny, Daddy coming to PEI

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:05:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Comedian’s Solo Show Hitting 3 PEI Towns in Support of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation

Bay of Funny Comedy Presents New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s show Funny, Daddy in Charlottetown, North Rustico and Souris

July 9, 2013 – Charlottetown

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation will receive a portion of the proceeds from three PEI presentations of a solo comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex, NB-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Charlottetown (August 7 at The Guild), North Rustico (August 9 at the Watermark Theatre) and Souris (August 10 at the Souris Show Hall) after performing it in a number of other Maritime communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

“I had a great job with a high-profile tech company in New Brunswick,” says Ravn, “but after I got caught up in a mass layoff, I had to re-evaluate my direction, so I decided to make my part-time job of stand-up comedy my full-time gig.” He began working on Funny, Daddy almost immediately, and premiered the show to a sold-out crowd of 450 at the Sussex High School theatre.

Lloyd is the father of three boys, aged 8, 5 and 2, and is fully aware of the ups and downs of parenting. From dealing with serious health issues to the usual stressors of raising kids, Lloyd relies on humour to get him through, and will talk during Funny, Daddy about how laughter during challenging times has helped him.

The adults-only show will run approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes, starting at 8 PM each night, and will include bits from Lloyd’s stand-up act as well as more serious stories from the ups and downs of Lloyd’s time as a parent including a discussion of the death of his father shortly after the birth of his oldest child, followed shortly after by the discovery of serious health issues with Ravn’s son. One of the more dramatic points of the story comes when Ravn tells of his son’s time as an inpatient at the QEH during a family vacation in PEI in 2008.

All of the stories lead back to Lloyd’s belief in the importance of being silly even during one’s darkest moments. Ravn’s message to ticket buyers is, “you’ll (certainly) laugh, you (might even) cry, you’ll (at the very least) have a night out without the kids.”

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows at the Atlantic Fringe Festival in Halifax and the Fundy Fringe Festival in Saint John with more dates being announced soon. Tickets range from $12 to $15 and ticket information is available atwww.BayOfFunny.com. A portion of proceeds from all three shows will be donated to the QEH Foundation as a thank-you from the Ravn family for the care they received while staying in their paediatric unit in July 2008. Donations to the QEH Foundation will also be accepted on the night of each performance.

Show Summary:

August 7, 2013 at The Guild, Charlottetown. 8 PM Tickets $15 at www.TheGuildPEI..com or at The Guild Box Office, 111 Queen St, Charlottetown

August 9, 2013 at the Watermark Theatre (Formerly The Montgomery Theatre), North Rustico. 8 PM. Tickets $15 at www.WaterMarkTheatre.com

August 10, 2013 at the Souris Show Hall, Souris. 8 PM. Tickets $12 in advance and $15 at the door, available at www.SourisShowHall.com or at Souris Show Hall, 5 Church St, Souris or Evergreen Cafe, 95 Main St, Souris.

About Lloyd Ravn

Lloyd can be heard on CJCW (AM 590 in Sussex) as the host of Lloyd’s Morning Cup of Jokes, a 2-minute segment featuring clips from some of his favourite comedians (including himself!) from around the world. His comedy is also in rotation on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. He was featured as the comedian of the week by GQ Magazine in the UK, who called him one of “North America’s hottest young comics” (even though he recently turned 40) and predicted he would soon “storm the Just for Laughs Festival.”

Studying under some of the best sketch and improv comics in Canada, Lloyd completed the Second City Improvisation course series from the world-famous Second City Training Centre in Toronto. Lloyd has written about comedy and humour for magazines and even a high school literacy textbook, Nelson Literacy, currently in use across Canada.

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

About the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation

For over 30 years, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has been a place of care and hope for over 140,000 people who live on Prince Edward Island. With more than 80% of the Island’s specialists, the QEH is uniquely positioned to respond to individuals who are faced with the most complex illness or devastating injury. As the provincial referral centre and home to a number of specialized programs, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is a vital resource for general health providers and community hospitals on the Island.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Sackville

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 08:54:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unemployment, Illness and Death Unexpectedly Lead to Comedian’s One-Man Show

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Sackville

June 1, 2013 – Sackville

The Sackville Curling Club will be home on June 15 to a comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Wolfville after performing it in a number of other Maritime communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

“I had a great job with a high-profile tech company in New Brunswick,” says Ravn, “but after I got caught up in a mass layoff, I had to reevaluate my direction, so I decided to make my part-time job of stand-up comedy my full-time gig.” He began working on Funny, Daddy almost immediately, and premiered the show to a sold-out crowd of 450 at the Sussex High School theatre.

The adults-only show will run approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes and will include bits from Lloyd’s stand-up act as well as more serious stories from the ups and downs of Lloyd’s time as a parent including a discussion of the death of his father shortly after the birth of his oldest child. As ticket buyers are told on BayOfFunny.com, “you’ll (hopefully) laugh, you (might even) cry, you’ll (at the very least) have a night out without the kids.”

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows in Miramichi, Campbellton, St. Andrew’s, Charlottetown, Halifax and more dates being announced soon.

Tickets are $12 and are available at www.BayOfFunny.com or by calling 506-434-3186.

About Lloyd Ravn

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Wolfville

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:45:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unemployment, Illness and Death Unexpectedly Lead to Comedian’s One-Man Show

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Wolfville

May 28, 2013 – Wolfville

Acadia Cinema’s Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville will be home on June 13 to a comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Wolfville after performing it in a number of other Maritime communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows in Miramichi, Campbellton, St. Andrew’s, Charlottetown, Halifax and more dates being announced soon.

Tickets are $12 and will be available at the Box of Delights bookstore at 46 Main Street or at TicketPro.ca ($2.00 service charge added).

About Lloyd Ravn

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Campbellton

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unemployment, Illness and Death Unexpectedly Lead to Comedian’s One-Man Show

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Campbellton

May 17, 2013 – Campbellton

The Quality Inn & Conference Centre will be home on June 9 to a comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Campbellton after preview performances of the show in a number of other NB communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows in Bathurst, Miramichi, St. Andrew’s, Charlottetown, Halifax and more dates being announced soon.

Tickets are $12 in advance at www.BayOfFunny.com or at Uni Village, or directly from Lloyd at 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com.

About Lloyd Ravn

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Miramichi

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:32:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unemployment, Illness and Death Unexpectedly Lead to Comedian’s One-Man Show

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Miramichi

May 17, 2013 – Bathurst

The Kin Centre in Miramichi will be home on June 7 to a comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Miramichi after performing it in a number of other NB communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows in Bathurst, Campbellton, St. Andrew’s, Charlottetown, Halifax and more dates being announced soon.\

Tickets are $12 in advance at www.BayOfFunny.com or at Saltwater Sounds, or directly from Lloyd at 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com.

About Lloyd Ravn

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Press Release: Comedian Lloyd Ravn's Solo Show "Funny, Daddy" coming to Bathurst, NB

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:16:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unemployment, Illness and Death Unexpectedly Lead to Comedian’s One-Man Show

New Brunswick Comic Lloyd Ravn’s solo show Funny, Daddy coming to Bathurst

May 16, 2013 – Bathurst

The KC Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst will be home on June 6 to a comedy show with an unlikely beginning. Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn will bring his Funny, Daddy show to Bathurst after performing it in a number of other NB communities to rave reviews from audience members. The show, which is a combination of Lloyd’s stand-up material honed over the past 7 years and some more serious stories from Ravn’s time as a father, came about after the comedian lost his “day job” in October 2012.

This show is part of an ongoing tour of the Maritimes for Funny, Daddy, incluing upcoming shows in Miramichi, Campbellton, St. Andrew’s, Charlottetown, Halifax and more dates being announced soon.\

Tickets are $12 in advance at www.BayOfFunny.com or at the KC Irving Centre box office ($2.50 service charge applies here), or directly from Lloyd at 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com.

About Lloyd Ravn

After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Press Release: Comedian James Uloth in Sussex, NB May 26, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:07:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From Los Angeles to Sussex – Comedian James Uloth’s Cross-Canada Tour Stopping at All Seasons in Sussex

May 14, 2013 – Sussex

The All Seasons Inn & Restaurant in Sussex will be all-laughter on Sunday, May 26 when stand-up comedian James Uloth brings his cross-Canada comedy tour to the dairy town.

Uloth, who lives and performs in Los Angeles, is originally from Wildwood, Alberta. After beginning his stand-up career in 2003, he has performed at comedy clubs, theatres and corporate events, and has been featured at comedy festivals across North America as well as the world-famous Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland.

James’ current tour of Canada has largely included fundraising shows as he is a popular act for bookers arranging shows for charities including animal shelters and various other organizations.

He will appear in Sussex as a presentation of Bay of Funny Comedy, and the show will be hosted by the Bay of Funny’s founder and producer Lloyd Ravn. Also appearing on the show is Darren Elmore, who has recently returned to his hometown of Sussex after several years of performing comedy in British Columbia.

“I’m excited to be doing this show with James after all these years,” says show organizer Ravn. “I remember going out to my third open mic years ago in Toronto and James was the experienced pro brought in to close out the show. He sat down with me and gave me lots of great tips and we’ve kept in touch since. So it’s great to have a chance to share a stage with him again in my hometown.”

Tickets for the show are only $10 and are available online at BayOfFunny.com or at the All Seasons front desk at 1015 Main Street in Sussex.

SHOW DETAILS:

Date/Time: Sunday, May 26, 2013. Show runs from 8:00 – 9:45 PM
Location: All Seasons Inn and Restaurant, 1015 Main St, Sussex, NB
Tickets: $10 at www.BayOfFunny.com or by calling 506-434-3186 or at the All Seasons Inn

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR PHOTOGRAPHS OR TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS, CONTACT:

Lloyd Ravn, Founder and Producer, Bay Of Funny Comedy – 506-434-3186 – NoLloydering@gmail.com

if you're looking for me

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Here are some opportunities in the next while to see me onstage bringing shame to my family:

1. As part of the the Maritime leg of the "Raise the Woof" comedy tour:
-May 23 in Halifax at the Lower Deck in support of the Scrapps’ Table pet foodbank
-May 24 in Florenceville-Bristol at Carelton North High School in support of DunRoamin’ Stray Rescue
-May 25 in Rothesay at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in support of the Saint John SPCA

2. A one-nighter in my hometown:
-May 26 in Sussex at the All Seasons Inn and Restaurant with hilarious headliner James Uloth.

3. At a storytelling evening in a cafe:
-June 5 with Nikki Payne and Geoff Hendry at the Bridge Street Cafe in Sackville

4. At a bunch of performances of my solo show Funny, Daddy (tickets at http://www.BayOfFunny.com/):
-June 6 in Bathurst, NB at the KC Irving Regional Centre
-June 7 in Miramichi, NB at the Miramichi Kin Centre
-June 9 in Campbellton, NB at the Quality Hotel and Conference Centre
-June 13 in Wolfville, NS at the Acadia Cinema's Al Whittle Theatre
June 15 in Sackville, NB at the Sackville Curling Club

5. On tour with the hilarious Gilson Lubin:
-June 19 at The Guild in Charlottetown, PEI
-June 20 at the Empress Theatre in Moncton, NB
-June 21 at the Saint John Theatre Company in Saint John, NB
-June 22 at the Seahorse Tavern in Halifax, NS

6. At some more performances of my solos show Funny, Daddy:
-June 23 in Anapolis Royal, NS at the Kings Theatre
-July 5 in St. Andrew's, NB at the Arena Complex Theatre
-August 7 in Charlottetown, PEI at The Guild
-August 10 in Souris, PEI at the Souris Show Hall

7. At one of the famous "Shane Ogden Presents" shows:
-August 17 at the Three Mile in Saint John with amazing headliner Manolis Zontanos.

8. At the Atlantic Fringe Festival in Halifax, performing my solo show Funny, Daddy:
-three dates, TBA between August 29 and September 8

9. At a Bird Watchers Conference!!!!!
-September 7 in Grand Manan, NB

Looks like a lot, but there are tons more coming. Stay tuned.

Attention New Brunswick Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:57:00 +0000

Hey parents, do your kids kind of drive you crazy? I mean, I know you love them. Like, more than anything. But do they still drive you a little nuts?

Do they do things like
pee on the floor?
Obsess over their private parts?
Beg you to let them stay up later every single night, even though you've said no for several hundred nights in a row?
Fight with each other over one toy, even though there are four thousand other toys in the house?

Does your two-year-old say "why?" more times in an hour than the smurfs said "smurfy" in all the episodes of The Smurfs put together?

Are you exhausted? I'm talking about the kind of exhausted you realize you are when you've put your toddler in the tub, play with him, wash him from head to tummy, then realize he's still dressed from the waist down?

Does tidying your house go something like this?

1. put away the toys in one kid's room
2. put away the toys in the living room
3. put away the toys in another kid's room
4. put away the toys in the last kid's room
5. think "wow, I'm done tidying up"
6. put away the toys in the first kid's room again
7. put away the toys in the living room again
8. put away the toys in the second kid's room again
etc, for ever and ever and ever and ever....

Do you have to say things to your kids that any non-parent would never believe a human being would have to say to another human being? Things like "How many times have I told you to stop licking the floor?" or "Get your toe out of your brother's butt!"

Do your friends without kids just not get it?

Well, I get it.

I've been a parent for 8 years, and performing stand-up comedy for 7 years in venues across Canada and in the US (including having been selected as a top-10 finalist out of 700+ entrants in Canada's Next Comic competition.) Maybe you've heard me on Sirius Satellite Radio, or on CBC Radio.

So come on out to my solo comedy show "Funny, Daddy" on Friday, April 19 in Saint John and hear some of the stories about how parenting has made me a little crazy, despite being the best job I've ever had.

It'll be like crazy parents anonymous. Except without the anonymous part, because that would be a terrible way to market a comedy show. And also you don't get to tell your stories like you would at a typical 12-step group meeting. Book your own show if that's what you're looking for.

The show is Friday night at St. Malachy's High School at 8:00 PM . Tickets are only $12 and are available at Backstreet Records on Germain Street in Saint John ($1 surcharge on tickets purchased here), or at BayOfFunny.com or by calling me at 506-434-3186.

I hope to see you at the show!

Llove,

Lloyd

My show, Funny, Daddy comes to Fredericton

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 02:25:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Funny, Daddy - NB Comedian Lloyd Ravn’s First One-Person Show March 15 at Fredericton High School

January 31, 2013, Fredericton – Parenting can be tough, and NB-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn says the less frequently you laugh, the tougher it is. The importance of laughter, especially in the more difficult times of parenting, or life in general, is the theme of Ravn’s first one-person show, Funny, Daddy which is coming to Fredericton on Friday, March 15 at the Fredericton High School Theatre, presented by The Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit.

Lloyd is the father of three boys, who by show time will be 8, 5 and 2, and is fully aware of the ups and downs of parenting. From dealing with serious health issues to the usual stressors of raising kids, Lloyd relies on humour to get him through, and will talk during Funny, Daddy about how laughter during challenging times has helped him.

The adults-only show will run approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes and will include bits from Lloyd’s stand-up act as well as more serious stories, along with videos and photos. As ticket buyers are told onBayOfFunny.com, “you’ll (hopefully) laugh, you (might even) cry, you’ll (at the very least) have a night out without the kids.”

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and are available at Read's Newsstand (435 King St) or at www.BayOfFunny.com, or directly from Lloyd at 506-434-3186 orNoLloydering@gmail.com.

About Lloyd Ravn

Born and raised in Sussex, NB, Lloyd began performing stand-up comedy in Toronto in 2006. His material is autobiographical in nature, focusing on his life as a husband, father of three, former chef, and the youngest person named Lloyd most people have ever met. Lloyd is the founder and Producer of the Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit, with shows happening all over the Maritimes. He has performed at venues across Canada and in the United States, including being selected out of 700 entrants as a top-10 finalist in the "Canada's Next Top Comic 2011" competition. Lloyd can be heard on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and has performed on several successful fundraisers he organized for two of his favourite Canadian charities, featuring some of the biggest stars in Canadian comedy. He was featured as the Comedian of the Week by GQ Magazine in the UK, who called him one of "North America's hottest young comics" (even though he recently turned 40) and predicted he would soon "storm the Just for Laughs festival." Studying under some of the best sketch and improv comics in Canada, Lloyd completed the Second City Improvisation class from the world-famous Second City Training Centre in Toronto. Lloyd has written about comedy and humour for magazines and even a high school literacy textbook currently in use across Canada. After about 15 years away, Lloyd recently moved back to his hometown of Sussex, but still has never tried cow tipping.

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Do something good

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:43:00 +0000

BS doesn't kill people

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:29:00 +0000

Imagine if the PR people behind the gun lobby started branching out into other industries. How much fun would it be to take the whole "yes, we designed a weapon whose sole purpose is to kill human beings, but we don't advocate killing human beings, and besides you have the right to have these things, so get lots of them!" to, say, the automobile industry.

Picture the fun press conferences:

"Today, we're announcing the new feature on all of our cars: the sharpened bumper. It is much more efficient in taking down pedestrians. Not that we are in favour of killing pedestrians, but it's your right to have a device that could kill pedestrians in the most efficient manner possible. They can take our pedestrian-killers from us when they pry the keys from our cold, dead, hands"

Or the food industry:

"This new product is designed to give all of your dinner guests a fatal form of food posioning. Not that we suggest you use it for that purpose, but this is a matter of basic rights!"

Or the family planning industry:

"These condoms will shoot deadly darts into your lover. Of course, you will only use them for target practice, but don't let the commie pinkos tell you it's wrong to own them!"

Just imagine the batshit-crazy anti-Obama ads they could write.Or the nifty ways they could blame the misuse of these products on homosexuality, Islamification of America, or Super Mario.

Anyway, I was just thinking about that. And that's my right.

The Hobbit, a review

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:59:00 +0000

I saw The Hobbit in 3D last night. All three-ish hours of it. Somebody sign Peter Jackson up for an editing class!
It seemed to me that for the first half, the 3D just highlighted the fakeness of the set. It felt like watching a cheaply-produced play happening inside a bad diorama. Then it got much better after the Elves showed up. As though even 3D is no match for Elvish magic!
3 stars out of 5.
What did you think?

My first one-Lloyd show, February 16 in Sussex

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 02:26:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Funny, Daddy - Sussex Comedian Lloyd Ravn’s First One-Person Show February 16 at Sussex Regional High School

December 14, 2012, Sussex – Parenting can be tough, and Sussex-based stand-up comedian Lloyd Ravn says the less frequently you laugh, the tougher it is. The importance of laughter, especially in the more difficult times of parenting, or life in general, is the theme of Ravn’s first one-person show, Funny, Daddy which is debuting on Saturday, February 16 at the Sussex Regional High School Theatre, presented by The Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit.

The adults-only show will run approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes and will include bits from Lloyd’s stand-up act as well as more serious stories, along with videos and photos. As ticket buyers are told on BayOfFunny.com, “you’ll (hopefully) laugh, you (might even) cry, you’ll (at the very least) have a night out without the kids.”

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and are available at www.BayOfFunny.com, directly from Lloyd (who will deliver them around the Sussex area) at 434-3186 or from Oceans of Ink at 14 Church Ave, or Morris Music on Main Street.

About Lloyd Ravn

For Photos, Interviews and More Information, Contact:

Lloyd Ravn – 506-434-3186 or NoLloydering@gmail.com

Stand-Up Comedy Returns to the Saint John Theatre Company August 18

noreply@blogger.com (Lloyd) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Stand-Up Comedy at Shakey's Comedy Club in Saint John Returns August 18

August 10, 2012, Saint John, NB – The Saint John Theatre Company (SJTC) is welcoming stand-up back to its Princess Street location on August 18 with the Return of Stand-Up Comedy at Shakey's Comedy Club, presented by the Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit. The SJTC fundraiser will star London, England's James Mullinger (star of the UK's hit movie review program "Movie Kingdom") featuring two of New Brunswick's top comics, Shane Ogden (winner of the Funniest Person in NB contest) and Neal Mundle (winner of the Hubcap Comedy Festival contest, 2012) and will be hosted by Sussex-based comic and founder of the Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit, Lloyd Ravn (Top 10 Finalist in Sirius XM's Canada's Next Top Comic, 2011).

Comedy at Saint John Theatre Company

SJTC first welcomed stand-up comedy to their BMO Rehearsal Hall last year when long-time volunteer and VP of SJTC's Board of Directors, Kizzy Kaye, organized a fundraiser to commemorate the 50th birthday of her late husband, local comedian Jamie Williams. The show, for which the rehearsal hall was transformed into a New York-style comedy club (names "Shakey's Comedy Club", after one of Williams' most well-known characters), was a huge success for the theatre company, raising more than $4000 for their productions and to continue to update their space.

Making a guest appearance on last year's show was James Mullinger, one of the top up-and-coming comics in the UK, who called Shakey's "one of the loveliest venues I've ever performed in." This year, the comic, of whom the London Guardian enthused "the exuberant quality of his stand up makes him one to watch" will headline the show, along with returning MC, Ravn and NB favourites Mundle of Moncton and Ogden from the Saint John area.

The Theatre Company hopes to make this year's performance another solid fundraising evening for their company, to help buy much-needed equipment and to fund their ongoing productions of live-theatre featuring some of the best local and regional talent.

Show details:

Date: August 18, 2012
Location: The Saint John Theatre Company's BMO Rehearsal Hall, 112 Princess Street, Saint John
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Available at the SJTC Box Office or at TicketPro.ca or by calling 652-7582

For more information, to arrange interviews or obtain photos:
Lloyd Ravn, Bay of Funny Comedy Circuit, lloydravn@hotmail.com or 506-292-4956

Lise Driscoll, Saint John Theatre Company, lise.driscoll@saintjohntheatrecompany.com or 506-652-7582, ext 226

PERFORMER BACKGROUNDER

James Mullinger began his stand up career in 2005 and quickly made a name for himself as one of the best new comedians on the circuit reaching the finals of three major national comedy competitions including Jimmy Carr's Comedy Idol which resulted in a performance alongside Carr at The Comedy Store that appeared on Carr's DVD 'Stand Up'. Since then he has performed at the prestigious Just For Laughs festival in Montreal twice and has written about comedy for GQ, Men's Health, Manzine and Radio Times including interviewing his hero Jerry Seinfeld for the December 2009 issue of GQ.

James Mullinger

He performed his first full length solo show at the Camden Fringe in August 2009, titled James Mullinger Is The Bad Boy Of Feminism. The controversial subject matter and painfully funny anecdotes were a hit with both critics and audiences with The Guardian enthusing that "the exuberant quality of his stand up makes him one to watch". Every show sold out and Time Out described it as "very funny stuff" and it was named one of the best shows by the Evening Standard, Metro and London Lite. He toured the show at festivals all over the UK, released a critically acclaimed DVD and culminated it with two sold out performances at the Soho Theatre, which was the Critic's Pick Of The Week in The Sunday Times Culture.

His second full length show James Mullinger's Schooldays sold out every night at the Camden Fringe in August 2010, the Leicester Comedy Festival in February 2011 and is now touring.

James continues to play clubs all over the country as well as in America, Canada and Australia.