The Alchemist.

Source: Twitter

I have a theory about comedy troupes and other groups of comedians that there’s always one, and that person may not be the most popular member or the one audiences like best, who the others in the group look up to, the one who really makes the others laugh. It’s a pretty shaky theory and really I think in any group that holds together for a long time there’s got to be a lot of mutual respect, but when the members of The Kids In The Hall are interviewed four of them always have praise for Kevin McDonald, whose birthday is today. And the funny thing is he’s jokingly referred to himself as the one that audiences call “The Kid In The Hall we don’t like”.

I’m not trying to sow any enmity here even if I could by focusing on him, but the other members have described him as a natural comedic talent, and at least one of them has said they think McDonald wasn’t born but grown in a laboratory by some mad scientist trying to create the perfect comedian. Actually I think it’s the other way around: I think McDonald is the mad scientist who cooked up The Kids In The Hall, which is fitting since the others have said he’s also the nicest member of the group and the one who’s held them all together.

Last winter Kevin McDonald was in Nashville, not far from where I live, and offering a comedy class. Unfortunately it was right in the middle of a major snowstorm when we got several inches—or, for him, being a Canadian, a “light dusting”. I was stuck at home, and missing the chance to even meet him is something I still regret. If he ever comes back I don’t care what the weather is doing—I will find a way to get to him because, hey, I like the guy.

 

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15 Comments

  1. Jay

    I like him too, adore him even. A national treasure. I have met him, all of them in fact, several times (I used to work at Parliament). Nicest bunch of guys. Truly seem like old buddies.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      You’re so lucky to have met all of them, and I love hearing that they really are nice guys. It’s really wonderful how much they compliment each other which I think is part of why they work so well together.

      Reply
  2. mydangblog

    I loved the character he played who liked to crush peoples’ heads from a distance by looking at them them between his thumb and index finger: “I’m crushing your head, I’m crushing your head!!”

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      Actually Mark McKinney was the one who crushed peoples’ heads, although McDonald briefly appeared to pinch people’s faces.

      Reply
    2. Arionis

      I’ll do the crushing your head thing sometimes and my wife will look at me like I’m crazy.

      Reply
      1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

        Has she never seen The Kids In The Hall? Get her to YouTube–STAT!

        Reply
  3. Lana_SHON

    I love him too.

    Reply
  4. Tripping

    My favourite. I did his workshop when he was in Toronto and the whole time I was imagining traveling back in time and telling my high school self that I would one day write sketches with Kevin McDonald. The best part of the day was hearing his old KITH stories and some of the sketches that never made it to air.

    Reply
    1. Tripping

      Also, when I saw their reunion tour, a year or two ago, all the other Kids made fun of him for teaching these workshops. They also made fun of us, the students. He’s defo the nice one.

      Reply
    2. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      You’re so lucky to have been able to go to one of his workshops. And it’s funny to me how the others seem to make fun of him, probably because he is the nice one and they all know there’s nothing mean-spirited about it.

      Reply
  5. Ann Koplow

    I love him and this post, Chris.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The Kids In The Hall are a great influence for so many of us.

      Reply
  6. Allison

    I loved it when they played middle aged female office staff. One of them threatens to move home and marry “The richest Mennonite in Kitchener.”

    Fun post.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      I loved that too. Was it “Cathy with a ‘C'” or “Kathy with a ‘K'” who threatened to move? That particular pairing always cracked me up.

      Reply
  7. sruthi

    I loved the character. Nice post.

    Reply

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