Jason and Randy Sklar are a unique standup act. The twin comics write and perform together, bouncing off each other like reflections in a hall of mirrors, each contributing their own part to every joke, but also echoing their brother to create richly packed anecdotes and improvised rapid-fire riffs.
"Our goal is to pull back the curtain on our own creative process." Jason Sklar says about the Sklar Brothers' standup. "We want it to [seem like] the audience is getting a glimpse of the two of us just riffing with each other... and it is at times, but [also we have] this rhythm from doing this for 20-some-odd years.
"I feel like maybe subconsciously we were influenced by [the Beastie Boys'] ability to sort of overlap each other, but have everyone be doing something funny and unique. They didn't all have to be polar opposites — they were different shades of each other, and then at times they would come together. I think music is a lot like comedy, and I actually think our specific brand of comedy plays like music. People actually can hear [our bits] more than once because there aren't a lot of single, hard-joke reveals."
When asked about the Sheepdogs' upcoming performance as part of the Sklarbro Country podcast taping this Saturday in Toronto, the co-director of the Sheepdogs' music video "The Way It Is" expanded on his enjoyment of music. "It adds such a great element. Especially when we're doing [a podcast] live in a theatre, we want it to feel like a show. When you add music, it just expands the scope of the show tremendously."
Similarly, Sklar talked about how the culinary arts relate to comedy while discussing the pilot for the Sklars' new travel show Finding The Funny, in which the twins tour the U.S. and create five to ten minutes of material about each town they visit based on their in-depth research and travel experiences.
"[You see a joke go from] an interesting fact, or something we learned in the field, to us coming up with a funny idea, to us creating, by the end, a polished piece of material. The last five minutes [of the show] is our standup set," Sklar explains. "[It's] a challenge. We liken it to Top Chef. I love that show a lot. I love watching them develop the meal, and I love watching them getting their inspiration, [but] at the end of the show, Gail Simmons gets to eat the food. I don't get to eat the food. Padma gets to eat the food. But with our show, everyone gets to eat the dish."
The Sklar Brothers will be at The Royal Theatre on Saturday March 26 serving their (metaphorical) dish of Toronto-based humour, as well as many other hilarious stories. In addition to their standup show, be sure to catch the taping of their podcast Sklarbro Country, which features guests The Sheepdogs, Sean Cullen and Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace and the Taggart and Torrens Radio Show.
"Our goal is to pull back the curtain on our own creative process." Jason Sklar says about the Sklar Brothers' standup. "We want it to [seem like] the audience is getting a glimpse of the two of us just riffing with each other... and it is at times, but [also we have] this rhythm from doing this for 20-some-odd years.
"I feel like maybe subconsciously we were influenced by [the Beastie Boys'] ability to sort of overlap each other, but have everyone be doing something funny and unique. They didn't all have to be polar opposites — they were different shades of each other, and then at times they would come together. I think music is a lot like comedy, and I actually think our specific brand of comedy plays like music. People actually can hear [our bits] more than once because there aren't a lot of single, hard-joke reveals."
When asked about the Sheepdogs' upcoming performance as part of the Sklarbro Country podcast taping this Saturday in Toronto, the co-director of the Sheepdogs' music video "The Way It Is" expanded on his enjoyment of music. "It adds such a great element. Especially when we're doing [a podcast] live in a theatre, we want it to feel like a show. When you add music, it just expands the scope of the show tremendously."
Similarly, Sklar talked about how the culinary arts relate to comedy while discussing the pilot for the Sklars' new travel show Finding The Funny, in which the twins tour the U.S. and create five to ten minutes of material about each town they visit based on their in-depth research and travel experiences.
"[You see a joke go from] an interesting fact, or something we learned in the field, to us coming up with a funny idea, to us creating, by the end, a polished piece of material. The last five minutes [of the show] is our standup set," Sklar explains. "[It's] a challenge. We liken it to Top Chef. I love that show a lot. I love watching them develop the meal, and I love watching them getting their inspiration, [but] at the end of the show, Gail Simmons gets to eat the food. I don't get to eat the food. Padma gets to eat the food. But with our show, everyone gets to eat the dish."
The Sklar Brothers will be at The Royal Theatre on Saturday March 26 serving their (metaphorical) dish of Toronto-based humour, as well as many other hilarious stories. In addition to their standup show, be sure to catch the taping of their podcast Sklarbro Country, which features guests The Sheepdogs, Sean Cullen and Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace and the Taggart and Torrens Radio Show.
