If Steve Patterson had to pick, he says his favourite topics on “The Debaters,” the CBC Radio comedy show he hosts, were “pie versus cake” and “William Shatner is the best actor of all time.”
The latter debate, featuring Canadian comedians Sean Cullen and Eric Peterson (who played the dad on “Corner Gas”) — two remarkably hilarious guys — was especially “one for the ages,” Patterson said.
Of course, there's a lot of topics on the show, which has been running since 2007, that promise a lot of laughs.
A partial list of more recent topics include “Nickelback is one of Canada's greatest bands,” “Trips to the dentist should be enjoyed,” “Hot dogs are better than hamburgers” and “Should you marry your high school sweetheart?”
If you're a fan of the show, you get a chance to see it in person on Saturday, March 17 as part of the LOL Sudbury Comedy Festival, when “The Debaters Live on Tour” visits the Fraser Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m.
Sudbury is actually the last stop on the show's swing through Northern Ontario, with shows in North Bay March 3 and Sault Ste. Marie March 4.
The show features comics going “toe to toe in a battle of laughs and logic, and the audience picks the winner,” said a press release.
This special live event features Patterson, a veteran Canadian comedian, as host, as well as fellow Canadian comedians Dave Hemstad and Kate Davis, performing stand-up and two hilarious debates.
Patterson said he's not sure what topics will be chosen for the Sudbury show, but given it's taking place on St. Patrick's Day, one of the debates will likely focus on the holiday.
He attributes the long-running show's popularity to the effort comedians put into writing debate material — “The Debaters” features a combination of comedy writing and stand-up.
The Debaters is a simple concept, Patterson said, but not easy to execute. “That's why lots of comedians want to do it, but not all of them can,” he said.
The Sudbury show won't be taped — CBC tends to tape several debates in one sitting, as it's expensive to bring enough along comics on the road, he said.
But that just means Sudburians will get to witness a one-of-a-kind show that promises to be a bit “spicier” than the material that goes to air.
“People that have heard it on the radio say 'Well, I'll just listen to it the next time it's on the radio,' but it's really not the same experience as going live,” Patterson said.
“That goes for live comedy all the time, but especially this show because so much happens visually and so much said is said that never makes it to the radio version of this show.”
As for kids, Patterson said people should go ahead and bring them along. “It's not a dirty show,” he said. “People bring their kids all the time, and the kids seem to love it more than their parents, or as much, anyway.”
Tickets to The Debaters Live on Tour cost $49 plus tax. Visit LOL Sudbury's website for more information.
