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Charismatic Canadian comic takes us on a tour of the Loony Bin
Welcome to Wall St. (eh?)
Charismatic Canadian comic takes us on a tour of the Loony Bin
Former Mayor of Toronto, Canada, David Miller praised his homegrown comedian for masterfully blending edgy, wry humour with humanity.
Candidly I answer back, "Well I do have something to ask you. Ieden, why do you insist on making this about me, when it is about
you."
​
Wall pauses for a half second and says, "Leanne, every time you put your feet on the floor in the morning and jump back into the game of life, it is about YOU. What choices will YOU make? How will YOU confront FEAR? How will YOU confront LOVE? How will YOU use the day at hand to further your quest to find the holy grail?"
I counter with the obvious question, "What is the holy grail for you Ieden. What are you after?"
Wall smiles like a little boy and says, "BINGO, 30 minutes later and she asks the only question worth remembering."
"Leanne, that question is so darn good, I am going to have to go home and put it under my pillow and sleep on it. I say we meet back here next week to discuss it. Lunch is my treat," Wall says with a grin.
"Only if you promise to come on time," I joke.
Wall leans in close to me and says, "Leanne, at the risk of sounding esoteric and defiant, I did show up on time. Everything that happens in this universe is exactly on time. In actuality, it was you who showed up early."
I have to say, this guy makes me smile. And to think that I was only seconds away from leaving the restaurant and missing out on this kind of fun. Ha.
In the final leg of prep for this interview I called some of Wall's former colleagues; producers who have worked with him over the years and journalists who have written about him.
Each one seemed to touch on a singular quality, that just might be the trademark of the strange funnyman who hails from a small Canadian hockey town northeast of Toronto, called Peterborough.
They spoke of a soulfulness; a beguiling inclination to transcend his brash stage facade and reveal his true vulnerability. They spoke about his odd skill to transform laughter into tears and connect with his audience on a deep human level.
Wall spends the last 7 minutes of his upcoming TV Special, sitting on a small wooden stool, and speaking straight from the heart. Wall's voice cracks with raw emotion, as he speaks about an encounter with a suicidal man he met in the psychiatric ward - and how it completely changed his life.
Wall is a rare breed in the comedy world. A man willing to bring us far behind the curtain. Far beyond his comedic mastery and to a place of his deepest frailties. A place where we can see our own frailties and even better, our own humanity.
Few are the comedians who are willing to stand in front of the world and give us a small piece of their own soul.
Wall is rare.
48 Hours in the Loony Bin will air on JLTV in both USA and Canada on July 25th at 12:30 am and will be available on EDENTV.ca
Excited to start I ask, "In your upcoming TV Special, called 48 Hours in the Loony Bin, you speak about your 'personal crises’ in 2014, and how you ended up in the hospital for 2 days. What made you want to share such a vulnerable moment in your life and expose yourself in such a personal way?"
"Well, this was a very difficult time. I had lost 2 treasured friends and broke with a girlfriend in the span of 2 months," says Wall.
"But when I was laying in the hospital, I realized that the reason you go through hardships in life, is so you can share it with others and use what you have learned, to reach out to others who might be in a similar situation, " Wall adds.
Intrigued I ask, "Ieden, you taped the TV Special a year ago, just weeks after getting out of the hospital. What was the rush to hit the stage?"
"When I got home, I got busy writing. I needed the catharsis of getting the experience out of my head and on to paper. And as I kept writing, I felt in my heart there was an opportunity to do something really impacting - something that had never been done before, " Wall says.
I ask curiously, "So what did your ‘emotional meltdown’ teach you Ieden?"
"Well, there were far too many lessons to share right now. But the two most important things I would say are: To love G-d more than human beings and to measure my success by my OWN internal values and not the values of others."
"Wow, can you elaborate about these two lessons. They sound interesting," I say.
"Sure. Sadly, people can be physically taken away from us - and this is a part of life we all have to come to terms with. But G-d is the one constant. The rock. He is there for each and every one of us. Like any relationship, we need to communicate with him. Trust him. Praise him. Love him," Wall says firmly.
​
"You mentioned success. How do you measure success now Ieden?"
​
"Before my meltdown, I let society, my friends, my parents impose their idea of success onto me. Sometimes we lose our own innate core values, and adopt the warped values of others, without even realizing it. This is quite sad," Wall says with eyes a little watery.
​
"When I took an honest stock of things, it became apparent that I had achieved a success far greater than I realized. I had touched and inspired so many people. I had friends and family who loved me. And I had contributed a generous spirit to this world. You can't take your money into the next world - you can only take your good deeds,” says the cerebral comic.
Wall speaks with tremendous wisdom and conviction. His hazel eyes are deep and contemplative. His playful smirk hides a very heavy heart. He is a distinctly enigmatic sort
of fellow.
I ask him how I am doing in terms of my journalistic technique and formula, with a half smile.
Thinking for a few seconds, he says, "Well Leanne, you ask good questions. And you are a good listener. But I get the impression you are holding back."
"Oh, how so Ieden," I ask curiously.
Wall says, "I believe there are things that puzzle you about me, that you are reluctant to ask for fear of seeming inappropriate or unprofessional. What if you did not need to filter your thoughts. Now how would that affect the interview and the piece you are writing?"
Written by Leanne H. Dole
It's 3:30 PM and I am waiting for one of Canada's most intriguing comedians to show up for our coffee interview.
Since I started my career in journalism (some 20 years ago) I have always held fast to my 30-minute late rule. In a city known for its epic traffic jams, I figure everyone is worthy of a half-hour grace period.
Being a Canadian, it is possible that he was not fully prepared for Manhattan rush hour.
The grace period has now expired but candidly, my research on Wall suggests that he is a man worth waiting for. Almost every female I spoke to in my preparation for this lunch interview, confessed to having a secret crush on the funnyman.
It would be a lie to say I am not a little curious to see what all of the fuss is about. So I will extend my late policy another 15 minutes but that is the best I can do. Leanne has work to do.
​
Alright, who does this guy think he is: Brad Pitt? It's now 4:15 and no phone call. No text. No email. Nothing.
​
I want the quirky comedian who had me fully captivated when I screened his new TV
Special called, 48 Hours in the Loony Bin.
​
But no sign of him.
Disappointed and a little upset at what appears as a complete lack of consideration for my time, I close my laptop and reach for my coat.
I hear a voice saying, "Leanne, don't shoot! I am very sorry for being late. I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you...foot massage, offshore money transfer, or intimate favours. And I would go with option A," the comedian quips.
Trying to keep up with the quick-witted comedian, I say, "What if I said I wanted the money or intimate favours?"
Wall punches back with, "You will just have to take a leap of faith on this one Leanne.”
He already has me laughing and we have not moved beyond a handshake. He won't let me. He insists on gripping my hand and not letting go. I can't help thinking of the part in his new TV Special, where he jokes about one of the male patients in the hospital commenting on his soft hands.
It's true. His hands are ridiculously soft. I am completely jealous.
He holds my hand just long enough for me to forget about him being 45 minutes late. And then we both sit down in the booth.
I tell Wall that we are running short on time and that if he doesn't mind, I will get right to my prepared questions. Succinctly, I follow that by asking his permission to tape the interview on my phone.
He says, "sure" and warmly smiles.
I ask him, what he wants to speak about first: His new book, his comedy special, or his new website, EDENTV.ca?
He smiles and says, "None of them. I was hoping we could speak about you Leanne."
Trying to play along with Wall's dry sense of humour I say, "Well, don't you think that would be counter-productive since I am here to write an article about you and promote your work?"
"What if I told you, I was here to write an article about you for EDENTV and that I am meticulously observing your journalistic technique and formula as we speak," Wall says with a mild smirk.
Trying to play along, I say, "OK Mr. Wall, how would you rate my journalistic technique so far. Do I get a passing grade?"
"Truthfully, I know little about your formula, since you have yet to ask a question. But I do know that the finger smudge marks on the back of your laptop means you need to be more gentle with it, when eating pastries. And the fact that you have a green tea with a chocolate-cream doughnut suggests the possibility that you sometimes lack the willpower to do what you know is right," Wall says with deadpan delivery.
This guy is funny.
"So why are comedians so observant," I ask him.
"I think all existential loners are observant Leanne and that is not endemic to just comedians. A lone-wolf survives on his ability to survey his environment, read his subject and ensure his own safety. Because there are not others to do it for him, " Wall explains.
"Do you feel safe with me Ieden?"
"I don't know, can I give you my answer after I read your finished article," Wall says.
Growing concerned about my time constraints, I say in a serious tone, "Ieden, not that I don't enjoy our banter, but I really need to ask you a few questions. I am on deadline here."
"Fire away Leanne," he FINALLY acquiesces.
