Clifton Cremo looks forward to performances in upcoming Cape Breton Comedy FestivalPublished Aug 11, 20267 minute readPerforming at Yuk Yuk’s clubs has been a highlight of Clifton Cremo’s comedy career. Raised in Eskasoni and soon to live in Membertou, Cremo has had a banner past year with getting married, securing a new job and still performing all the time. He is taking part in the upcoming Cape Breton Comedy Festival later this month. This photo is from one of his past performances at Yuk Yuk’s in Halifax. CONTRIBUTEDArticle contentHow many comedians can say they had their first paying gig at a funeral? THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThat’s the origin story for Eskasoni’s Clifton Cremo, who will be taped for CBC Radio’s popular Just For Laughs program to cap off the Cape Breton Comedy Festival in Baddeck later this month. Article contentArticle contentTurning 34 years old in two weeks, Cremo has been working as a standup comedian for the last eight years. His interest in the stage began when he was about 11 years old. That was the age he began attending a summer improv theatre camp at Cape Breton University and loved it. Article contentArticle contentHe also loved the leaders. Students at the time, they were James F.W. Thompson and Erin Gillis (who would go on to become Erin Thompson). Today, they are writers, producers, and artists in the Cape Breton community. Article contentAbout 15 years after Cremo had aged out of the camps, he was thinking about the Thompsons and looked them up on social media. His timing was perfect to catch a performance James Thompson would be doing at an open mic night at Daniel’s Taphouse in downtown Sydney. Article content“‘Maybe I can impress James by being funny,’” Cremo says he thought. “Because I remember that he was funny when I was a kid. So I thought I’d give it a try. Article content“And it worked. It gave me a dopamine rush that I wanted. I think if I’d done miserably or bombed, I never would have done it again.” Article contentThe funeral gig came a short time later. Article contentThe son of a New Waterford woman who died posted on Facebook that her wish was she didn’t want people to cry at her funeral — she wanted them to laugh. So the son was looking for a comedian for the reception after the memorial service and he chose Cremo from those who applied. Article contentArticle content“It’s not an ideal place for comedy, honestly,” he says. “I showed up and didn’t know anyone, didn’t know the deceased, and was trying to read the room.” Article contentA thoughtful person, Cremo could see that the wound of grief was still too fresh for people. Article contentHe decided the best approach was to do his usual set and make the jokes about himself and life in general. Article content“It took the focus off the people and their sadness. And it worked,” he says. Article contentAnd after that, the paying jobs started coming in from his home community of Eskasoni as well as organizations and conferences around Nova Scotia. Article contentHe didn’t always feel ready in those early days, but it gave him a lot of exposure and experience. Article contentHis YouTube clips online reveal his quick wit and hilarious way he takes everyday life and frames it in a way that everyone can relate to.Article content Comedian Clifton Cremo of Eskasoni is getting ready for another taping of CBC’s popular show Laugh Out Loud later this month. The taping, to be held in Baddeck, will finish out the Cape Breton Comedy Festival to be held from Aug. 17-19. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle content‘THE SWERVE’Article contentAs he gains confidence, he’s not afraid to take on sensitive topics or personal experiences.Article contentHe says he is able to frame things in a way that misunderstandings, controversies or even things like bathroom mishaps, can make people laugh. And he says he “always punches up,” and won’t do things like make fun of the victim or downtrodden.Article content“When I say things like that I guess people will expect me to be more heady and less funny, but I do try and to be silly,” he says. “When I do tackle a sensitive subject, I just make sure that it’s represented well and you can tell my real position on it, even if I’m joking. I guess I’m very satirical.”Article contentAnd although Cremo is a good writer, he also has skills at the delivery of the material. He carefully writes a setup for a joke and then “pulls the rug out from under you.”Article content“That’s when the punchline comes. The swerve,” he says.Article contentWatching him onstage, it’s evident that its the surprise of a good and unexpected punchline he’s written that has the audience in stitches by the time he’s finished his set.Article contentHis first time at an actual comedy club was Friday, March 11, 2020, at an amateur night at Yuk Yuk’s in Halifax. Article content“It felt really cool,” he says. “I thought things were taking off.” Article contentAnd then, two days later “the world shut down,” as he puts it. Article contentThe Covid pandemic closed everything down for several months and even when the entertainment industry opened up a bit within the year, it was very slow. Article contentArticle content“It might have helped me in a way because there was a lack of stage time, so it forced me to be more intentional about my writing the jokes,” he says. Article contentCremo has a system. Something will pop into his head — just a sentence about something ordinary in his day — and he’ll write it down in his notes on his phone. Later, he’ll find the time to “flesh it out” into a joke suitable for stage work. Article contentHe says he’s not the type of comic who can just churn out new material at whim. Article content“I’m more of like a perfectionist.” Article contentHe says he won’t even try a joke on stage until he thinks it’s good. Article content“I don’t want to show up with anything less than good,” Cremo says. “If people are paying $30 for a ticket, I don’t want them to hear a half-baked idea. I want them to get the good stuff.” Article contentFUNNY FIRSTArticle contentFor the first few years, Cremo didn’t talk about being Mi’kmaq or Indigenous in his performances. Article content“I wanted to be a comic first. I wanted at the time for people to recognize me for being funny and not as being Indigenous,” he says. Article contentArticle contentHe worried that people would come to the performances with expectations about what they were going to hear if that was all they knew about him. Article contentBut now, he’s more comfortable onstage and looks forward to finding amusing ways to talk about the issues that are important to Canadians and the Indigenous community across Canada. Article content“I’m less about everyday life and more observational,” he describes his humour. Article contentThe past year has been a time of exciting new adventures professionally and personally. Cremo got married last October and — hoping to be home as well as financially supportive for his new family — took a job in February that leaves him with his weekends free for touring and doing stand-up. Article contentHe works as the Indigenous presenter network manager for the Atlantic Presenters’ Association. The association is a multidisciplinary network of performing arts presenters that helps performing artists and presenters bring a wide range of experiences into communities. Article contentHe doesn’t have an agent and works as his own representation. Cremo says a lot of East Coast comedians and performers work that way. But that means he does his own hunting for jobs; booking; accounting; and stage dressing among all the other facets of putting on a performance. Article contentSIGNATURE LOOKArticle contentHe has “a look” on stage that consists mostly of wearing his favourite brightly coloured Hawaiian shirt. Article contentCape Bretoners can catch Cremo’s next performance on Aug. 19 at the fourth annual Cape Breton Comedy Fest. Running from Aug. 17-19 this year, the festival begins on Aug. 17 with Goin’ On Improv, which debuted at last year’s festival as Cape Breton’s signature improv comedy troupe. It’s an evening at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay of improvised comedy where no one knows what’s going to happen, not even the performers. Article contentAug. 18 features the CB Comedy Fest Showcase Featuring Cape Breton Comedians, including Nick Beaton and hosted by CBC Radio Sydney producer Don Munro. Article contentArticle contentThe festival gala takes place on Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. featuring a live taping of CBC’s Laugh Out Loud hosted by Ali Hassan. This will be Cremo’s second time on the show and he is joined by comedians: Gavin Crawford; Chris Halef; Nick Beaton; Luba Magnus; and Dan Hendricken. Article contentIt takes place at the Inverary Resort on Shore Road in Baddeck at 8 p.m. Article contentThe popular show features traditional standup, sketch comedy, musical comedy and host Hassan may conduct a brief chat with the comedians after their sets. Article contentIt won’t be the first time Cremo has worked for CBC. He has been one of the comedians on the wildly popular Debaters show more than once and was a writer for part of the latest season of This Hour has 22 Minutes on CBC TV. Article contentHe has worked with well-known comedians such as Ron James, Jon Dore, and Joe Pera. Article contentHe has performed from one end of the country to the other and has had gigs in the United States including Los Angeles and Maine. Article contentIF YOU GOArticle contentGoin’ On Improv – Mon. Aug. 17, 8 p.m., Savoy Theatre, Glace Bay – $33.50 Article contentCB Comedy Showcase – Tues. Aug. 18, 8 p.m., Daniel’s Taphouse, Charlotte St., Sydney. Headliner is Nick Beaton – $24.80 Article contentCBC Laugh Out Loud Live Taping, Wed. Aug. 19, 8 p.m. Inverary Resort, Baddeck. Featuring: Gavin Crawford; Chris Halef; Nick Beaton; Luba Magnus; Clifton Cremo; and Dan Hendricken. – $64.70 Article contentDoors open all evenings at 7 p.m. Article contentRosemary Godin is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for the Cape Breton Post, a position funded by the federal government. Article content
Unexpected punchline puts this Mi’kmaw comic above the rest
