“What job do you get to dress up in costumes become silly characters, and hang out with great writers.” – Darryl Hinds

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

On Monday, December 30^th, 2019, Canada will be saying farewell to a show that has become an essential component of Canadian television. After 46 years, Canadian Air Farce will be having their final farewell special AIR FARCE New Year’s Eve 2019. This one-hour farewell show will feature one of the most enduring and iconic home-grown comedy troupes. It was a pleasure to learn that the Caribbean community will be represented by the: actor, writer, and comedian, Darryl Hinds.

Just who is Darryl Hinds you ask? He has had roles in: The Ninth, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Max & Shred, Combat Hospital and Odd Squad. He has also made appearances on Private Eyes, Designated Survivor, The Beaverton, Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Degrassi, Lost Girl, Being Erica, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and Billable Hours.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had a chance to sit down with Darryl Hinds, and he filled us in on what it was like being part of a show that has received numerous awards and accolades. They have won: a Juno Award for Best Comedy Album in 1979, The Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 1998 as well as a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2000. They became the first Canadian inductees into the international Humour Hall of Fame in 1992. At the 2000 Gemini Award, the show received both the Earle Grey Award for their body of work in Canadian television, and the viewer-voted People’s Choice Award for favourite television program. Finally, in 2001, AIR FARCE was inducted into the Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame.

During our talk, Darryl reviewed with me the back story of CANADIAN AIR FARCE, what it means to him, and exactly how this became a staple in Canadian television history. It became a newsworthy sketch comedy troupe in 1970. The show had a knack for skewering Canadian politics, current affairs and pop culture, and the founding members: Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, the late Roger Abbott, John Morgan and Dave Broadfoot, soon realized that they had a hit on their hands. CBC Radio ran twenty-four seasons, spanning from 1973–1997, and this spawned their: national concert tours, live stage productions, home audio and video releases, a book, and several television specials. The annual New Year’s Eve special launched in 1992, and it has become a Canadian viewer’s New Year’s Eve essential.

“Don saw that the demographics of Canada were changing, and the best thing to do was to change with it. This is how I became a part of the CANADIAN AIR FARCE troupe.” Darryl Hinds

During our chat, Darryl spoke very highly of Don Ferguson, and for good reason. Don received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013, 15 ACTRA Awards, and two honorary Doctor of Law degrees from Brock University in 1993 and Concordia University in 2009. He is also responsible for aligning a great group of people that represent Canada to the fullest. In the finale, we can look forward to seeing:

Luba Goy
She is an original member of AIR FARCE, and her characters have included memorable impressions of political leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II, Hillary Clinton, Kim Campbell and Adrienne Clarkson, as well as author Margaret Atwood, singer Rita MacNeil and pop culture icon Martha Stewart.

Jessica Holmes
An AIR FARCE veteran and one of Canada’s brightest comedy personalities.

Craig Lauzon
He made his first appearance on AIR FARCE in October 2002, and became a regular in September 2004. Some of his most memorable characters have included Donald Trump and Stephen Harper.

Isabel Kanaan
She made her AIR FARCE debut in 2017 in AIR FARCE CANADA 150, the same year she was named Breakthrough Toronto Stage Artist of the Year by NOW Magazine.

Chris Wilson
Chris Wilson made his AIR FARCE debut in 2017. He is a writer-performer and cast member of The Second City in Toronto. Originally from Victoria, BC, Chris is one half of the three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning sketch comedy duo Peter n’ Chris from Vancouver.

Darryl Hinds
Jamaican native, actor, writer, comedian, Darryl Hinds made his AIR FARCE DEBUT on the 2014 New Year’s Eve Special. Born in Etobicoke, raised in Brampton, and now based out of North York, he is not a new face in the Canadian performance art world. Darryl began his journey at The Second City Theatre in Toronto, and has been associated with them for two decades. “I left college and started at The Second City. It feels like yesterday.” “Oh No!” I replied, “I think you have just aged us both.” We both had a chuckle about graduating in the 2000s, but it truly put in perspective how much he has accomplished in that time. For eight years, he worked as a writer/performer in the Mainstage Company and in the last nine years, he remains connected with them both as a teacher and corporate performer. Darryl has written and performed five original revues including: the hit show Facebook of Revelations, as well as Tazed and Confused, Barack to the Future, 0% Down, 100% Screwed and Shut Up, and Show us Your Tweets.

I was curious as to what keeps him doing what he does. “There is always fun in creating new characters. I have to think, how can I play this character, and what am I going to wear. In my line of work, I am always able to be creative, and have a lot of fun doing it. I have no choice but to stay focused. I work to help support my wife and two daughters. It is a little easier because my wife knows the industry being a comedian herself, so the house is always filled with a lot of laughs and jokes. I am starting to see my daughters get into it as well. They don’t quite know how to craft the joke, but they are working on their delivery. They are hilarious.”

I asked how he felt about being in the finale of CANADIAN AIR FARCE, and what it meant to him. “You look at your career, and it is hard to be objective. I have accomplished a lot, and being a part of this is bitter sweet. I have enjoyed my years with the troupe, and AIR FARCE has definitely put me on another level as a comedian and actor. It is not the goal to be famous, but to love what you do. I look at this ending as a new beginning for me.”