Anthony Mlekuz is a self-described dysfunctional intellectual.
Not the sort of depiction one would think to toss on a resume, but when your career goal is stand-up comedian, you may want put that at the top of your cover letter.
The Hamilton-born Mlekuz is beginning his first-year at The University of Western Ontario, in the Faculty of Education, while also celebrating his first year as a stand-up comic.
As for most comedians, things began for Mlekuz with friends continually telling him he was funny and he should write his jokes down – which, actually, is his first love.
“If I could just write comedy and get paid to do it, I would do that in a heartbeat,” he says. “But once I started writing down ideas, I thought ‘You know what, I’ve got at least enough here that I can get on stage.’ So I took the leap.”
Mlekuz has performed at Yuk Yuk’s in Hamilton and London as well as other venues across Ontario and Quebec. He recently represented Hamilton in Yuk Yuk’s Great Canadian Laugh-Off, making it to the Top 20. Along with a DVD due out this Christmas, he is in pre-production on an online sitcom set to broadcast in the New Year.
Mlekuz has even brought his off-beat humour south of the border. This past July he and fellow comedian Chris Neff spent two weeks doing two-a-night shows in Los Angeles.
“I work on an eight-day schedule. There’s this whole other day that people don’t know about,” he says. “As long as I don’t need to sleep, I’m okay.”
While all this experience surely builds up the comedic confidence, it can also be a sharp reminder the business is not always a laugh riot.
“There are times when you quickly realize the audience aren’t your friends,” he says, adding crowds can turn on you simply because they think you look like the guy who beat them up in high school. “You got to make them laugh. They may have had a bad day and they want to laugh.”
Fear aside, it’s the natural high from having a set go just right that keeps Mlekuz coming back for more.
“I love getting on stage,” he says. “There’s no better feeling – I don’t care who you are or what you think you’ve done – then getting up there and having a good set. You take your life in your own hands when you get up there, but if they like what you have to say and are receptive then there’s nothing better.”
While ideally he’d love to be full-time comedian, Mlekuz realizes life never guarantees what you want. With his knack of speaking in front of people and his love of kids, he sees becoming a teacher as the best of both worlds.
“For me, this (teaching) is the best job because no ones going to see comedians during the day,” he says. “And it’s such a great audience because they can’t walk out on me; they have to sit there. When I tell them their grades depend on them laughing, it’ll really be interesting.
“I know what I’m going to be doing 9 to 5 and after that I know what I need to do in terms of the comedy. It depends on how far the comedy will take me, but ideally, a comedian who’s a part-time teacher sounds good. I’m hoping I’m setting myself up that I can put as much effort into both.”
Beginning to settle into his new surroundings at Western, Mlekuz knows school is his first priority, but he also has no plans to let go of his love of making people laugh, calling it “his passion.”
But should the career in comedy not pan out as expected, Mlekuz already has a ‘Plan B’ in the works.
“I’m not getting my hair cut until I have the (Justin) Bieber look. If I could go back in time, forget this comedy thing, I’d got to Stratford and I’d become Bieber.”
You can check out Anthony Mlekuz right here in London. He’ll be performing at The Ceeps at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
