Why I Walked Away from Being a Physical Comedy Legend

The Comedian’s Paradise is the interview podcast giving you the inside scoop on global comedy scenes and the mavericks who define them. In this episode, host Marvin McCarthy sits down with the legendary physical comedian Michel Courtemanche. Known as the "Human Cartoon", Michel reveals why he walked away from international fame to pursue his true passion for directing.

Here is an overview of what we discussed:

[[01:00]] My journey to being a physical comedian and how I eventually transitioned to my passion [[08:40]]

[[13:00]] My process for refining and creating bits: Building characters, placing them in situations, and immersing myself in that world [[21:43]]

[[25:32]] What is "the wave"? [[30:28]]

[[31:00]] What makes Jim Carrey and Robin Williams such great performers, and why it is tough to film physical comedy [[42:00]]

[[43:00]] Analysing why Karl Porter's bit is so effective [[46:00]]

[[48:11]] What you need to be a successful comedian [[50:00]]

[[50:00]] Teaching clown workshops in Italy [[52:39]]

[[52:45]] Why I left physical comedy and what I learned from teaching [[58:43]]

[[58:43]] Why my attitude towards others using my bits differs from how stand-ups respond [[01:02:50]]

[[01:11:00]] Why I teach movement in the evening [[01:13:00]]

Here are some of Michels famous numbers, the drummer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHt49wA5zA, the samurai:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA3NtiS7Hdw and the weightlifter:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lguRWs8h2Zw.

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