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The History of Kidney Komedy Night
Kidney Komedy Night actually started in 1997, an idea created by Kerry Talmage, a famous Canadian comic. Kerry was living in Vancouver, working with a renewed sense of passion for his craft. He had just received a kidney transplant, after years of struggling with kidney failure as a result of his diabetes.
Kerry spoke to the press about his love for comedy, and his desire to do some work with the Kidney Foundation of Canada. He wanted to give something back after all the support the Kidney Foundation had given him through years of dialysis, and the transplant process.
After one of his shows, Kerry met Sheri Forbes, a volunteer with the Kidney Foundation. Sheri shared his love of comedy, and since she was a nurse, understood some of his jokes about his poor health on a level that Kerry could relate to.
In a little house, packed full of Kerry's comic roommates, they talked about the idea for a FUNdraising event that would showcase Canadian comedy, and raise money for the Kidney Foundation. Kerry wanted it to be a creative no-holds-barred kind of show, no politics, just sheer talent got you onstage. Kerry would organize the comedians, Sheri would deal with the rest.
They would call it Kidney Komedy Night.
1997 saw the first Kidney Komedy Night at Lafflines Comedy Club in New Westminster, BC. It was a great success, with people soon asking if there would be another one next year. 1998 was the second one, again happily hosted by Lafflines, and the volume of talent that came and donated their time again for this night was staggering.
Both years Kerry had planned on headlining the show. Both years Kerry ended up in hospital, either home or abroad, as a result of some complication from his kidney disease.
After the 1998 show, Sheri moved to the BC interior, and Kerry moved all over the world, living in South Africa for a while having his own TV show, touring England and the US. He eventually ended up living in Hawaii, after marrying his beautiful wife, Ildiko
In April 2004, Kerry came to Canada for a comedy tour of Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. He had written Sheri to let her know of his travel plans, and of his potential problems with the whole tour idea, since he had suffered a number of further complications, his transplanted kidney had failed and he was back on dialysis.
As sick as he was, Kerry needed to feel the rush of the stage. He wanted to hear the gasps as he did his act, to stop some heckler dead in his tracks with sarcasm and wit, and feel the energy as a room packed full of people came along for the ride!
Kerry got to visit with Sheri while on his tour, and they talked about getting Kidney Komedy Night up and running again, but Kerry wanted to get his health back before taking on the next project.
In June 2004, Kerry Talmage passed away.
Kidney Komedy Night 2004 was held on October 3rd, 2004 at Yuk Yuk's Komedy Cabaret in Calgary, Alberta. In a tribute to Kerry Talmage, an internationally known comedian and dear friend, comics traveled from far and wide to perform in his honor, and to raise money for the Kidney Foundation of Canada.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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