Alex Mackenzie is a stand up comedian touring through Kamloops, Okanagan in fall, 2023.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Alex Mackenzie
September 14, 2023 - 4:30 PM
A comedian is taking a unique approach to sell tickets to his stand-up tour while raising awareness and funds for non-profit organizations.
Alex Mackenzie has stopped eating, and is only drinking water, for 14 days to showcase the Hungry for Laughs Comedy Tour that donates part of its proceeds to the communities it stops in. He'll be performing in Kamloops, Kelowna and Vernon.
Known for his sharp wit and hilarious stand-up routines, Mackenzie will only consume water for two weeks with the goal of selling 1,000 tickets to the tour, according to a media release by ECL Productions.
His fast is underway and so far he said he's feeling “just fine.” He did the same fast on previous tours.
“I’ve done this before, it’s my third time,” he said from his RV in Jasper. “I find the first day is the hardest generally cause you’re so used to eating. You pretty much lay around all day and do what you can to get through it. I love doing it, anytime you add service to something is really where you get value out of it.”
The tour features three comedians, a stunt magician and an internationally acclaimed foot archer. Kicking off on Oct. 6 it stops in eight cities in BC and Alberta, including Kamloops, Kelowna and Vernon.
While the performances will be held in prestigious venues, part of the proceeds collected will be donated to local non-profits in each community visited, including food banks, women’s shelters, animal sanctuaries, mental health non-profits and others.
“The ticket sales are already phenomenal, we’re over 60 percent sold out and I’m expecting the tour to sell out which means we can donate more to these important community organizations,” Mackenzie said. “I’m so grateful, I’m really excited.”
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Originally from Prince George, Mackenzie has been a stand-up comedian for eight years with this year's tour content focussing around his life living with his dog in a van, and a bit about his family.
When asked what other people think about his two-week fast, MacKenzie said “most people are like, you’re gonna die.”
“Most people think it’s really unhealthy but I read lot of books on fasting and didn’t know it was actually healthy, you go into cell repair so your body starts cleaning out dead cells.”
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Mackenzie worked and studied in the pulp and paper industry before earning a degree as an Industrial Instrumentation mechanic. He later found stand up comedy, left his job, house and belongings behind and has since performed comedy sketches at international venues. You can read more about his story here.
The comedy tour is stopping at Sagebrush Theatre in Kamloops on Oct. 6, the Vernon Performing Arts centre on Oct. 20, and the Kelowna Community Theatre on Oct. 21.
Go here for all the tour stops and dates, show times and tickets for Hungry for Laughs Comedy Tour.
To follow Alex Mackenzie's journey during the 14-day water fast, stay tuned to his social media channels @alextellsjokes.
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