Ron Sparks (born May 20, 1977) is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is known as an alternative comedian and frequent guest on CBC Radio's The Debaters, and on TV as a regular and favourite juror on MuchMusic's highest-rated show, Video on Trial, also starring as The Judge in the Stars on Trial Christmas special and various other VOT spin-offs.[1]
Ron Sparks | |
|---|---|
 Ron Sparks performing at the 2013 YYComedy Festival in Calgary. | |
| Born | May 20, 1977 Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada |
| Website | myspace |
Early life
editSparks was born in Chatham-Kent, Ontario.
Comedy
editTheatre
editAs a student at Chatham-Kent Secondary School Sparks enjoyed doing improv and performing in drama class and at assemblies. His first TV appearance was a televised swearing-in ceremony in which he and a friend did a sketch about a border officer interviewing an immigrant. In 1997 his farce Chuck Sent Me won the Grand Theatre Stage Presence Competition for young playwrights.[2]
At York University his one act plays Richard Keats' Apartment of Doom and Home to Mother both won the Vanier College playwriting competition in 2000 and 2001[3] while A Thanksgiving That Would Even Make Great Aunt Gladys Proud and My Favourite Aunt also took 2nd and 3rd prize in 1999 and 2001.[4] Apartment of Doom and My Favourite Aunt were both remounted as Toronto Fringe Festival shows.[2]
At York University, Sparks contributed humorous articles and reviews for the student newspaper The Vandoo and was promoted to an editor, but quit after frequent complaints by Vanier College administration led to tighter guidelines.
Improv and sketch
editSparks first began performing comedy regularly with York University's Vanier Improv Company as a student,[5] where he became a standout and met his sketch troupe mates The Minnesota Wrecking Crew.[6] They would go on to be nominated four straight years (2003–2006) for the Best Sketch Troupe Canadian Comedy Award, winning in 2003 and 2004. In 2006 they won again for Best Taped Live Performance for the CBC special Sketch with Kevin McDonald.[7]
The MWC became the "house troupe" at Second City Toronto's Sketchy at Best showcase,[8] where they would perform sets of mostly new sketches every week.
Sparks was a member of the sketch troupes Rocket 9, Gazebo Pals[9] and the CCA-nominated Shoeless, and has also hosted Comedy Bar's Sunday Night Live more than any other guest.[10]
Stand-up
editAfter performing on the show with the Wrecking Crew a few times, he began working the door for Toronto's legendary ALTdot COMedy Lounge at the Rivoli in 2002. At show producer Zoe Rabnett's urging he tried performing stand-up in 2003 at The ALTdot COMedy Lounge and went on to win that year's Tim Sims Award,[11] given to Toronto's most promising new comedy act,[12] in just his 20th set. He then also won the 2004 Best Stand-up Newcomer Canadian Comedy Award, becoming the first person to win both.
After his Tim Sims Cream of Comedy showcase, he was invited to write and star in his own series of shorts for The Comedy Network, From the Desk of Ron Sparks,[13] based on real letters he has written since childhood.
Stand-up credits include Just for Laughs as well as the Halifax, Winnipeg,[14] Laughing Gas[15] and YYC Comedy Festivals. He was JFL's Toronto Homegrown Champion in 2007 and has performed in various JFL and JFL-42 shows including Set List, The Alternative Show with Andy Kindler and The Debaters. He has opened for such comedians as Kyle Kinane, Moshe Kasher, Russell Peters, Kevin Pollak, Marc Maron, Janeane Garofalo, Norm Macdonald, Joan Rivers, Brian Posehn, Mike Wilmot, David Cross, Andy Kindler, Tom Green, Doug Stanhope and Todd Barry.
His 2008 CTV Comedy Now! stand-up special won a WorldFest Award and two Canadian Comedy Awards.[16]
When the ALTdot added a second weekly show, the SketchDot COMedy Lounge, Sparks was invited to do a weekly Weekend Update style segment, The News Desk with Ron Sparks.[17]
Film & TV
editOn television he starred in MuchMusic's highest rated show Video on Trial and its spin-off, Stars on Trial, also writing for those and other MuchMusic series. He co-wrote and starred as Chris Christie in the series You Got Trumped, for which he won multiple awards. He was also a regular panelist on the Super Channel series Too Much Information and has been a regular on various Ed the Sock series (including co-hosting the cult hit This Movie Sucks!), and T1's The Toronto Show as Ron the Hollywood Reporter and other characters.
Other TV credits include NBC's The Firm, The Beaverton, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Meet the Family, Straight Man, Clumsy & Shy, Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale, The Jon Dore Television Show, Sox in a Box and The Invasion Report.
Film credits include Medium Raw, Dark Rising, By George, Sweetener and Ham & Cheese.
In 2006 Sparks offered to fight Uwe Boll, who had challenged his critics to a series of boxing matches leading up to the release of his movie Postal.[18]
He is the subject of the book The Essential Actor's Guide: Spotlight on Ron Sparks.[19]
Radio
editSparks is a regular and favourite guest on CBC Radio's The Debaters (which he also writes for). He has also appeared on Brave New Waves, Definitely Not the Opera and Out Front. He had his own weekly segment The News Desk with Ron Sparks on 102.1 The Edge.[20]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Toronto Show | Ron the Hollywood Correspondent, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (6 episodes) |
| 2003 | Ed's Nite Party | Himself (various episodes) |
| 2003 | Cream of Comedy | Nominee/Winner |
| 2004 | Ham & Cheese | Comedy Club Patron |
| 2005 | From the Desk of Ron Sparks | Ron Sparks (4 episodes) |
| 2005 | Ed's Nite In | Park Ranger Ron, Himself |
| 2005 | Canadian Comedy Shorts | Various Characters |
| 2005 | Stars on Trial | The Judge |
| 2006 | The Ha!ifax Comedy Festival | Himself (Stand-up) |
| 2006 | Sketch with Kevin McDonald | Various Characters |
| 2006 | 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards | Presenter |
| 2006 | Video on Trial: Holiday Crap | Juror |
| 2006 | Video on Trial: 80s Videos Special | Juror |
| 2007 | Canadian Comedy Awards: Nice Special | Stand-up |
| 2007 | Dark Rising | Soldier |
| 2008 | The Jon Dore Television Show | Farting Writer (1 episode) |
| 2008 | Comedy Now! | Himself (Stand-up) (1 episode) |
| 2008 | Sox in a Box | Beans |
| 2008 | Other People's Stuff: Jan & Wayne Skylar from Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job! | Dr. Steve Brule |
| 2009 | The Newsdesk with Ron Sparks | News Anchor Ron Sparks |
| 2009 | Snuff: The Film | Snuff |
| 2009 | Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf | Greg |
| 2010 | This Movie Sucks! | Co-host |
| 2005-2011 | Video on Trial | Himself (42 episodes) |
| 2011 | The Debaters: The TV Series | Himself (2 episodes) |
| 2011 | The Invasion Report | Blirn! (5 episodes) |
| 2011 | The Trial | Mr. Testman |
| 2011 | iMobiles | Gary the Penguin (voice) |
| 2011 | Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale | Cartright |
| 2011 | Flu | Bathrobed Dancer |
| 2012 | The Firm | Bailiff (1 episode) |
| 2012 | The L.A. Complex | Mental Patient (1 episode) |
| 2012 | By George | Alan Ladd III / Chewbacco / Nien Nund |
| 2012 | The Train | Alfred |
| 2013 | Straight Man | The Doctor (4 episodes) |
| 2010-2014 | The Winnipeg Comedy Festival | Himself, Tork the Cave Man (3 episodes) |
| 2014 | CLUMSY+shy | CLUMSY (voice) |
| 2014 | Flickers! | Various Characters (6 episodes) |
| 2014 | Satisfaction | Lawn Tractor Customer (1 episode) |
| 2014-2015 | Meet the Family | Various Characters (4 episodes) |
| 2014-2015 | Too Much Information | Himself (14 episodes) |
| 2015 | Captain Blast!: Adventures in the 2nd Dimension | The Vice President |
| 2016 | The Beaverton | Food Scientist (1 episode) |
| 2016 | Big Boy's Big Brawl | Big Boy's Rude Assistant |
| 2016 | You Got Trumped | Chris Christie (13 episodes) |
| 2017 | SmartAssociates | Himself (3 episodes) |
| 2017 | Fathers Support Group | Father (12 episodes) |
| 2018-2019 | Bajillionaires | Various (4 episodes) |
| 2019 | Fake News: A Trump Story |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Nominated work | Event | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Ron Sparks | Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award | Tim Sims Award | Won |
| 2003 | The Minnesota Wrecking Crew | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Sketch Troupe | Won |
| 2004 | Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Stand-up Newcomer | Won |
| 2004 | The Minnesota Wrecking Crew | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Sketch Troupe | Won |
| 2005 | The Minnesota Wrecking Crew | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Sketch Troupe | Nominated |
| 2005 | From the Desk of Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best One Person Show | Won |
| 2006 | The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Sketch with Kevin McDonald | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Taped Live Performance | Won |
| 2006 | The Minnesota Wrecking Crew | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Sketch Troupe | Nominated |
| 2006 | The Newsdesk with Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best One Person Show | Nominated |
| 2007 | Plan LIVE from Outer Space | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Play | Won |
| 2008 | The Newsdesk with Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best One Person Show | Nominated |
| 2009 | Life's A Zoo | Banff Rockie Award | Best Music or Variety Program | Nominated |
| 2009 | Ron Sparks, Comedy Now! | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Taped Live Performance | Won |
| 2009 | Ron Sparks, Comedy Now! | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing – TV | Won |
| 2009 | Himself, Comedy Now! | Worldfest - Bronze Remi Award | Best TV Special, Comedy | Won |
| 2010 | Debaters, Monotheism vs. Polytheism (Ron Sparks vs. Sean Cullen)[21] | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Radio Program | Won |
| 2011 | This Movie Sucks! | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best TV Show | Won |
| 2012 | The Trial | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2012 | The Trial (Kevin MacDonald & Ron Sparks) | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Direction – Film | Nominated |
| 2012 | The Newsdesk with Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best One Person Show | Nominated |
| 2012 | Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Male Stand-up | Won |
| 2012 | Ron Sparks' Celebrity Roasts | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Comedic Play, Revue or Series | Nominated |
| 2012 | Debaters, Fast Food is Evil (Alan Park vs. Ron Sparks) | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Radio Program or Clip | Nominated |
| 2013 | The Newsdesk on The Edge 102.1 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Radio Program or Clip | Nominated |
| 2013 | Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Male Stand-up | Nominated |
| 2014 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | WGC Awards | Best Television Series – Comedy | Nominated |
| 2014 | Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Male Stand-up | Nominated |
| 2014 | Meet the Family | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing – Television | Nominated |
| 2014 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing – Television | Nominated |
| 2014 | Meet the Family | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best TV Series | Nominated |
| 2015 | Ron Sparks | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Male Stand-up | Nominated |
| 2015 | Meet the Family | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing – Television | Nominated |
| 2015 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing – Television | Won |
| 2015 | Meet the Family | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best TV Series | Nominated |
| 2015 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | WGC Awards | Best Television Series - Comedy | Nominated |
| 2018 | You Got Trumped | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Web Series | Won |
| 2018 | Ron Sparks, You Got Trumped | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance in a Web Series | Won |
| 2018 | You Got Trumped | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Writing in a Web Series | Won |
References
edit- ^ "Ron Sparks". IMDb. imdb.com. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ a b "Ron Sparks". doollee.com.
- ^ "Vanier College Productions". York University. June 2000.
- ^ "Vanier College Productions". York University. May 2001.
- ^ "Vanier College Productions, 258 Vanier College, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON (2022)".
- ^ "Alumni Feature Friday: Ron Sparks". vancproductions. instagram.com. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "Premier Comedy". liveact.ca. December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Sketchy Behaviour". NOW Magazine. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ TRNTO, Brianne Hogan for (July 30, 2012). "Meet a Comedian: Ron Sparks".
- ^ "December 4th, 2011: Ron Sparks!". The Sketchersons. Archived from the original on January 16, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ "Vanier sparked winning comedian's career". yorku.ca. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "Meet a Comedian: Ron Sparks". postcity.com. July 30, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "From the Desk of Ron Sparks". IMDb.
- ^ "Winnipeg Comedy Festival". Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Regina Leader-Post, October 6, 2007, by Jeff DeDekker
- ^ "Comedy Awards". ronsparks.ca. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "Laugh Lines". NOW Magazine. August 23, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "The Oddly Hilarious Tale of Uwe Boll". Cheat Code Central. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "The Essential Actor's Guide: Spotlight on Ron Sparks". Chapters/Indigo Books. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ < "Ron Sparks". Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "Comedy awards pick Less Than Kind, Trotsky". CBC. October 19, 2010.
External links
edit- Ron Sparks at IMDb