Explore talent by

Text search

Big Daddy Tazz

Performed At The Prestigious Just For Laughs Festival In Montreal, The Moncton Comedy Festival And The CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Mental Health Advocate.

Similiar Talent

Big Daddy Tazz gets joy out of entertaining people whether it’s at a fundraiser, festival, at a corporate event, or on television. He is known to bring a ton of energy into a room with his wit and comical talent.

He discovered that he had a knack for making people laugh when he was in high school in Winnipeg. He was a class clown and has performed at all types of events from a client’s 101st birthday to a biker initiation. Big Daddy Tazz is one of the most popular working comedians in Canada today and has been consistently performing for the past 30 years.

Big Daddy Tazz has a special place in his heart for those living with mental illness and his mental health keynote is one of the most influential presentations he does. He uses it to bring laughter and positivity to those dealing with mental illness and their families. He is committed to breaking the mental health stigma by education, empowering and embracing everyone who had dealt with mental health.

He also discusses related issues like depression and bullying at both schools and the workplace.

He has helped charities including the Children’s Wish Foundation by staying on the rooftop of a Saskatoon pub for two weeks to raise money. He was left sunburned by the heatwave but raised a considerable amount of money.

Big Daddy Tazz provides clean comedy for corporate and convention events with an ad-lib style that tickles the audience’s funny bones. His act works well at both private and corporate events, festivals, sporting events, casino shows, fundraisers, conventions, and trade shows.

Big Daddy Tazz Comedy Experience

Some of the events Big Daddy Tazz has appeared at include the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal and the Moncton Comedy Festival. He also writes and produces the CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival. His Winnipeg Comedy Festival performance is the most watched show on CBC Television and The Comedy Network over time.

Personality of Big Daddy Tazz

For almost 30 years, Tazz was in denial to accept his mental illnesses. Eventually, he learned that he had to choose that being dyslexic and manic-depressive could either make or break his life. Nowadays, audiences happily accompanied him to listen to his journey from rapid cycle ride down the everlasting road to recovery.

Why Hire Tazz

Branded as Bi-polar Buddha, Tazz is a bundle of a laugh as well as a compelling speaker. He loves to inspire and educate. Having over a decade of performing career, He is just a perfect sarcastic match to provide clean comedy in Canada at corporate and convention events. His one of its kind ad-lib style makes the performance engaging and connects people in such a way that they feel at home and a part of it. Consequently, his one-man shows have received standing ovation and raves.

Works Well in this Type of Event
Private Events, Corporate Events, Comedy Festivals, Sports Events, Casino Events, Charity Events, Conventions, Trade Shows.

How to book

You can request information on our Canadian entertainment options through our on-line request form. Or, you can call us Toll Free at 1.800.693.6665

Tales from the Hallway

A humourous look at life’s triumphs and tribulations through the eyes of someone living with mental illness.

Tazz credits some of his teachers with saving his life and getting him on the right path. Many of us will spend more time with our co-workers and students than we will with family members. We need to learn to recognize the signs in someone struggling, and how to reach out to help. If you break a leg, you go to a hospital, if you break a tooth, you go to a dentist, but why are people reluctant to get help for their mental health?

Audience members who live with mental illness and stigma (either their own or someone else’s), will find themselves empowered, inspired and proud of who they are. Others gain a better understanding of how the stigma can negatively impact so many, preventing them from finding the help they seek. All will leave with the
tools to make a positive, accepting difference as well as a heart full of laughter, light and compassion. An inclusive workplace, a workplace where employees look out for one another, is a safer workplace.

Tazz will take your audience on a sometimes humourous, sometimes emotional journey to challenge old belief systems, build a better understanding of mental health challenges, and reimagine a more inclusive future. Teachers will come away with a renewed love for their profession and profound thanks from Tazz on behalf of all the
students who haven’t yet come back to say thank you.

“Firmly re-educating the educators. Your presentation was powerful, I am going back to my school and my class and staff are going to google you, watch your videos and then they will feel as good about themselves as I do today. Thank you Tazzy!” Teacher conference attendee

“I have to say that I believe Tazz was the highlight of our convention. The students loved him and the teachers raved about him. I am trying now to get him to speak in schools in my own division. I would definitely have him back again and would highly recommend him as a keynote at other engagements.” Mighty Peace Teachers Assoc.

Breakout Session included with the above keynote: “Generals in Tents”
Join this guided conversation as the moderator interviews life partners Tazz and Lala on what it’s like for a family member to navigate Tazzy’s mental health challenges (bi-polar, social anxiety, ADD, OCD, suicidal ideation) and what it’s like for them to live on the rollercoaster that can be him. Bring your questions.

Lisa Lalonde
Currently near the end of her 6th decade, mental health advocate Lisa (Lala) Lalonde is still learning valuable life lessons every day. After living in several countries, Lala chose the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia as her home. With her varied life and work experience, an ex-husband and a late husband, plus a BA in criminology (with a minor in psychology), she felt qualified and excited to hop on the rollercoaster and embrace the role of wife and zookeeper to Big Daddy Tazz, her beloved, bi-polar, socially anxious, depressive dyslexic husband with OCD and ADHD. Together, they blended their families, started an entertainment agency, and travel North America bringing Tazzy’s message: “It’s ok to ask for help. You can do this. You’re loved.” Tazz and Lala hope to make a difference in people’s lives, one story and one hug at a time. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Even on the hard days, they always find something to laugh about.

Big Daddy Tazz
After years of denying that he had the mental illnesses and addictions that were controlling his life, Big Daddy Tazz realized that being a bipolar, socially anxious, obsessive-compulsive dyslexic with ADHD could either destroy or enhance his life . . . The choice was his. Today, audiences are happy to join him on his rapid cycle ride down the never-ending road to recovery as he tours North America. Often described as “one of the most talented comics in the business,” Tazz has been delighting crowds at fundraisers, corporate events and festivals as well as on television for more than 30 years. Equal parts comedian and mental health advocate, he has brought forth light and laughter for those living with mental illness by raising awareness on how stigma affects us all. Tazz believes in educating, embracing
and empowering everyone so that we can all stand tall and give stigma a bad name. His comedy appearances have included the prestigious Just For Laughs festival in Montreal, the Moncton Comedy Festival, and the CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival, which can be seen frequently on CBC Television and the Comedy Network. In 2023, he was the proud recipient of the Candy Award (founded by John Candy’s children) for his comedy career and work in mental health.

Out of My Mind

A humourous look at life’s triumphs and tribulations through the eyes of someone living with mental illness. After thirty years of denying he had the mental illnesses that were controlling his life, Big Daddy Tazz realized that being a manic-depressive, attention deficit, socially anxious, obsessive-compulsive dyslexic could either destroy or enhance his life: the choice was his.

A strong mental health advocate, who is often described as “one of the most talented comics in the business”, Tazz speaks candidly about his struggles, and ultimately his triumphs, over not only being diagnosed with mental illness, but facing the terrifying stigma that surrounds it. Audience members who live with mental illness and stigma (either their own or someone else’s), will find themselves empowered, inspired and proud of who they are, “warts” and all! Others gain a better understanding of how the ignorance of stigma can negatively impact so many, preventing them from finding the help they desperately seek. All will leave with the tools to make a positive, accepting difference as well as a heart full of laughter, light and compassion.

This has never been more important than during these uncertain times of Covid fatigue and widespread social anxiety. Tazz will take your audience on a journey to challenge old belief systems, build a better understanding of mental health challenges, and reimagine a more inclusive future.

Videos

Venom Energy
Loyalty Transport
Progress Club
Steelecraft
JNE
Architectural 49 Inc.
RBC
Agricultural & Agri Foods Canada
Canadian Society of Physical Engineers
PCS
SaskPower
CLR Construction
Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder

Testimonials

“Thanks Again for bringing Tazz to us. I have received great feedback from those in attendance last night. He was extremely funny, his material was relevant, and all done with an understanding of his audience. A thoroughly enjoyable time.” RBC Royal Bank

“Manitoba Veterinarians will be talking about Tazz’s performance for years to come! I’ve planned a few conferences in my career and I’ve never yet seen delegates respond to an entertainer with a standing ovation! Tazz was bang on with his read of the room and he set the mood for an evening of fun – an event planner’s dream!” Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association

“It was so nice to have an evening where everyone could laugh and no one felt uncomfortable. Tazz proves that you can get laughs without being foul or offensive”
CBC’s Winnipeg Comedy Festival

It’s incredible to watch a comedian as in the zone as Big Daddy Tazz was on Friday evening. The material is funny and well honed – and Tazz is so calm and focused he really does seem Buddha-like.

The show begins with the disembodied voice of Tazz reading from his diary. In some of the entries Tazz is suicidal, and in others he’s maniacally happy. You see, in real life, Tazz is bi-polar. Now, if I you are thinking Oh yuck. I prefer my comedy without a side-order of embarrassing human misery, thank you very much and hold on.

Tazz is at the peak of his game. But there’s something very modest and un-swaggering about his act. He’s in effortless control and his observations of Canadian life have a spark that takes them a little beyond more pedestrian standup fare. Example: Value Village it smells sort of like grandma’s house if she was cooking a skunk. He’s also very adaptive.
There were kids in the front row so he made a game of editing profanity from his routine – to hilarious effect.

In the insecure boys club of standup comedy, it’s rare to find an act that successfully connects with an audience in more than a modern-life-ridiculous kind of way. But, Tazz closes with inspirational quotes from Judy Garland and Mother Teresa and he isn’t being ironic. Somehow, it works.