by Grady Mitchell | “In my house, everybody was loyal to the funny,” says comedian Dino Archie. Growing up in Fresno, California, his family held a house philosophy of good-natured ribbing, so he learned to dish it out and, maybe even more importantly, to take it, too. On Friday, June 27, he’ll showcase a lifetime’s worth of talent when he performs at The River Rock Casino with Ivan Decker, Brent Morin, and David Merheje.

Not all his family were amateur jokers and performers. His uncle, for example, was a professional comedian, and his grandfather was a preacher. “He could sing like one of the Four Tops,” Dino says. “He would preach freestyle; he would never write.” He saw the same crowds every week, and he had to keep them entertained. Although the message is different, the lessons Dino learned from his grandpa’s delivery are invaluable. That influence, along with early black comics like Richard Pryor, movies like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Hollywood Shuffle, and shows like In Living Color, served as the foundation for his comedy. Although he writes much of his material, he often launches impromptu riffs in his shows, much like his grandpa. Usually those moments involve audience members, and the better ones sometimes get added to his regular rotation.

Originally, Dino wanted to be behind the scenes, not onstage. He dreamed of being a screenwriter and attended film school to learn how to make movies, not star in them. Then a friend signed him up for an open mike in North Hollywood. After five minutes onstage, he was hooked. Since then he’s been performing three or four shows every week.

A few years ago he came to visit a friend living in BC. Gripped by the city’s thriving comedy scene, a month-long visit turned into something much longer. Vancouver offered a vibrant community of talented comics, and the perfectly-sized market for Dino to hone his skills. For the past 3 years he has bounced between LA and Vancouver, telling jokes almost nightly. Whether an intimate club or a massive theatre like the River Rock, Dino’s goal is always the same: “Play to the guy at the back of the room. If you can grab the guy in the last row, you’ll snatch everyone ahead of him, too.”

To buy tickets to the Vancity Summer Comedy Extravaganza, click here.

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