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Angelo Tsarouchas

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Tsarouchas interviewed on Canada Day 2011

Angelo Tsarouchas (Greek: Άγγελος Τσαρούχας) is a Canadian comedian, actor, and writer living in Los Angeles.[1][2] He is known for incorporating Greek culture into his stand-up comedy routines,[3] and has been called the "King of Greek Ethnic Comedy."[4] He organized World Dafni Day, a celebration of Greek diaspora from Dafni, his father's birthplace.[5]

Career

Angelo Tsarouchas was born in Montreal to Greek immigrant parents.[6] Tsarouchas' father was from Sparta, while his mother was from Mytilene. Tsarouchas learned Greek at an early age as a result of his mother's struggles with learning English.[7] During high school, Tsarouchas performed comedy acts in variety shows.[4]

Tsarouchas temporarily gave up his dreams of becoming a comedian when he married his first wife, because she did not believe in pursuing a career in comedy.[8] He founded several small businesses including a restaurant, a travel agency and a bowling alley. After his first marriage ended, Tsarouchas' business dissolved and he was left with only $900 to his name.[8] He decided to drive to from Ottawa to Toronto, where he began pursuing a career in comedy.[6]

During his early years as a comedian, he performed in small comedy clubs like Yuk Yuk's.[9] His stand-up comedy began to gain critical praise in the early 2000s,[10] when Tsarouchas toured Canada and the United States.[11][12][13] Tsarouchas has performed at various comedy tours and festivals, including the Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days and 30 Nights – Hollywood to the Heartland, the Russell Peters World Tour, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Just for Laughs festival.[14][15][16] He starred in the comedy specials Still Hungry, It's All Greek to Me and Bigger is Better.[17][8]

Much of his stand-up routines center on his experiences as a part of the Greek diaspora,[18] and he is known for his distinctive style of observational humor.[4] He played Detective Muldoon the children's mystery show The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo from 1996 to 1999.

He starred as Vinnie D'Angelo in the 2011 comedy film Fred and Vinnie opposite Fred Stoller.[19] He won "Best Actor Award" for the role at the London Greek Film Festival,[20] and was nominated for "Best Actor" at the 14th Canadian Comedy Awards.[21]

Tsarouchas produced the documentary Back to Sparta, about his experiences returning to Sparta, where his father's family originated.[22][23]

In 2016, Tsarouchas had the idea of organizing a festival in Dafni, Laconia to celebrate the Dafnian diaspora abroad. He also starred in 2017 along his fellow comedian Russell Peters in small role in The Indian Detective in episode 1 as an informant in car.

The first World Dafni Day was celebrated on August 15, 2019, and brought around 2,000 visitors to the village of 900 people.[5]

Personal life

Tsarouchas became engaged to Armenian-American businesswoman Alina Basil in 2009.[9] The couple married and have a daughter.[6]

References

  1. ^ Nikolouli, Sotiria (November 11, 2013). "Greek Canadian Comedian Angelo Tsarouchas Returns". Greek Reporter. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Vlessing, Etan (November 15, 2013). "Vince Vaughn Develops New Show Starring Stand-Up Comedian Angelo Tsarouchas". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Sakellis, Eleni (October 17, 2020). "Ari Kalogeropoulos Talks to TNH about Connecting Greeks thru Humor & Entertainment". The National Herald. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Hristova, Ianitza. "Uncomfortable about Ethnic Jokes? Let the Kings of Ethnicity Relax You!". Montreal Rampage. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Alepidis, Marianna (May 26, 2021). "How Angelo Tsarouchas' idea in a Melbourne cafe, overtook a small village in Greece". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Ethnic comic has a Canadian accent". windsorstar. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  7. ^ "Angelo Tsarouchas – The big Greek-Canadian comedian with the even bigger talent". www.ellines.com. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Katsageorgis, Yanna. "Angelo Tsarouchas, It's All Greek to Me, Talks to TNH". The National Herald. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  9. ^ a b https://www.pressreader.com/canada/ottawa-citizen/20091214/283175784600873. Retrieved August 30, 2021 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ Lofaro, Tony (December 14, 2000). "Ottawa standup comic, actor travels in a new direction for a few laughs". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Brownstein, Bill (December 16, 2003). "Tsarouchas brings back his hit revue". The Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Lofaro, Tony (June 10, 2004). "Ethnic comedians in demand". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Lofaro, Tony (July 15, 2011). "Big comic, even bigger buzz". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Angelo Tsarouchas comes home for Just For Laughs – Montreal | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  15. ^ "The Funny Greek returns to Australia". Neos Kosmos. April 4, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  16. ^ "Big Heart Equals Big Funny... — Greek City Times". June 13, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  17. ^ ""It's all Greek to me" in Irvine". GreekReporter.com. October 2, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "Greeks turn to comedy to make light of their economic tragedies". the Guardian. December 27, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  19. ^ Whittaker, Richard (October 22, 2011). "AFF: 'Fred and Vinnie'". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "Greek Canadian Comedian Angelo Tsarouchas Returns". GreekReporter.com. November 11, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  21. ^ "Nominations & Awards Archives | Canadian Comedy Awards". www.canadiancomedyawards.org. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  22. ^ Grignon, Denis (July 18, 2015). "Canadian Angelo Tsarouchas on Last Comic Standing". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  23. ^ "Greek-Canadian stand-up comic bringing laughs to Athens". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
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