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Mike Bullard (comedian)

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Michael "Mike" Bullard (born June 12, 1957 in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada) is the former host of the late-night talk shows Open Mike with Mike Bullard on CTV and The Mike Bullard Show on Global and of the midday radio show, Beyond the Mic with Mike Bullard on CFRB. He is the brother of Pat Bullard and the half-brother of Downchild Blues Band lead singer Chuck Jackson.

Career

Stand-up comedy and television

A native of Mississauga, Bullard worked briefly as a police officer with Peel Regional Police in his youth but resigned when he was not permitted to moonlight in comedy clubs.[1] He then returned to Bell Canada where he had worked previously, and eventually was promoted to associate director of corporate investigation while also working part-time as a stand-up comic.[1]

His stand-up career led him to becoming the host of Open Mike in 1997. The late-night talk variety show, considered the first successful Canadian attempt at the genre,[2] aired nightly for six seasons on The Comedy Network and the CTV Television Network and won a Gemini Award.[3] In 2003, Bullard was hired away by Global with a multi-year deal to host The Mike Bullard Show in the same timeslot;[4] but the new show was cancelled on March 12, 2004 after 13 weeks due to poor ratings against The Daily Show with Jon Stewart which CTV aired against Bullard's new show. After leaving CTV, Bullard accused executives at his old network of not supporting the show and of being "dysfunctional", resulting in countercharges of "bitterness" against Bullard who was described as having "burned his bridges" with CTV and the Comedy Network.[5]

Radio

Following his show's cancellation, Bullard resumed his career as a stand-up comic playing in comedy clubs such as Yuk Yuk's, released a comedy CD, did commercials for a weight loss clinic, and made a cameo appearance at the Gemini Awards taking part in a skit in which he played a corpse protesting "I'm not dead yet!" while paramedics removed him from the stage. In October 2006, Bullard launched an uncensored morning satellite radio show on XM Canada's Laugh Attack channel, but the program was cancelled after five months.[6]

Bullard returned to TV to host HouseCapades, a real estate series depicting the lighter side of selling one's home, in 2006.[7] In August 2009, Bullard became the host of The Mike Bullard Show on Talk820 Radio (CHAM-AM) in Hamilton, Ontario, however his evening drive show was cancelled when CHAM switched to a country music format in July 2010.[8]

From 2010 to 2016, Bullard hosted Beyond the Mic with Mike Bullard weekdays at noon on Newstalk 1010 in Toronto.

Bell Media, which owns CFRB, severed ties with Bullard on October 5, 2016 after he was charged with criminal harassment of his ex-girlfriend, Cynthia Mulligan.[1]

As of July 2017, Bullard has allegedly breached his bail conditions four times including allegedly breached court conditions to stay away from Mulligan and for moving from his previous surety's home, where he was required to reside, without court approval. He faces additional charges of obstructing justice for allegedly trying to get her to have the initial charges dropped[9] and for allegedly breaching his bail conditions.[10]

In May 2018, three more charges were laid against Bullard: two counts of failure to comply with bail conditions and one count of attempting to obstruct justice. He was released on $10,000 bail on new conditions requiring him to reside with his half-brother, Chuck Jackson, who posted bail.[11]

On June 8, 2018, Bullard pleaded guilty to one count of harassing communication for making harassing phone calls to Mulligan and two counts of violating his bail conditions by contacting her through a third party.[12] He was given a conditional discharge, put on six month probation and must attend a domestic violence program.[13] His other charges were dropped earlier in the month.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c Henry, Michele; Donovan, Kevin (14 November 2016). "Radio host Mike Bullard charged with criminal harassment". The Toronto Star.
  2. ^ "Mike Bullard (Profile)". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 28 September 1998.
  3. ^ Brioux, Bill (26 November 2004). "Bullard's party". Canoe.ca.
  4. ^ "Bullard premieres on Global next month". Broadcaster Magazine. 22 October 2003.
  5. ^ "UPDATE: Global axes Mike Bullard". Broadcaster Magazine. 12 March 2004.
  6. ^ Armstrong, Denis (5 October 2007). "Bullard may host CBC game show". Canoe.ca.
  7. ^ Brioux, Bill (5 May 2006). "Open house with Mike Bullard". Canoe.ca.
  8. ^ http://www.airchecker.ca/2010/07/23/cham-goes-country-fires-12-staffers/
  9. ^ http://www.torontosun.com/2017/06/28/mike-bullard-freed-on-bail-after-fourth-breach-of-conditions
  10. ^ https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/01/20/mike-bullards-next-court-appearance-set-for-march-on-harassment-charges.html
  11. ^ https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/05/17/police-arrest-comedian-mike-bullard-and-lay-3-new-charges-against-him.html
  12. ^ https://www.chatelaine.com/news/cynthia-mulligan-mike-bullard-qa/
  13. ^ https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4699244
  14. ^ https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/06/01/former-talk-show-host-mike-bullard-sees-two-charges-against-him-dropped.html
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