Ron Sparks
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| Ron Sparks | |
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| Born | May 20, 1978 Canada |
| Official website | |
Ron Sparks is a Canadian comedian, actor and writer. He was born in Chatham, Ontario but lives in Toronto, Ontario, where he is best known as a stand-up comedian and regular and favourite juror on MuchMusic's highest-rated show, Video on Trial. He also starred as The Judge in the MuchMusic "Holiday Wrap" special Stars on Trial.
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[edit] Biography
Ron Sparks is a Canadian comedian, writer and actor. He first began performing as a member of York University's Vanier Improv Company but soon ventured into sketch comedy with much success. Ron's troupe, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, were nominated four straight years (2003-2006) for Canadian Comedy Awards for Best Sketch Troupe, winning in 2003 and 2004. In 2006 they were also featured on the CBC special Sketch with Kevin McDonald, for which they won a third Canadian Comedy Award for "Best Taped Live Performance".
He began doing stand-up in April 2003 and within months had won the prestigious Tim Sims Award, given to Toronto's most promising new comedian. He then also won the 2004 Canadian Comedy Award for "Best Stand-up Newcomer". Frank Magazine described him as "the next stand-up wunderkind". He is a regular at such Toronto's comedy shows as the ALTdot COMedy Lounge, Sketch Comedy Lounge, The Laugh Resort, Open Mic @ Spirits, Yuk-Yuks, The Tim Sims Playhouse, Second City and Pirate Video Cabaret.
On television he stars in MuchMusic's highest rated show Video on Trial and its spin-off, Stars on Trial. He has been featured on CBC's Ha!ifax Comedy Festival and The Canadian Comedy Awards: Nice Stand-up Special and can be seen as the Hollywood Correspondent on The Toronto Show. Ron has also made appearances on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Ed the Sock, Heat Meter, and CBC Radio's Brave New Waves and Out Front.
He is also a writer, and starred in his own series of shorts for The Comedy Network, From the Desk of Ron Sparks, for which he won another Canadian Comedy Award for "Best One Person Show" in 2005. He has written for CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes and has won several awards as a playwright.
In 2007 he taped his own Comedy Now! special for CTV which will air in September 2008. He also recorded his first stand-up comedy album in 2007.
[edit] Awards
- Five Canadian Comedy Awards (Best Sketch Troupe, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, 2003-2004; Best Stand-up Newcomer, 2004; Best One Person Show, 2005; Best Taped Live Performance, 2006).
- The 2003 Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award.
- Voted "North America's Sexiest Comedian" at the 2007 Canadian Comedy Awards "Statelessness of the Industry" address.
- First place in York University playwrighting competition, 2000 and 2001. Second place in 1999.
- Grand Theatre Stage Presence Competition winner for young theatre artists in 1997.
[edit] Video on Trial
In newer episodes of Video on Trial he is listed as having fake occupations instead of just "comedian". He has been billed as such things as (in order of use):
- a handsome bachelor
- a movie star
- a hand model
- a member of the Justice League
- the president of the Shawn Desman Fan Club (an in-joke, as Ron often makes fun of Desman)
- a Man About Town
- a Ghost Whisperer
- a haberdasher
- a vampire slayer
- the inventor of techno music (coincidentally during an episode featuring a techno music video)
- a Crocodile Hunter
- a Ninja Assassin
- a macaroni artist
- a non-union stunt man
- star of "Sorority Shootout"
- a birdhouse architect
- "Not Cool in the '80s" (During the "80s Supertsars" episode)
- Santa's Biggest Elf (During the "Holiday Crap" episode)
- Benson's Butler (Totally 80s Video On Trial)
[edit] External links
- Ron's MySpace page
- Official website
- Diamondfield Entertainment
- Ron Sparks at the Internet Movie Database
- From the Desk of Ron Sparks at the Internet Movie Database
- Gazebo Pals videos on YouTube
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Yellow Jacket | The Suit |
| 1999 | Let's Get Real! | Captain Amazing |
| 2000 | Fangs of My Heart | Voice |
| 2002 | Sweetener | Businessman |
| 2002 | Frequency Zero | Oke |
| 2003 | "The Toronto Show" | Ron the Hollywood Correspondent |
| 2003 | "Ed's Night Party" | Himself |
| 2003 | Cream of Comedy 2003 | Nominee/Winner |
| 2004 | Ham & Cheese | Comedy Club Patron |
| 2005 | "From the Desk of Ron Sparks" | Various Characters |
| 2005 | "Ed's Nite In" | Park Ranger Ron |
| 2005 | "Canadian Comedy Shorts" | Various Characters |
| 2005 - Present | "Video on Trial" | Himself |
| 2005 | "Reel Review" | Correspondent |
| 2005 | Stars on Trial | The Judge |
| 2006 | "The Ha!ifax Comedy Fest" | 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 |
