By: Maria Williams
Once a street performer and juggler who took his performances worldwide, Byron Bertram has found a new stride in stand-up comedy. His style combines bold energy, vocal versatility, and a fearless dive into personal, often raw, experiences. Now, his debut comedy special is about to premiere. “Live from the Biltmore” is set to go up on the 800 Pound Gorilla YouTube channel on November 10th. The special takes this Vancouver native full circle, filmed in the hometown where his family’s legacy of creativity and art began.
High Energy, Meet Confident Vulnerability
Bertram calls it “Confident vulnerability.” His stage persona is fearless and animated, creating a rich gallery of voices and characters that can draw in all kinds of listeners. He aims at relatable topics like dating, culture, and personal mishaps, pairing them with insightful commentary that complements the humor.
“Live from the Biltmore” will build on this style. Bertram will find humor in stories from his own life, such as dating in his 40s or being bullied in his youth for being one of the few white students at an all-Asian high school (which is where he turned to humor as a defense). He’ll also draw on the international experiences of his upbringing and his career.
He’s already performed in over 30 countries and is on the way to building up a global perspective that colors his material. It allows him to speak with levity to audiences from various backgrounds. Bertram’s comedy is surprisingly grounded, connecting quickly enough that he can lose the filter and put his energy into vocal impressions and a fascinating, dynamic physicality.
There’s this unique aspect to his performance besides the movement and the specific jokes. Sure, he’s funny, but audiences also just like him. He makes people feel comfortable. It makes laughing easier.
“Treat Comedy As Golf”
Things don’t always come easy for Bertram. It’s often been the opposite. A comedian’s life is demanding, with grueling schedules, constant travel, fierce competition, and the occasional gatekeeping club owners who are overly serious about deciding what’s funny and what’s not.
Bertram has learned to focus on his work instead of trying to compete with everyone else in the industry. “Treat Comedy as golf,” he says, “You can’t control what other people are doing or how talented your competition is. All you can do is get better at your own game.”
By now, Betram has overcome enough challenges and racked up enough accomplishments to reliably be called the real deal. He’s appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent,” acted in a Tim Burton film, and made notable television appearances on “Supernatural” and “Riverdale.” He’s got the confidence of 800 Pound Gorilla Media–known for using their YouTube channel to spotlight comics like Mark Normand, Leanne Morgan, and Sean Patton–who have put their backing behind Bertram’s debut special.
Performing More Than Comedy
Bertram loves his comedy career, but he’s been a performer for a long time and dreams of an expanding footprint. He wants to perform in theaters worldwide and host a podcast on his passion for history. Bertram dreams that one day he can play against type and become “a recurring bad guy character in a popular TV show.” For now, though, his important step is his “Live from the Biltmore,” special debuting on November 10. With his dynamic physicality, great impressions, and personal, fearless humor, this comedian on the rise will bring his unique comedic style to each show.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
