Lachlan Patterson, Vancouver Playhouse, Dec. 27 at 8 p.m. For more information visit lachlanpatterson.com.
Lachlan Patterson sold his first car, a 1979 Volkswagon, through the classifieds section of the North Shore News.
"This is a flashback because I used to be a landscaper on the North Shore, I used to be in rubbish removal and I used to advertise in those little classified sections," he told The News. "You guys got me a lot of work."
But this time, Patterson is on the phone from his home in Venice, Calif. to talk about his skyrocketing career as a standup comedian and his first-ever solo show on Dec. 27 - the only stop he has in Canada - at the Vancouver Playhouse.
"I've been all over that place as a landscaper, I think I've touched down in every neighbourhood in North Vancouver, I loved it," he said. "You can't really be funny as a gardener. That doesn't get the job done."
Patterson said he performed a few times on the North Shore dating back his first show in 1995, but he moved to California in 2007 to pursue his dream of a career in comedy.
"I think I've gotten to experience every level of comedy from performing in front of one person, having shows cancelled all the way to now having theatres," he noted.
The former North Shore local and West Vancouver secondary grad was a runner up on NBC's Last Comic Standing last season where he faced judgment from Wanda Sykes, Keenan Wayans, Russell Peters and Roseanne Barr.
And after one of his sets on the show, Barr said, "Your writing is fantastic and your delivery is one of a kind. I think you could take this whole show."
And it's been an unstoppable ride since the show wrapped.
Patterson is currently developing his own network series scheduled to premiere fall, 2015. Two weeks ago, he wrapped up his sold out, live 52-city Last Comic Standing tour.
"It's not like music where a kid can just be born with a great voice," he said. "You can't be born with an hour of comedy. The best way to write jokes is to fail for years and then you'll figure it out."
The NBC show was intense, Patterson said, but he spent all the time he could refining his set and enjoyed the experience.
"I have a sarcastic observationalism in me," he said. "I also have just things, some personal things that I'm going through right now in my life and it's nice to talk about those things because it's almost more a release."
Patterson said he's inspired by many of the great comedians who came before him, such as Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, Louis C.K., Bill Burr and other icons.
"I've tried really hard not to emulate anybody," he added. "I want to disguise my influence as best as I can but. .. people come up to me and say, 'You remind of Daniel Tosh, you remind me of Jim Gaffigan,' and I'm like, in my head, 'Noooo.'"But they are right in that I do love those comedians and those comedians make me laugh."
Much like his favourite comedians, Patterson said he hopes to continue working on pushing the envelope while engaging crowds by sharing the uncomfortable details from his life and observations."I never want to quit. I never want to retire from this," he said. "You could give me a billion dollars and I would keep going."For more information about Patterson and his upcoming show, visit lachlanpatterson.com.
