From early days performing backyard skits to headlining sold-out tours, Bette MacDonald’s journey has been as inspiring as it has been entertaining.

“Comedy has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she shares with Celtic Life International via email from her home in Nova Scotia.

As a youngster, MacDonald’s basement and backyard doubled as performance venues, often with only neighborhood moms as audiences. As such, comedy was always a family affair – a fun and safe testing ground for new material.

“We still carry that tradition. Every tour has a dress rehearsal for our family, and their feedback ensures our shows are shipshape. And here we are – thirty years later, I am more excited about performing than ever.”

The secret to making something funny, she has learned, is keeping things simple.

“Comedy is about making big things small and small things big. For example, one of my characters, Wayne Tomko, treats a minor accomplishment as being worthy of the national news, and something like a fender bender is a monumental disaster that could end in fisticuffs.”

Her ability to find humor in the mundane of everyday life resonates with audiences of all ages – a skill honed through years of keen observation and reflection.

“I am inspired by other people’s stories. In fact, the funniest people I know aren’t professional performers – they are my own family members, working in fields like law and social work. If they ever took to the stage, I would be out of a job!”

Collaborating with her husband, Maynard Morrison has been a major factor in her success.

“Working with Maynard is both a joy and a necessity – we now share a brain.”

Her writing, paired with his expert handling of logistics, allows for a division of labor that eventually evolved into a “well-oiled machine.”

“We are not just colleagues – we are great friends and happily married. I am eternally grateful for that…”

The couple found creative ways to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We started a video series called Stuck in the House, featuring a group of guys who rarely leave their square mile. It kept us engaged and connected with our audience during a tough time.”

Now, thankfully, live audiences are back in full force.

“There is a lot of relief and gratitude as people are hungry for live entertainment again. We have long-time fans who’ve been with us for decades, and newer faces who discovered us through the TV show Mr. D. Our core audience tends to be older, and they are the most fun – they really know how to party!”

As for the younger crowd, MacDonald notes, “I hope they will put their screens away and experience live shows. There’s nothing quite like it.”

With the continued rise of social media and the simultaneous reduction of content length, the comedian has adjusted, making the most of new opportunities and challenges.

“Social media has been great for promotion, but it has also shortened attention spans. As someone who works in long-form entertainment, I find the idea of 60-second productions mystifying.”

Her advice for aspiring comedians is a testament to her own experience.

“Learn everything you can and work with as many people as possible. Your job is to serve the script and respect the audience – they paid good money to see you.”

The next 12 months will see MacDonald and Morrison keeping busy with the business of being funny.

“I will spend the winter writing, then hit the road in the spring with another of my shows – Made in Cape Breton. After some beach time in the summer, it’s back to work on the next Christmas show. “This career has been a gift. Recently, Maynard and I talked about how lucky we are to do what we love. It is a good thing, too, as I am – admittedly – absolutely not qualified to do anything else!”

bettemacdonald.com