Canadian stand-up comedian and former talk show host Mike Bullard has died.
The 67-year-old Etobicoke native’s death was confirmed to CTV on Sunday afternoon by his family as well as long-time friend and Yuk Yuk’s co-founder, Mark Breslin.
Breslin told CTV News on Sunday afternoon that Bullard was found deceased in his apartment.
His cause of his death is not immediately known, Bullard’s half-brother, musician Chuck Jackson, told The Canadian Press. He said that the coroner is expected to confirm a cause of death later this week, adding that Bullard had some health problems.
Bullard’s family learned of his passing on Friday, Jackson said.
Breslin said that he met Bullard more than three decades ago after working with his younger brother Pat, who is also a TV host and stand-up comedian.
He remembered in those early days how Bullard asked him to give him as many emcee spots at Yuk Yuk’s as he could, telling him that he believed if he could work on his emceeing that would “put him in line to possibly do a talk show.”
“And it happened exactly as he said it would,” Breslin said.
Bullard went on to host two late-night talk shows: “Open Mike with Mike Bullard’ on CTV from 1997 to 2003, for which he won two Gemini awards, and ‘The Mike Bullard Show’ on Global from 2003 to 2004.
He then hosted Beyond the Mic with Mike Bullard on NewsTalk 1010 but left the program in the fall of 2016 after being charged with criminal harassment and obstruction of justice for allegedly stalking a former girlfriend.
In June 2018, Bullard pleaded guilty to a charge of harassing communications to the victim as well as breaching court orders. He was given a conditional discharge that included six months probation as well as attendance in a domestic violence program.
Breslin said Bullard will be remembered for having the longest-running talk show of anybody in Canada ever and for his professionalism.
“Somehow Mike just had that combination of talents that made it possible for that show to run, I think seven years, maybe eight. That’s unheard of,” he said.
“He was certainly one of the best stand-up comics in this country ever, especially when it came to crowd work and emceeing, and it’s sad that there are so many younger people in the country who don’t really know much about him.”
In 2022, Bullard travelled to Ukraine for four months to volunteer with a number of humanitarian groups following Russia’s invasion of the country.
Breslin said he initially didn’t believe that Bullard was telling him the truth about going to the eastern European nation, saying initially he thought he was joking about it.
“There was an idealistic side to Mike Bullard that a lot of people didn’t really see on the surface because he’s a gruff guy, but he’s got a heart of gold. He was a real sweetheart,” he said, adding that Bullard was kind to other comics and always tried to help them with their act .
“He was also a populist, and I mean that in the best way.”
Breslin added that Bullard took the time to chat with people who approached him on the street and was someone who “was in tune with blue-collar values.”
“I would say that he was the best comic in Canada to do crowd work. … meaning talking to somebody, they respond, then you saw something withering. They’d get a withering put down from him,” he smiled, adding Bullard was the one he looked to when he needed “real kick-ass emcee” if he had a club opening.
“Mike was absolutely the very best in the country at that.”
So far, no funeral arrangements have been made for Bullard, however a celebration of life will be held when family from abroad are able to gather. For now, Bullard’s family is asking to grieve in private.
With files from CTV News’ Luca Caruso-Moro and The Canadian Press