James Mullinger (born 11 March 1978) is an

English-Canadian English Canadians (), or Anglo-Canadians (), refers to either Canadians of English ethnic origin and heritage or to English-speaking or Anglophone Canadians of any ethnic origin; it is used primarily in contrast with French Canadians. Canad ...

alternative comedian based in

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

. Though primarily a stand-up comic, Mullinger has held a number of roles in other media including a presenter of ''Blimey! An Englishman in Atlantic Canada'', co-writer and co-producer of ''

The Comedian's Guide to Survival ''The Comedian's Guide to Survival'' is a 2016 British-Canadian comedy film written by James Mullinger and Mark Murphy and starring James Buckley. Cast * James Buckley as James Mullinger * Myanna Buring as Nell * Paul Kaye as Phillip * Neil ...

'', and actor in the upcoming ''NBrexit''. In 2022, he published his memoir, ''Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream'', with

Goose Lane Editions Goose Lane Editions is a Canadian Publishing, book publishing company founded in 1954 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick as Fiddlehead Poetry Books by Fred Cogswell and a group of students and faculty from the University of ...

. In 2016, Mullinger broke

Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...

's record ticket sales at

Harbour Station TD Station (), formerly known as Harbour Station, is an arena located in the uptown area of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The arena is the home of the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. It was once the home o ...

and outsold performances including

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

, and

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

Early life

Mullinger grew up in

Maidenhead, Berkshire Maidenhead is a market town in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the county of Berkshire, England. It lies on the southwestern bank of the River Thames, which at this point forms the border with Buckinghamshire. In the 2021 Census, ...

. He was educated at

East Berkshire College Windsor Forest Colleges Group is a group of further education colleges located in Berkshire and Surrey, England. It was formerly known as East Berkshire College. It consists of Strode's College, Windsor College, Langley College, and the Berkshir ...

then studied English Literature and Women's Studies at

Kingston University Kingston University London is a Public university, public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South London, South West London, England. Its roots go back to the Kingston Technical Institute, founded ...

. Mullinger grew up seeing shows at Norden Farm and has since performed there. As a teenager, his favourite comedians included

Ben Elton Benjamin Charles Elton is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. One of the major figures in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, his early stand-up style was Left-wing politics, left-wing political satire ...

Frank Skinner Christopher Graham Collins (born 28 January 1957), known professionally as Frank Skinner, is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. At the 2001 British Comedy Awards, he was named Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. His televisio ...

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. Known for Steve Martin filmography, his work in comedy films, television, and #Discography, recording, he has received List of awards a ...

, and

Monty Python Monty Python, also known as the Pythons, were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy ser ...

Career

Mullinger began performing

stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...

in 2005. The same year, he reached the finals of

Jimmy Carr James Anthony Patrick Carr (born 15 September 1972) is an Irish-British comedian, presenter, writer and actor. He is known for his rapid-fire deadpan delivery of One-line joke, one-liners. He began his comedy career in 1997, and he has regula ...

's ''Comedy Idol'', '' You Must Be Joking'' at the

Newbury Comedy Festival The Newbury Comedy Festival was a festival of comedy which took place every July in the West Berkshire town of Newbury, in England. The last festival took place in 2012 although the ''You Must Be Joking'' new act competition continues on its own ...

, and ''Your Comedy Stars'' at the

Edinburgh Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...

. He also started the Upstairs at the Masons comedy club in the function room of

Mayfair Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...

's Masons Arms pub which, in addition to bringing in local comedians, attracted comedians such as

Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster and media personality. He established himself as a stand-up comedian and radio host before becoming a film actor. After beginning his career as a comedian and la ...

Richard Herring Richard Keith Herring (born 12 July 1967) is an English stand-up comedian and writer whose early work includes the comedy double act Lee and Herring (alongside Stewart Lee). He is described by ''The British Theatre Guide'' as "one of the leadin ...

Greg Davies Gregory Daniel Davies ( ; born 14 May 1968) is a Welsh comedian, actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known for his roles as Mr Gilbert in ''The Inbetweeners'' (2008–2010), Ken Thompson in ''Cuckoo'' (2012–2019), Dan Davies in '' Man ...

, and

Michael McIntyre Michael Hazen James McIntyre (born 21 February 1976) is a British comedian, writer, and television presenter. In 2012, he was the highest-grossing stand-up comedian in the world. He currently presents the variety and stand-up comedy show '' Mic ...

. His debut show in 2009, ''The Bad Boy of Feminism'', sold out at the

Camden Fringe The Camden Fringe is an arts festival in London, taking place over four weeks in the summer as an alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe. The first Camden Fringe took place in 2006 at the Etcetera Theatre. In 2017, the Camden Fringe sold 30,000 tic ...

. Since then, he has performed a number of shows—''James Mullinger's Schooldays'', ''The Man With No Shame'' (2012/2013), ''Living the Canadian Dream'' (2014/2015), and ''Anything is Possible''—across both Canada and the UK. ''The Man With No Shame'' was centred around readings from his teenage diaries. Between November 2011 and January 2012, Mullinger hosted ''Movie Kingdom'', a

web series A web series (also known as webseries, short-form series, and web show) is a series of short scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet (i.e. World Wide Web), which first emerged in the late 1 ...

co-created with friend and collaborator Mark Murphy. The pair reviewed movies and interviewed celebrities. It was later developed as a

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...

titled ''A Moment With'', which featured actors including

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. List of awards and nominations received by Anne Hathaway, Her accolades include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime ...

Andrew Garfield Andrew Russell Garfield (born 20 August 1983) is an English and American actor. After his breakout role in '' Boy A'' (2007), he came to international attention with the supporting role of Eduardo Saverin in the drama ''The Social Network'' ...

, and

Javier Bardem Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. In a career spanning over three decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, tw ...

and comedians

Jackie Mason Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza; ; June 9, 1928 – July 24, 2021) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. His 1986 one-man show ''The World According to Me!'' won a Special Tony Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, an Ace Award, ...

Ross Noble Ross Markham Noble (born 6 June 1976) is an English stand-up comedian and actor. Noble rose to mainstream popularity through making appearances on British television, particularly interviews and on panel shows such as '' Have I Got News for You' ...

, and

Stewart Lee Stewart Graham Lee (born 5 April 1968) is an English comedian. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, and deadpan delivery. Lee began his career in 1989 and formed the comedy duo Lee and Herring with Richard ...

. In 2016, he and Murphy collaborated on ''

'', a film based on and dramatising Mullinger's experiences as a comedian. ''

The Inbetweeners ''The Inbetweeners'' is a British coming-of-age television sitcom, which originally aired on E4 from 2008 to 2010 and was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. The series follows the misadventures of suburban teenager Willi ...

'' star James Buckley portrayed the fictionalised version of Mullinger. The same year, he worked with Hemmings House on ''City on Fire'', a documentary showing Mullinger getting ready for his first sold-out show at

and exploring his love of New Brunswick. He also finished shooting the first season of ''Comedy Bootcamp'' on

Bell Aliant Bell Aliant is a brand name used by Bell Canada for Telecommunications in Canada, telecommunications services in Atlantic Canada. Prior to 2015, Bell Aliant Inc. (formerly Aliant Inc.) was a separate company providing telecom services in the Atl ...

TV1 in 2016. In 2022, Mullinger published his memoir ''Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream'' with

. ''NBrexit'', his next major venture, is a sitcom about a comedian forced to move to Canada (whereas Mullinger made the choice) to escape a

Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...

scandal. It was filmed in

Miramichi The name "Miramichi" was first applied to a region in the northeast of New Brunswick, Canada, and has since been applied to other places in Canada and the United States. Although other interpretations have been suggested, it is believed that "Mirami ...

and claims to be the first English-speaking sitcom filmed and set entirely in New Brunswick. Mullinger also made an effort to employ people living in New Brunswick. It is scheduled to air in March 2023. Mullinger worked at '' GQ'' 2000-2014, starting during a two-week work experience after university. He was a journalist, comedy editor, and photo editor, and interviewed celebrities such as

Daniel Craig Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor. His accolades include two National Board of Review Awards, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. ...

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and film producer. Regarded as a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood icon, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Tom Cruise, various accolades, includ ...

, and

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...

. In 2012, he was at the centre of controversy when he airbrushed

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Primarily known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Ac ...

to look thinner and have longer legs. While the pushback was difficult, he said that the argument was valid and that he "was just an idiot" and that it was a "big mistake" rather than an intentional act of misogyny. Mullinger has appeared on ''Street-Cred Sudoku'' alongside

Robin Ince Robin Ince (born 20 February 1969) is an English comedian, actor and writer. He is known for presenting the BBC radio show '' The Infinite Monkey Cage'' with physicist Brian Cox, creating Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People, co-creatin ...

Sue Perkins Susan Elizabeth Perkins (born 22 September 1969) is an English actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer. Originally coming to prominence through her comedy partnership with Mel Giedroyc in ''Mel and Sue'', she progressed into radio a ...

and

Rufus Hound Rufus Hound (born Robert James Blair Simpson 6 March 1979) is an English actor, comedian and presenter. Early life Hound was born on 6 March 1979 in Essex and moved to Surrey at the age of 7. He was educated at Hoe Bridge School Woking, Fre ...

. In Canada, he toured the country for ''Blimey! An Englishman in Atlantic Canada'' and ''Atlantic Edition'' and played villain Mr. Green in the children's show ''Ug Wug''. Mullinger is also editor-in-chief of ''Maritime DIT', a quarterly publication centred on

Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the list of regions of Canada, region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landma ...

, and co-hosts ''Field & Mullinger's Underground Nights'' with Paul Field. He has been nominated for a Just for Laughs Comedy Award and a

Canadian Comedy Award The Canadian Comedy Awards (CCA) is an annual ceremony that awards the Beaver for achievements in Canadian comedy in live performance, radio, film, television, and Internet media. The awards were founded and produced by Tim Progosh in 2000. Th ...

for Best Live Show. Mullinger credits a comedy course taught by Logan Murray and Hils Jago for helping him garner the confidence needed to perform standup.

Personal life

Mullinger and his Canadian-born wife, Pam, moved to

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...

from

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 2014. His wife worked with '' Vanity Fair'' and ''

Wallpaper* ''Wallpaper'', stylized ''Wallpaper*'', is a publication focusing on design and architecture, fashion, travel, art, and lifestyle. The magazine was launched in London in 1996 by Canadian journalist Tyler Brûlé and Austrian journalist Alexander ...

'' while in London and as of 2022 was a marketing consultant and advertising director for several magazines, including '' Kinfolk''. The couple have two sons, Hunter and River, who play Mullinger's children in his show ''NBrexit''. Mullinger is a self-proclaimed feminist and has performed to benefit women's charities. On November 9, 2021, he became a

Canadian citizen Canadian nationality law details the conditions by which a person is a national of Canada. The primary law governing these regulations is the Citizenship Act, which came into force on February 15, 1977 and is applicable to all provinces and t ...

. As of 2022, Mullinger lives in the town of

Rothesay Rothesay ( ; ) is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies along the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It can be reached by a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from Wemyss Bay, which also offers an ...

References

External links

''The Maritime Edit'' official website

James Mullinger live
at the

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and ...

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

James Mullinger on why he loves Montreal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullinger, James Living people English male comedians Alumni of Kingston University People from Maidenhead English emigrants to Canada 21st-century English comedians Naturalized citizens of Canada Comedians from New Brunswick People from Rothesay, New Brunswick 1978 births Comedians from Berkshire