Ernie Butler, Montreal comedy club owner

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on August 29th, 2007

Just got this from Jim Pacheco, Montreal radio station CJAD producer:

It’s with a heavy heart that I report on the passing of Comedy Nest owner and host of the CJAD Comedy Show, Ernie Butler. He passed away at 7:04am Wednesday from a short battle with stomach cancer. He was 58. He leaves behind his lovely wife Marie, and three children: Shannon, 17, Silver, 30, and Ryan, 19.

There will be a special tribute show tonight on CJAD from 11pm-Midnight EST, when the Comedy Show normally airs. It can be heard at CJAD. He will be sorely missed.

Thanks,

Jim Pacheco
Producer
CJAD Comedy Show

We just saw Ernie at the Hyatt, very briefly. We heard from another comedian that Ernie was ill, but we had no idea just how bad off he was. We emailed him just the other day for a progress report and to ask his permission to let the general public know about his illness. Of course, we never got a reply.

The Male Half recalls meeting Butler at Caroline’s, when it was on 8th St. in the Chelsea district, perhaps in 1986:

I finished my set and was making my way to the back of the house, when a short, mustachioed man seated in the audience handed me his business card– “Ernie Butler, Comedy Nest, Montreal, QC, Canada.”

He liked my set and he said he wanted to bring me to Montreal to headline me. I was very excited and especially so because he was the first person to headline me in a legitimate comedy club. We went to Montreal every year for many years thereafter and our association with Ernie is one of the longest ones we’ve had in this business.

Ernie’s love of standup– as proprietor of the Nest and as the host of his radio show– was quite obvious. He is one of the main reasons that Montreal is one of the best comedy towns in the world. We’ll miss him.

Our condolences go to Ernie’s family and to all the comics in Montreal.

Sign the Ernie Butler Guest Book at Legacy.com here.

Read the Montreal Gazetter obit here.

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