It’s not a bad gig for a former teacher. Gerry Dee is about to release his first standup special on Netflix, bringing the dry observational wit he’s known for in Canada to a global audience.
Dee has hosted Family Feud Canada since 2019, and before that he was the creator, writer, and star of the CBC comedy Mr. D. His Netflix special — Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That — debuts Nov. 18.
Filmed in July at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, the special offers Dee’s take on topics such as open marriages, the truth about Santa, and yes, the nine years he spent teaching at a private school.
“Every step of the way in my life, at one point that was the goal — to be a teacher,” Dee said in an interview with Montreal radio station The Beat 92.5. “And I loved it. And then I entered this world of standup, and I left it.
“I just feel so lucky. You go out and pursue your goals and dreams and everything. And then when you hit them, it’s like, wow.”
The son of Scottish immigrant parents, Dee was born in Scarborough, Ont. He grew up in Toronto, played hockey in university, and studied kinesiology, athletic therapy and education. Once he made the pivot to standup comedy, he was all in.
Eventually he landed a special on Canadian channel The Comedy Network, performed at Just for Laughs, and appeared in the 2006 film Trailer Park Boys: The Movie. And all that was before he competed on the fifth season of the NBC series Last Comic Standing, placing third.
“To finally have my first Netflix special is truly a highlight of my career,” Dee said in a statement announcing the news.
“After 25 years of standup and years on television, there is no bigger platform to share my comedy. The energy of performing in Montreal for Just for Laughs was incredible, and I can’t wait for people around the world to see the special.”
Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That comes during the season 7 run of Family Feud Canada, airing Monday to Thursday on CBC and CBC Gem. Dee also plays Templeton Dudge in the Fox sitcom Animal Control, which has been renewed for a fourth season. Another of his comedy specials, Gerry Dee: Let’s Be Honest, is streaming on Roku Channel and Prime Video.