'A giant and a gentleman'

Comedians have been paying tribute to Canadian stand-up Irwin Barker, who has lost his three-year fight against terminal cancer.

A stand-up and writer for Canadian shows This Hour Has 22 Minutes and The Rick Mercer Report, he was diagnosed with the rare soft muscle cancer leiomyosarcoma in 2007.

He joked at the time that his doctor had given him twelve months to live, ‘but my lawyer says he can get it down to eight’.

Mercer broke the news of his colleague’s death on Twitter, posting: ‘RIP. A giant and a gentleman.’

And Last Comic Standing’s Debra DiGiovanni‎ Twittered: ‘RIP Irwin Barker-our community will feel the loss for years to come.’

After his diagnosis, Barker became an inspirational speaker on using humour as a coping mechanism, as well as performing ot several cancer charities.

In his 22-year comedy career Barker had been nominated five times for Canadian TVs’ Gemini Awards, four as a writer and once as a stand-up. Here is a sample of his set from the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal:

Published: 21 Jun 2010