(L-R) Comedians Papa Larry, Alex Seguin, Niek Theelen, Nick Fraser, J.R. Bjorson, and Robert Crane presenting a $1,050 cheque to Brian Ennis and Frank Beuer of the Team Alex Suicide Prevention Society on Friday. (Supplied)

By Alessia Proietti

Booze & Budz

Local comedy groups raises over $1,000 for Team Alex Suicide Prevention Society

Oct 12, 2022 | 3:41 PM

Local comedy group Booze & Budz has presented the Team Alex Suicide Prevention Society with a $1,050 cheque, raised from their first “Laughter Saves Lives” show.

The cheque was presented to the Society on Friday, October 7, in front of the Employment Placement & Support Services (EPSS) non-profit organization (2830 Bremner Ave). The show took place on September 24 at the Red Deer Memorial Centre (4214 58 St), with Booze & Budz founders Robert Crane, Papa Larry and Niek Theelen, members Nick Fraser and J.R. Bjorson, guest comedian Alexx Seguin and headlined by Rahul Kapoor.

“Everybody needs laughter. You’ve had a hard day, a hard week, hard month; having a really good laugh seems to just take all that weight off your shoulders no matter what it is,” said Crane. “A good laugh heals.”

The Booze & Budz group was created roughly two years ago with the goal to hold comedy shows that would help local organizations.

Apart from their “A Not So Sober Christmas” last December, fundraising for the Red Deer Christmas Bureau this year, Crane says they chose Team Alex after hearing about the cause.

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According to its website, the Society’s mission is to eliminate suicide by improving mental health supports and awareness among youth in sports, offering trainings for coaches, parents and players. Its founder, Brian Ennis, created the Society following the death of his son Alex by suicide in 2019.

“I grew up in sports teams and it was always ‘suck it up, deal with it, move on, put it to the next game’. You have no time for feelings. And I’m like ‘that’s not the way things should be done’,” said Crane.

“We need to get the stigma out of sports and not lose any more bright people.”

READ: Mental health training starting for central Alberta sports coaches in honour of lost Red Deer man

The non-profit’s storey touched Crane, as he says he hasn’t had it easy either in his life.

In his youth, Crane entered Toronto’s Stop Now and Plan (SNAP) program to help with his anger management struggles resulting from a difficult home life.

Later on, he found himself battling with his own thoughts of suicide after discovering his wife was having an affair.

Living temporarily in a hotel room, it was then that Crane says comedy began to help him heal.

“Laughter does save lives. I feel like every comedian out there should actually have a doctorate in it, essentially,” he said.

Following an accident in 2017, Crane believes that is when his “comedy brain” kicked into high gear, creating continuous jokes on the spot and inspiring his own stand-up comedy journey.

Today, Crane says he has found happiness in helping people and local non-profits through laughter.

“As much as people feel like they’re in that rut, I highly suggest going out and getting that laugh. Sometimes people say you need to get that cry out to get over something; I say you need to get that laugh out because once you get that laugh out, it brings that joy over you,” he said.