FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ottawa author to publish bio of late, great comedian, Greg Giraldo

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OTTAWA, December 12, 2018 – Ottawa-based author Wayne Jones has co-authored a biography of American comedian Greg Giraldo, who died in 2010. Jones and co-author Matt Balaker wanted to tell the lesser-known stories of Giraldo’s life, and to illustrate the impact he had on the comedy world. The Kickstarter-born book entitled Greg Giraldo: A Comedian’s Story, will be available in January 2019 on Amazon, in e-book, audio, and print formats.

In what they call a “labour of love,” the writers have assembled Giraldo’s story through more than 60 interviews with managers, his former wife, fellow comedians, friends, producers, and entertainment journalists and writers. Many fans know the surface details of Giraldo’s life through his comedy material, but readers will take a deeper dive into his days after Harvard Law School, ascension to cult comic icon, and premature demise from addiction.

The comedy world has already taken notice of Balaker and Jones’ book.

“I love this book because it’s another thing to carry on Greg’s legacy,” says comedian and actor Nick Swardson. “[Giraldo was] one of the best, honest comics of our time.”

ABOUT GREG GIRALDO

Originally from Queens, NY, Giraldo got his start in stand-up comedy in 1992. He performed at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montréal where he was discovered by an agent, and his career began to boom. Though Giraldo may be best known for his participation in the Comedy Central roast series, he could often be seen on late night television programs such as Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Late Show with David Letterman, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He was a regular at the popular Comedy Cellar club in Manhattan and made many appearances on the Howard Stern Show.

Throughout his career in comedy, he spoke candidly about his struggles with addiction and often incorporated themes of substance abuse and the accompanying challenges into his act. He died on September 29, 2010, at the age of forty-four, from an accidental overdose on prescription medications.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

mattbalaker Matt Balaker grew up in Carlsbad, California before moving to Los Angeles. He has worked in investment funds, independent movies, and has been performing stand-up comedy for 15 years. He currently lives in Orange County with his wife and two sons.

waynejones Wayne Jones was born in Newfoundland but has moved around for education and work. He’s lived in Ottawa twice for a total of almost twenty years and is currently living minutes from the Experimental Farm. He has a master’s degree in English and is currently the head of a university library in the city. Jones has published two novels as well as a book about the psychology of personal minimalism, and is currently at work on a biography of the 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson.