Jim Tavare
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Jim Tavare

Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF

Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 2014
Solo Comedy Comedy

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"Comedian Jim Tavare Uses Music For Big Laughs"

Blessed with the seal of approval from none other than Prince Charles, U.K. comedian Jim Tavare is an internationally acclaimed talent who combines his musical skills into his raucous comedy act, creating an element of surprise and verve into his performances. With an array of unpredictable impressions and musical interludes, Tavare has shined at festivals and competitions across the world, parlaying his success into appearances in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Last Comic Standing. Experience a unique twist on the traditional stand-up routine with this impressive master of music and mirth. - Goldstar


"Comedian Jim Tavare Uses Music For Big Laughs"

Blessed with the seal of approval from none other than Prince Charles, U.K. comedian Jim Tavare is an internationally acclaimed talent who combines his musical skills into his raucous comedy act, creating an element of surprise and verve into his performances. With an array of unpredictable impressions and musical interludes, Tavare has shined at festivals and competitions across the world, parlaying his success into appearances in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Last Comic Standing. Experience a unique twist on the traditional stand-up routine with this impressive master of music and mirth. - Goldstar


"Jim Tavare Brings Funny Musical Act To Abu Dhabi"

Shortly before the most prestigious and nerve-racking show of his life, Jim Tavaré received a warning from the staff at Highgrove, the country home of Prince Charles.
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“They said: ‘Don’t look at the Queen. She doesn’t laugh; she’s seen every comic ever’,” recalls the distinctive stand-up, of his dealings with the British royal family. “But she sat right at the front, two or three people with her, laughing her head off – and the others weren’t. Then when they saw her laughing they all started joining in, by default. So I have immense respect for the lady.”

Tavaré, who appears at Heroes in the Crowne Plaza in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night as part of the Laughter Factory tour, really is enjoying the most remarkable career. Once renowned as Prince Charles’s favourite comedian, he now lives in Los Angeles and is much in demand for horror movies and hip music videos.

In the evenings, he returns to his regular line of work, appearing at a local comedy club in tuxedo and tails, with his ever-present double bass. That instrument may have been cumbersome to drag around London while working the clubs, but it certainly opened doors; other famous names on his CV include Michael Bublé and Harry Potter.

The Manchester-raised comic had initially dreamed of becoming a professional double-bassist and also dabbled with stand-up, “Then I thought, hang on, I’ve got this bass, I could do something a bit different.”

The result was so successful that his act has remained roughly similar ever since, the material evolving to suit new environments. Tavaré’s comedy persona is a sort of bemused classical musician who appears to have wandered onto the wrong stage but has a sharp ear for a musical punchline (the Jaws theme is particularly versatile in this respect).

Having discovered that unique niche, he made rapid strides, even securing his own BBC television show, which also launched the career of Ricky Gervais, and several appearances at the Royal Variety Performance. That televised gala can massively boost an artist’s status, but Tavaré’s performance propelled him in an unexpected direction.

“Prince Charles was an amateur cello player and I think he saw me on the Royal Variety, thought I had a cello and started becoming a fan,” ponders the comic. Tavaré has performed numerous shows for the royal family, the grandest being the aforementioned event – a banquet celebrating the King of Greece’s 60th birthday. “There were literally 26 crowned heads of state there,” he recalls. “It wasn’t the easiest gig.”

Does that royal approval still prove useful? “I should have the royal charter on the back of my bass,” he laughs. “But if I go to America and mention it, they think I’m making it up.”

Los Angeles may seem an unlikely destination for this slightly dour Englishman, but the prestigious acting school RADA is also on his resume, and his tall, bald, boggle-eyed looks have earned some high-profile film and TV roles. The move came about because of a successful stint on Last Man Standing, an American reality show featuring comedians; meanwhile, a memorable cameo in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban helped his Stateside stand-up career. “Harry Potter was huge there and even though I only had a five-minute role in it, they came out to see me – the college kids. I did a whole college tour just based on Tom the Innkeeper.”

His current live work includes some lavish Las Vegas dates in the US. In 2004, Tavaré toured the UK with Michael Bublé, for example, albeit in a less luxurious fashion than the hot new crooner. “He had a big tour bus and I decided to rent an RV, a small one for myself and my wife and we just followed the convoy,” he recalls. “Occasionally we’d have a hotel but usually we’d just park the van on the street.”
Not that Bublé was off-limits. The comedian got to play occasional onstage bass with the “lovely” Canadian, and supporting him at the majestic Royal Albert Hall was another career highlight. A connoisseur of classy venues, the comic is clearly relishing this Emirates break, having toured here before.

“Great sound systems, big crowds every night, it’s really enjoyable,” he says. “And big hotels.” It certainly beats sleeping in a van.


• Jim Tavaré’s show at Heroes in the Crowne Plaza on Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi, starts at 9pm, as part of the Laughter Factory. Tickets are Dh140, available from www.timeouttickets.com

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- The National


"Harry Potter Actor Competes To Be Last Comic Standing"

Actor Jim Tavare, who portrayed Tom the innkeeper of The Leaky Cauldron pub in the “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” film, has been expanding his talents in competing on the NBC reality show, “Last Comic Standing,” on which he is now among the 12 finalists. The object of the show is to find the funniest comics from around the world and compete in Las Vegas, Nevada for the ultimate prize of being the last comic standing after the viewing audience votes. This is not the first time Mr. Tavare has participated in a humorous endeavor, for readers will remember Mr. Tavare was kind enough to join TLC in our 2004 April Fools’ joke where he took control of this Cauldron for a day of fun and foolishness. Clips and previews featuring Mr. Tavare from the show are available via NBC.com, as are full episodes. A slight caution for parents, some material from the show may be unsuitable for younger viewers. Congratulations to Jim! - The Leaky Cauldron.org


"Jim Tavaré: A Comedian and His Double Bass"

Jim Tavaré is a man of many talents. From being one of the only foreign finalists on "The Last Comic Standing" to receiving a recurring role in the upcoming season of "Californication,"he has certainly achieved success; however, most of us may know him better as Tom the Innkeeper from the popular film "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," or as the beloved dancing old man from the Six Flags commercials. However, did his performance at St. Norbert on Nov. 9 live up to his reputation?
The answer from those who went would be a "yes."
Tavaré walked out on stage, dressed in tuxedo and wielding a large double bass (an instrument that looked like a giant cello) and drily began to talk to the empty seats in the front row; if Jim proved anything, it was that he was very capable of adjusting his act on the fly, making jokes and turning the variables in the situation to his own advantage, including striking up conversations with various people walking by and overreacting to the occasionally buggy sound system, much to the audience's delight. He was a very active speaker for someone so deadpan, delivering hilarious impressions of Johnny Cash, Elvis and even Jimi Hendrix with his large double bass; he kept his audience involved and they appreciated every bit of it.
Music was constantly present throughout the act, as Tavaré used the double bass to perform various wedding marches, including Darth Vader's Imperial March for those Scientology marriages. However, when he wasn't successfully making fun of violinists and their ever-lasting battle versus bass players or the musicians from the Titanic playing the Jaws theme, he was using a vacuum cleaner to play the harmonica. It cannot be denied that the comedian is a resourceful man, topping off his delight. He was a very active man with a tiny, pocket-sized cello that he kept in his tuxedo jacket.
Even though some of his acts were surprising, he was received quite well by the audience. His sense of humor was just like he was – traditionally British.. The parallel between his works and those of theMonty Python troop, "Doctor Who," or the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," are undeniable, but Tavaré takes it a little farther with his more stoic delivery and focus on irony.
Regardless of his British humor, Tavaré resonated with his small audience. It is truly a shame that a man of his ability had his act scheduled at such a hectic time for St. Norbert students, because with a unique brand of humor and wit, Tavaré is definitely a comedian worth looking into.
- St. Norbert Times


"Comedy Juice at Hollywood Improv Review"


White Collar Funny



Jim Tavare is a gift.  In a white-tie tux and dragging a cello to stage, he is a sight to behold.  He’s introduced from “ Last Comic Standing”, but you recognize has face from countless movies and television.  His delivery is dry and he works over the audience, slowly pulling us in.  By the time he lifts his instrument to play, we were putty in his hands.  And he contoured the room quite easily.  The first big laughs of the night and the howling audience wanted more. - Comedy Juice


"Comedy Juice at Hollywood Improv Review"


White Collar Funny



Jim Tavare is a gift.  In a white-tie tux and dragging a cello to stage, he is a sight to behold.  He’s introduced from “ Last Comic Standing”, but you recognize has face from countless movies and television.  His delivery is dry and he works over the audience, slowly pulling us in.  By the time he lifts his instrument to play, we were putty in his hands.  And he contoured the room quite easily.  The first big laughs of the night and the howling audience wanted more. - Comedy Juice


"Top Comic joins Laughter Line Up"

A COMIC treat is in store at the next instalment of Jan Jack’s Laughter-House.

Jim Tavare (pictured), who has worked across the globe and is a veteran of three Royal Variety Performances, will be in Basingstoke on July 15.

Tavare, who has performed privately at Highgrove, has had his own show, Jim Tavare Pictures Presents on BBC 2, and co-starred in The Sketch Show, which won a Best Comedy Series BAFTA.

In 1999, he wrote and starred in Channel 5’s The Jim Tavare Show and reached the last four comedians in the national series Last Comic Standing.

Laughter-House, which started in October 2007, has hosted the likes of Milton Jones, Adam Bloom and Bob Mills, but Tavare is the best known act so far.

Jan Jack a comic herself, said: “I performed at a charity event with a close friend of Jim Tavare, who was aware of Laughter-House’s good reputation, and offered to speak to him for me.”

She added that at the Basingstoke comedy gig, she ensures there is a balance between professional entertainment and a feeling of relaxed, friendly intimacy for smaller groups and individuals.

Joining Tavare at The Red Lion Hotel, in London Street, Basingstoke, will be Dave Thompson, perhaps best known for playing Tinky-Winky in the Teletubbies. Thompson’s absurdist humour led Ben Elton to write a role for him in his 2000 movie Maybe Babe.

He is a regular collaborator with Harry Hill, and performs at Jongleurs and The Comedy Store. He has also written for TV Burp, co-written Boothby Graffoe’s Radio 4 series and supplied material to several other stand-ups.

Resident compere Danny Dawes will be guiding the evening, which begins at 8.15pm, with doors opening from 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 – or £10 to Laughter-House Loyalty Members and small discounts for advance tickets for groups of six people – and can be purchased at The Red Lion Hotel reception, on 01256 328525, or online at We Got Tickets, via laughter-house. vpweb.co.uk.

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© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group - Basingstoke Gasette


"Chortle Review of Jim Tavaré"

You can’t deny there’s something very striking about a comic who saunters on to the stage with a double bass. When he’s tall, bald and wearing white tie and tales, the attention-grabbing effect is complete.
Not that Jim Tavare is your typical musical comic. The 6ft instrument turns out to be little more than a prop. A cumbersome one, granted, but a prop nonetheless.
And what a lot of jokes he gets out of it: musical gags, sight gags, silly gags. They come quick and relentless, delivered in a defiantly old-school style. He tacitly acknowledges that this is nothing more than stupid clowning while maintaining a disarming deadpan. With his pace, attitude and downplayed silliness, no wonder he’s been called a modern-day Tommy Cooper.
It’s not all double bass. There are some great one-liners, just the right side of eliciting a groan that you could be caught out by such daftness. Plus he has more props in his arsenal: a schoolboy recorder and a musical vacuum cleaner. He takes his stupidity very seriously.
Tavare’s been on the contemporary circuit almost since its inception, yet the fact his act is timeless means it doesn’t feel tired. The charming presentations helps, too, giving him a broad appeal across generations and sensibilities. Sometimes the old ones are the best. - Chortle


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

Jim Tavare is an internationally acclaimed, BAFTA award winning British comedian. He is globally renowned and has sustained both national and international acclaim.

Jim Tavare played Tom the Innkeeper in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He made TV history by becoming the first overseas act to reach the finale of hit NBC TV series Last Comic Standing.

He won a BAFTA award for writing and performing in comedy sketch TV series 'The Sketch Show'. He wrote and starred in his own British TV shows ' The Jim Tavare Show' and 'Jim Tavare Pictures Presents'.

In the US he was an International Starsearch winner, and had an episode of CBS 'Wings' written around his comedy act.

Recent TV credits include appearances on NBC's Chuck, Showtime's Californication, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Tosh.0.

He has performed his comedy show at a private function for Her Majesty The Queen of England. He is renowned for being Prince Charles favorite comedian.

He is a regular headliner at The Laugh Factory, Hollywood and at venues throughout the US and worldwide.

Since 2010, Jim has been selected for showcases at NACA Regional Conferences in the West, Northern Plains, Central, South, Mid America and the 2012 NACA National Convention, and performed at over 50 colleges.