You're The One For Me, Fatty

Actor Darryl Pring is a big guy (you might recognize him as the farmer on the bouncing tractor from the "Milk Rap" ads). Pring is also a funny guy who has written and produced a play called Fatty, which will be touring Fringe Festivals (including the Toronto Fringe ) across Canada this summer.

Dubbed a "fictional true story" Fatty is adapted from the novel I, Fatty by Jerry Stahl. The play tells the story of silent film-era comedian Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. Pring was attracted to Arbuckle (right) because "he suffered through what most 'big' comedic performers endure—am I a funny because I'm fat, or am I a fat guy who happens to be funny? I can relate to that." In these celebrity scandal-soaked days, the Arbuckle story is timely and compelling and his fall from grace was much more tragic than any Hilton or Lohan. On September 17 Roscoe Arbuckle was charged with rape and murder. Although he was later found innocent, the scandal did his career in.

To raise money to tour the show, Pring is holding a fund raiser this Sunday night at the Tranzac Club. "As far as the lineup," says Pring, "I pulled every string I had, and a few I didn't." It's an inspired night of comedy and music featuring standups Robin Archer and Jeff McEnery, improv by Slap Happy and The Williamson Playboys, and folk music from Nicole Christian, Sunparlour Players and Deromantic. You will have to supply your own scandal. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Image courtesy the San Francisco Government Photo Archives.