Kerry Talmage

Kerry Talmage (March 23, 1963 – June 17, 2004) was a Canadian comedian and actor, who developed a cult following in South Africa.

A Type 1 diabetic, Talmage was constantly battling the disease which eventually cost him his life. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Kerry's family moved to Winnipeg in 1975 where he attended school in suburban Charleswood and went on to graduate from Oak Park High School.

A gifted, natural comic, Mr. Talmage in 1988 decided to enter the risky business of standup comedy and stepped onstage at Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Winnipeg. Short in stature (Kerry stood only 5'2" in height), but tall in talent, he rose to become a standup headliner and for 15 years called Toronto his home-base. In search of adventure, Kerry travelled around the world performing, and eventually ended up in South Africa, where he was writer, producer and star of a situation comedy called Bachelor Pad.

Kerry has toured with the likes of Prince, Bachman–Turner Overdrive, Nash The Slash, The Tragically Hip and Doug and the Slugs. He has also been featured on The Movie Network's Comedy Special Mondo Taboo, CBC-TV's Hour Magazine, CHCH-TV's Comedy at Club 54, MuchMusic and at Comedy Festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle and Montreal.

While a writer for the Simpsons, Conan O'Brien created a character on The Simpsons based on Kerry, a kidney patient by the name of Cornelius Talmage.