Wicked Funny: Troy & Mark Tell Us All About Ice Fishing In Maine
'Troy' and 'Mark' are played by Portland comics, James Theberge and Ian Stuart respectively.
Their 'Welcome To Maine' video series debuted in last August and has established them as our favorite tourism guides. Why's that? Well, it's because they actually teach us about some fun facts, while irreverently satirizing all the wacky things that make us uniquely Mainers.
The episodes are written and directed by Ian who also portrays 'Mark'. He brilliantly responds to everything 'Troy' says, with "Yuhts" and "Oh Yuhts". 'Mark' uses different inflections appropriate to what is being taught to us. I love this character so much that I find myself acknowledging others with nothing more than "Yuhts" these days. It seems to work just fine.
James as 'Troy' does a fantastic job of mansplaining all the particulars of the video's subject and his boisterous delivery of the authentic Maine accent is spot on.
Well since it's ice fishing season the boys thought it would be a wicked good idea to give us a little history. They'll trace it all the way back it's origins with the indigenous people of the region, tell us how the tools evolved and explain when it became more of a drinking sport than a fishing sport.
"Landlocked salmon, lake trout, and smelt are all very popular catches. But the most popular catch on this lake...is a buzz."
Since the series debuted in August, Troy and Mark have hilariously reported from Portland Head Light, The Desert of Maine, The Moxie Store in Lisbon Falls, B & M Baked Beans in Portland, the Paul Bunyan statue in Bangor, Stephen King's house, the Cryptozoology Museum and more.
If you have any ideas of where else they should go, hit 'em up on the 'Welcome To Maine' Facebook page.
Ian and James can be found performing live stand up comedy for social distanced audiences at Stroudwater Distillery on Thompson's Point in Portland. The socially distanced shows are on Thursdays at 7pm and ya gotta make a reservation.