Fans of John Candy have a lot to smile about right now. Between the Ryan Reynolds produced documentary John Candy: I Like Me streaming on Amazon Prime Video and the new biography John Candy: A Life in Comedy by Paul Myers, the legacy of one of comedy’s most beloved performers is getting some well deserved attention.
One story in particular ht shows just how generous Candy was with his time and wisdom. That story involves a teenage Mike Myers, long before Saturday Night Live, long before Wayne’s World, and long before he became a household name.
According to Paul Myers, his younger brother once worked up the nerve to ask Candy for advice after seeing him at a live public appearance. Mike was only 16, obsessed with comedy, and had no real roadmap for how to get there. What he got instead was thoughtful, practical guidance that would end up shaping his entire career.
Paul Myers shared the story during an appearance on Canada’s The Morning Show, and it’s one of those moments that instantly feels important. As he explained:
“[Mike] goes to see a live performance, a public appearance, of John Candy. [He] waits at the stage door. Mike wanted to get into comedy. He’s like 16, and he says ‘Excuse me, Mr. Candy, how do I get into comedy?’
“And anyone could have answered that question any different way. Like some people could be really bad about it. But John gave him this advice ‘Go to Second City. They have workshops. Learn about comedy. If you like it, you’ll stay with it. If you’re not into it, you’ll find out early and do something else with your life. And if you love it, you might still not make it, but you could be working at something you love, and that’s great.’”
Candy wasn’t promising fame or success. He wasn’t selling a fantasy. He was encouraging a kid to explore the craft, commit to learning it, and figure out early if it was truly what he wanted.
It wasn’t about shortcuts or copying someone else’s path. It was about doing the work and loving the process, even if the outcome was uncertain.
That perspective still feels incredibly relevant. Paul Myers even points out how universal the message is, saying:
“That’s great advice to give anyone about any career. Right?”
In Mike Myers’ case, he followed it to the letter. After high school, he joined Second City’s Canadian touring company, eventually earning a spot on the Chicago main stage.
Those years were crucial, not just for sharpening his skills, but for creating characters that would later define his career. One of those characters was Wayne Campbell, who would explode into pop culture when Myers joined Saturday Night Live, which led to Wayne’s World.
Years later, Paul Myers recalled that Candy spotted Mike in a restaurant and stopped to tell him how much he loved the then new Wayne’s World movie. It isn’t clear whether Candy realized he was talking to the same kid who once waited by a stage door looking for guidance. In a way, it doesn’t really matter.
What matters is that John Candy took a few minutes to give sincere, grounded advice to a teenager who needed it. That moment helped set Mike Myers on a path that would lead to decades of laughter for millions of fans.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the most life changing moments aren’t big dramatic ones. Sometimes it’s just the right words, from the right person, at exactly the right time.
