Tonight at 8 p.m. EST airs the season finale of Canada’s Got Talent and finalist, Mark Clearview couldn’t be any more thrilled. Clearview, who was born in Oakville and now lives in Toronto, is a magician and comedian. His act can be described as unpredictable, above all else — which has only been proven more after winning an unprecedented golden buzzer in last week’s episode.
“I’ve never felt this way in my body ever before — it’s a mix of nervousness, excitement, adrenaline, and also pride for all of the work that me and my team have done,” says Clearview.
Clearview’s father has been a clear inspiration and supporting force since his professional foray into magic and comedy began at six years old, designing acts and building props together. Since his father’s passing, the performer has discovered a bittersweet surge of motivation.
“My father built magic for me his whole life and I never really appreciated it until I lost him to cancer two years ago. To see how far I’ve come using a lot of the things that he’s built for me, it feels like I’m doing it for both of us. So, while winning would be amazing, it really does feel like I’m part of a team and my other teammate is not visible on stage but is there with me,” he continues.
“Before, I’d ask, ‘Why would I do it for me?’ But it feels like everything is so much bigger, and it’s almost more of a reason to want to achieve that goal because, of course, they’d be the first person you would call anyway, but now it’s shared in another experience.”
Revealing that his father also shared his comedic dreams, Clearview points to classic acts like magicians/comedians Penn and Teller, and absurdist comedian Andy Kaufman as other significant influences. “We like stuff going wrong in the magic because people never really know if it’s actually happening or not. [Kaufman] played with that a lot. There’s an absurdity that goes with it, which I do not shy away from,” Clearview explains. “I am definitely a comedian and sometimes more so than a magician, depending on the type of magic act that I’m doing. The unique and interesting thing to me about magic is to be able to mix it with comedy like that.”
Canada’s Got Talent is making history this season by offering the largest prize ever offered in Canadian television — a grand prize of one million dollars — the winner of which will be determined tonight through audience voting. When asked what he plans to do with the life-changing sum, Clearview shares plans for an upcoming show, The Mark Clearview Special, which he hopes to tour across Canada.
“I want to bring [the show] into communities in Canada and share magic that breaks down borders and really is able to be enjoyed by all. I would love to do that,” says Clearview.
While Clearview states that his time on the series has “made [him] a lot sharper as an entertainer,” he has always been a performer at heart, revealing that he’d put on comedy and magic shows during recess breaks in school.
“Comedy might have been a love before magic,” he says. “When you’re laughing, it’s hard to think about anything else — you’re very present in that moment. I think what I try to do on stage is give people that moment of presence. And when you’re astonished by magic you get that for a moment. And when you’re laughing you get that, as well. That’s why they go so well together.”
The final episode of Canada’s Got Talent airs tonight on CityTV at 8 p.m. EST. Voting for Canadian residents also opens tonight at citytv.com/vote from 8:00–9:30 p.m. EST. Three votes per email are eligible.
