When Paul Schuck makes his first appearance on national TV on Tuesday, May 23, it may be his first stepping stone into the world of comedy on a professional basis.

The University of Calgary student and Weyburn Comp grad won a provincial comedy competition put on by the Yuk Yuk's Comedy Clubs in Calgary and Edmonton, and will make an appearance on the late-night variety show hosted by Mike Bullard on CTV. Schuck said the taping will take place on May 23, and the show should air that night, barring any unforeseen circumstances that might bump the show.

"I'm excited about it. I get a free trip to Toronto, and my brother Joe will be down there too. I do some musical comedy as well as stand-up, so I will do one song, a stand-up routine and I'll get about two minutes to talk with (Bullard)," said Schuck in a phone interview from his Calgary home.

He is the son of Tom and Marilyn Schuck of Weyburn.

Schuck's entry into the comedy contest was his second attempt at being judged the best in the province, after placing second last year.

The final round was for 15 minutes, with performances in both the Calgary and Edmonton clubs before about eight or nine judges.

"I sort of went into it thinking, 'If I win, I win.' I wasn't too worried about it," said Schuck, adding his TV appearance may be a different ball of wax.

"I'd like to treat (the appearance) like a club, but it'll be nerve-wracking knowing everybody in my family and all my friends are going to be watching this on TV," he said.

The song he's planning on doing is a spoof on the attitudes and jokes he's encountered since leaving Saskatchewan about where he comes from.

"I wrote it because I was tired of being harassed about being from Saskatchewan, so I combined all the stereotypes into one song. I'm not making fun of Weyburn, but poking fun at the stereotypes. I wrote the song because I really didn't feel like a redneck when I was growing up in Weyburn," he explained, adding the song also pokes fun at himself.

Schuck sees himself getting into comedy on a more full-time basis, but probably more as a writer than as a performer, although he admits this may mean moving to the U.S. to find the work he wants to do.

Since winning the provincial contest at Yuk Yuk's, he's been booked more heavily in clubs and bars in Calgary and area, including a gig upcoming at the Banff TV conference this summer. In the next year or two, he would also like to take a comedy writing program at Humber College in Toronto to assist his start in the business.