Snook

Websites:  https://www.facebook.com/CornerBoySnook/?checkpoint_src=any
Origin: Stephenville → Gander Newfoundland and Labrador, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Snook (Pete Soucy) is one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most recognizable comedic voices, a performer whose work bridges stand-up comedy, theatre, television, radio, and recorded comedy albums. Created and portrayed by artist, actor, and writer Pete Soucy, the character of Snook emerged as a sharp, street-level commentator on Newfoundland life—irreverent, observational, and instantly familiar to local audiences.

Born in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Soucy moved with his family to Gander in 1969, growing up in a province undergoing rapid social and economic change. He later studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), a background that would inform not only his performance work but his long involvement in visual art, design, and theatre production. Before comedy became his primary public outlet, Soucy taught high school visual arts from 1983 to 1989, working in Clarenville High School and later at Bishops College in St. John’s.

From the mid-1980s onward, Soucy became a fixture of Newfoundland’s performing arts scene. Beginning in 1986, he worked extensively as an actor, writer, designer, and director for stage, radio, and television. In 1987, he co-founded Day Job Theatre, and later served as Artistic Director of both Rebel Island Theatre and the NaGeira Theatre Festival in Carbonear. His most successful stage work, FLUX, achieved a rare crossover for a Newfoundland-based play, being adapted for television, published, and staged across multiple provinces and U.S. states.

It was through comedy, however, that Soucy reached his widest audience. Snook, his best-known alter ego, is often described as a street-smart St. John’s “corner boy”, instantly recognizable by his slicked-back hair, cigarette-in-hand posture, and blunt, no-nonsense delivery. The character became a vehicle for satirical takes on politics, consumer culture, and everyday Newfoundland life, resonating strongly with local audiences who recognized the archetype immediately.

Snook’s popularity translated across multiple media. He delivered weekly commentaries on CBC’s Here and Now for several seasons during the 1990s, later becoming a familiar presence on NTV Evening Newshour, where his segments continued well into the 2000s. He hosted television programs such as Wicked Night Out, appeared on Lorne Elliott’s Madly Off in All Directions, Canada Now, and NL Now, and contributed voice work to productions including Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. His acting credits also include appearances in feature films such as Rare Birds (2001) and Young Triffie (2006), as well as later roles including a cameo on Son of a Critch.

Beyond television and film, Snook became a staple of live comedy festivals, corporate events, and public campaigns, including health-promotion initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador. His broad recognition led to his long-running role as the public face of NLClassifieds.com, further cementing the character’s place in contemporary Newfoundland popular culture.

Snook’s recorded output extended his reach beyond live performance. Beginning in the early 2000s, Soucy released a series of comedy CDs and DVDs, many centered on Christmas themes and childhood nostalgia, blending parody, spoken-word comedy, and song. Titles such as Snook’s Christmas (My Gift, Someone Else’s Money) (2004), Snook’s Childhood (or Snook Ruins a Bunch of Kids Songs) (2007), and Another Snook’s Christmas (Right Price, Easy to Mail) (2009) became seasonal staples, particularly within Newfoundland households.

Soucy’s public life has also included political engagement and broadcasting. He ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in the 1999 provincial election, later hosted VOCM’s Backtalk in St. John’s, and sought—but did not secure—the Liberal nomination for Bonavista–Burin–Trinity in 2017.

Recognized for his contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural life, Soucy has received honours including a Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Award (1986) and a Kari Award (1996). Through Snook, he created one of the province’s most enduring comedic personas—rooted in local speech, attitude, and lived experience—while maintaining a broader career that spans theatre, education, broadcasting, and recorded comedy.
-Robert Williston