Wes Barker

{{short description|Canadian magician and YouTuber (born 1986)}} {{Infobox social media personality | name = Wes Barker | logo =  | logo_caption = | image = Wes Barker on The Cafe.jpg | image_caption = Barker in 2016 | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|04|16}} | birth_place = Langley, British Columbia, Canada | death_date =  | death_place = | nationality = | occupation = Comic Stunt Magician | spouse = Kristen Gillett | youtube_handle = WesBarker | youtube_display_name = WES Barker | youtube_years_active = 2009–present | youtube_genre = Magic | youtube_subscribers = 277 thousand | youtube_views = 163 million | stats_update = 21 February 2026 | website = {{URL|https://WesBarker.ca/}} }} '''Wesley Barker''' (born April 16, 1986) is a Canadian magician and YouTuber,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wes Barker, comedic magician, heads to Jasper Brewing Co. |url=https://www.fitzhugh.ca/wes-barker-comedic-magician-heads-to-jasper-brewing-co/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Fitzhugh.ca|date=17 January 2020 }}</ref><ref name="straight">{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2016 |title=Wes Barker says expect new tricks and more stories at his upcoming JFL show (video) |url=https://www.straight.com/arts/628816/wes-barker-says-expect-new-tricks-and-more-stories-his-upcoming-jfl-show-video |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=The Georgia Straight}}</ref> known for starring in the TruTV stunt magic show ''Big Trick Energy''.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2021-03-22 |title=Immersive Tech Teams Up With Celebrity YouTube Creator Chris Ramsay On An Exclusive Immersive Experience That Will Be Featured On His Social Media Channels To His 6.4 Million Fans |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/03/22/2196929/0/en/Immersive-Tech-Teams-Up-With-Celebrity-YouTube-Creator-Chris-Ramsay-On-An-Exclusive-Immersive-Experience-That-Will-Be-Featured-On-His-Social-Media-Channels-To-His-6-4-Million-Fans.html |access-date=2021-05-29 |website=GlobeNewswire News Room |language=en}}</ref> He has appeared on Ellen and America's Got Talent as well as Penn & Teller: Fool Us. His YouTube and Facebook channels have received hundreds of millions of views.<ref name="straight" /> He is also the co-host of the Bottom of the Barrel Podcast with Chris Ramsay.

==Career== Barker has competed in both the Canadian and American versions of ''Got Talent''.<ref name="straight" /> He appeared on the second season of ''Fool Us'' in 2015, and managed to fool Penn and Teller with a trick involving a phonebook and a sword.<ref name="straight" /><ref name="Infotel">{{Cite web |title=Magician who fooled Penn and Teller coming to Kelowna |url=https://infotel.ca/newsitem/magician-who-fooled-penn-and-teller-coming-to-kelowna/it64511 |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=INFOnews}}</ref> He has received awards such as "Variety Performer of the Year", and "Comedian of the Year" from the Canadian Organization for Campus Activities (COCA).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://coca.org/award-winner.html?id=52 |title=Award Winner - Variety Award |website=COCA.org |accessdate=2021-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://coca.org/award-winner.html?id=38 |title=Award Winner - Comedy |website=COCA.org |accessdate=2021-06-15}}</ref>

==Personal life== Barker was born in Langley, British Columbia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Langley-born magician finds TV success with extreme stunts | Watch News Videos Online |url=https://globalnews.ca/video/7933145/langley-born-magician-finds-tv-success-with-extreme-stunts/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Global News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 7, 2021 |title=Des magiciens canadiens à la télévision américaine |trans-title=Canadian magicians on American TV |url=https://l-express.ca/des-magiciens-canadiens-a-la-television-americaine/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=L'Express |language=fr-ca}}</ref> He is a friend and neighbour of fellow YouTube magician Chris Ramsay, and they have collaborated on YouTube and as part of ''Big Trick Energy''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=WES Barker |date=June 2021 |title=Catapulting BURGERS into my Friend's Yard! (I made this myself!!) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKbkZ1rWMws |access-date=2021-06-11 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Appearances== Barker has appeared, alongside friends and Big Trick Energy co-stars Alex Boyer, Eric Leclerc and Chris Ramsay, on WNCN in Raleigh, North Carolina, to discuss the show and their friendship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet the new bad boys of magic from TruTV's 'Big Trick Energy' |work = WNCN |date=2021-05-12 |url=https://www.cbs17.com/my-carolina/meet-the-new-bad-boys-of-magic-from-trutvs-big-trick-energy/ |access-date=2021-06-11 }}</ref> A video of a comedic skit he did, starring alongside his wife Kristen Gillett, was featured in an online article for Travel + Leisure; the article goes over a funny day in the life of a flight attendant working from home (Kristen Gillett is mentioned as a flight attendant for WestJet).<ref>{{cite web |title=Flight Attendant Shows What It Would Be Like to Work From Home in Hilarious Video (Video) |first=Alisha |last=Prakash |date=2020-04-01 |work=Travel+Leisure |url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/flight-attendant-working-from-home-during-coronavirus-lockdown-video}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Wes}} Category:Canadian magicians Category:People from Langley, British Columbia (city) Category:Comedians from British Columbia Category:Canadian male comedians Category:Living people Category:1986 births Category:YouTube channels launched in 2009 Category:YouTubers from British Columbia Category:America's Got Talent contestants