Renowned for his distinctive “Man News”, Toronto’s Andrew Packer embarked on his stand-up comedy journey fueled by years of immersing himself in the world of comedy. While his peers tuned in to music, Andrew found solace in the laughter that filled his headphones. Despite initially pursuing studies at university, he found himself captivated by the biographies of comedians, discovering a common thread: they all began as someone else. This realization ignited his passion, propelling him to seize the spotlight at open mic nights across the local circuit. From those humble beginnings, Andrew’s comedic prowess soared, leaving an indelible mark on the comedy scene.
How would you describe your comedy style?
I would direct you to my full comedy special on YouTube so that you can gauge for yourself.
Who are some of your influences?
Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Mitch Hedberg to name a few.
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Eddie Murphy
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Rory Scovel
What is your pre-show ritual?
I love doing a Wim Hof Guided Breathwork exercise. I find my sets go really well if before I hit the stage, I attain enlightenment.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
Wetaskiwin, Alberta, in a room that could fit 300 but only 13 people were in the audience. This included an 80-year-old woman named Faye, who was already deep into her own bottle of red wine before the show started. Faye heckled me for my entire 40-minute set. “Oh WHATEVER!” and ” HE LOOKS LIKE A CHICKEN!”. She would rotate between versions of those two heckles every few minutes. I think I aged two years during that set and I will never forget it.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
My favourite bit is always whichever one is growing the most. Right now it’s a bit about my plants. Much like my baby rubber plant, it keeps popping out new shoots.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Don’t Tell is doing a great job breaking new comics right now. Otherwise, comedian friends of mine generally have a good idea of who is bringing the heat.
Tell us a joke about your city.
I am a professional and this is unpaid…sneaky try though.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
I run Pro Stand Up Comedy at Chefs Hall and we have shows coming up on March 15 and April 19th.
You get to see 5 professional comedians for only $10/ticket. This show would usually cost $30/ticket, but Chefs Hall is putting it on at a price that makes it the best deal in the city for top-tier Friday night entertainment.
Where can we follow you?
Youtube | Instagram | Tiktok | Snapchat | Facebook
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
Jacob Balshin, Marc Anthony Sinagoga, Faraz Niafattah, Kerby Darius to name a few. If you see them on a lineup, they make it a show worth seeing.
