How would you describe your comedy style?

Very low-key, yet high energy. Conversational, observational and sometimes deliberately awkward. I try to aim for a style that is similar to overhearing your funny friend that is thinking out loud. It seems like I am not really “trying” to tell a joke, letting the punchlines sneak up on you.

Who are some of your influences?

Jarrett Campbell, Andrew Santino, Jordan Jensen, Shane Gillis, Norm Macdonald

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Dane Cook, Robin Williams,

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Shane Gillis, Tim Dillon, Jordan Jensen, Sam Burns, Kyle Patan, Jarrett Campbell

What is your pre-show ritual?

Take a big ol walk and listen to music

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

The Irvine Improv was a blast just based on the size, but the Corner Comedy Club in Toronto is where I call home. Nice and intimate, best vibes. Nothing beats a full house on a weekend.

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

I have extensive bits about being getting sober, and the absurdity of the love people have given me while they are simultaneously high on drugs. I like it because it’s very relatable and paints a good picture of what it’s like getting sober while hanging out with (supportive) party animals.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

I enjoy comedians riffing on podcasts or interviews. Social media makes it fairly easy to find new faces.

Tell us a joke about your city.

Traffic in Toronto sucks. Anyone who drives the Gardiner Expressway knows how awful the commute is. I just found out that the Gardiner Expressway is named after a guy named Frederick G Gardiner.

Frederick G gardiner was a Canadian politician, lawyer and businessman. He was the first chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Council, the governing body for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, from 1953 to 1961. As Metro Chairman, Gardiner, nicknamed “Big Daddy,” was a staunch advocate of growth and expansion and was responsible for many capital works projects, including the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway.

I learned all of this WHILE ON THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY!

Do you have anything to promote right now?

My debut album with comedy records, entitled “Progress Not Perfection,” is available anywhere you stream your music!

Where can we follow you?

Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

Sarah Ashby, Peter Saran, Liam Andres, Hannah Veldhoen, Dean Hebscher, Kerby Derius

The post Tragedy Plus Time: Comedian Gavin Coscarella appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

How would you describe your comedy style?

I would describe my comedy as personal. I always try to invite the audience into my inner world with sincerity, then subvert their expectations with the right amount of vulnerability. I found out quickly in my career that whenever honesty isn’t the engine behind the material, it never lands the way it should—so I always try to come from truth.

Who are some of your influences?

I do picture comedians that inspire me when I write, especially, but honestly, my peers and friends are the ones that have had the biggest effect on me.

Hannah Veldhoen, Stephen Karmazyn, and Kyle Lucy for their chaos and authenticity.

Manny Mangat and Callum O’Neil for their ability to draw out unique premises and keep hammering tags, never leaving any meat on the bone.

Shanil Patel and Cameron Pheonix for their precision and composure. The list goes on. I started comedy in Toronto, so everything I am I owe to the people around me.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Hard tie between Eddie Murphy and Billy Connolly. I couldn’t believe that human beings were capable of entertaining audiences like that. I still can’t believe it if I’m honest.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Geoffrey Asmus

What is your pre-show ritual?

Depends on the stakes – I always find I perform better when I detach myself from the outcome, and I can be free to experiment, so in those situations, nothing – it’s just another day, and I clock in.

But more often than not, about 4 cigarettes and a couple beers.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Its tough to say – Absolute Comedy club has given me the highest consistent thrills

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

It’s my closer, and it has been for almost a year now. What’s exciting is that it keeps evolving — the more I write, the more new angles I find that feed into it. The premise is about how I’m not confident with dirty talk, but I’ve learned to get good at it by just saying nonsense in Greek to my partner, which they absolutely love.

Eventually, the bit turns into me saying real truths in Greek — about them, about my relationship with my mother, about who I actually am. It always feels like the perfect way to end a set. I’m scared I’ll never write anything better.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

The classics, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc., but live shows will always be king.

Tell us a joke about your city.

I grew up in Nicosia, Cyprus. I miss it, my friends. They’re all just short, hairy Greek dudes who think the movie 300 is a documentary.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

Every Sunday, I host an 8 PM show called Shock Collar Comedy at Backroom Comedy Club. The premise of the show is that I wear a shock collar, and I get zapped if the other comedian on stage isn’t being funny. It’s a fun space to try new material or riff with the audience as the prospect of me getting electrocuted is a pretty satisfying safety net.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

Manny Mangat

The post Tragedy Plus Time: Comedian Dimitrios Kolovopoulos appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

How would you describe your comedy style?

I mostly joke about my marriage, insecurities, frustrations, and brownness. People tell me my delivery is smug and lethargic (but apparently not in a bad way).

Who are some of your influences?

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

If it counts: Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean. Nothing made me laugh harder.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Nate Bargatze is my current favourite. Josh Johnson impresses me the most.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Pacing while trying to remember my joke order.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Backroom Comedy Club is where I feel the loosest. There’s a big variety in audience, and I never know what the vibe is going to be like. It’s also a good hang.

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

I’ve been working on bit about learning French that I’m proud of because it’s clean. My other favourite new bit is one called “Grandpa’s Penis Mold”, which is less clean.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

I watch standup clips on YouTube Shorts while brushing my teeth and let the algorithm decide my taste.

Tell us a joke about your city.

I have a joke about how Toronto traffic makes you a worse person—but to hear it you’ll have to come to a show that I’m driving to during rush hour.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

I regularly perform on Cole Chauvin’s Garden Variety Show and shows run by Three Little Birds (Stephen Karmazyn & Dimi Kolovopoulos).

Where can we follow you?

Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

In addition to everyone named above: Siddesh Pai, Manny Mangat, Madison Cassaday, and Alex Brovedani.

The post Tragedy Plus Time: Comedian Shanil Patel appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

How would you describe your comedy style?

Old School Authentic, Unfiltered and Honest

Who are some of your influences?

Redd Fox, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Eddie Murphy

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Dave Chappelle

What is your pre-show ritual?

I show up early, smoke some weed, and just hang out and catch the Vibe of the Room.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Outside of The Corner Comedy Club in Toronto, thats My Home Base.

The Porcupine Dante Club in Timmins has been one of my favourite places to have performed.

I performed my first 25 min set for a Crowd of 400 people and had the whole room laughing from beginning to end.

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

I’m Really Proud of my joke about being a Proud Father Of A Gay Kid.

As well as being able to be Open, Honest and Authentic, it’s a joke that seems to hit without harm.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

Going to Clubs and Open Mics is always a great way to catch new Comics.

Tell us a joke about your city.

Toronto has it all, from Legal Weed on every corner, at least 5 different kinds of pink eye and a Hockey Team that’s been practicing social distancing with the Stanley Cup

Where can we follow you? 

Instagram | Facebook

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

Ben Albert, Gee Gateegah, Harvasp Katow, Alex DeWitt, Hannah Veldhoen

The post Tragedy Plus Time: Comedian David Sealy appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

How would you describe your comedy style?

My comedy style has been described as beautiful nonsense or freestyle yelling. A lot of crowd interaction. Although I do have a lot of material, everyone has a story, and because I do a lot of international shows, I enjoy hearing about different people’s lives, perspectives, etc.

Who are some of your influences?

So many people ask me this. I wouldn’t say that people influence me, but I’m definitely influenced by my surroundings. I’m a huge social butterfly, and I love people watching. I’m influenced by just being a fly on the wall watching the world go round.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Again, wasn’t passionate about comedy growing up, so I would have to say Dave Chappelle because literally every millennial grew up on the Chapelle show.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Sounds basic and mainstream, but honestly, there is nobody more effortlessly funny than Shane Gillis, dude is an animal.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Depends on whether I’m on tour or at home. But if there is music, a cocktail or a hot tub or a pool involved, that’s usually a good shout for what I’m doing. When I’m at the venue before the show, I like to look at the front row and let the creative juices start flowing before we kick it off.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Budapest. Amazing city with a vibrant nightlife scene and super cool venues. So many people from all over the world go there to party, so every time I have done a show there, you always get like 15+ nationalities in the audience. Super cool.

What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?

I have actually almost never sat down and wrote a joke. Maybe in the first few years of my career, but as long as I can remember, I just get an idea and bring it onstage and work it out there. Get the reps in at mics and get it to the level I want it to. Being able to work my craft on the fly and have it feel organic and genuine to me is something that I can definitely be proud of.

What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?

Aside from my personal comedy career, I also manage a comedy club in Ottawa. Seeing new or up-and-coming comics shine on my stage is one of the best parts of running the business.

Tell us a joke about your city.

Nah, I’m off the clock.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

Anybody heading to Ottawa should check out any of the shows we have at the Laugh Lounge. We are a moody new york style speakeasy comedy room right in the middle of the Byward Market, open Thursday-Sunday every week with the absolute best comics in Canada coast to coast.

Where can we follow you?

Come see my nonsense on Instagram

PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?

In my native city of Ottawa, the best up-and-coming comic is Rob Morgan by a mile. Guy is an absolute superstar in the making.

The post Tragedy Plus Time: Comedian Nick Burden appeared first on Toronto Guardian.