How would you describe your comedy style?

Slice of life meets therapy, meets “oh my God, I had kids,” meets poverty.

Who are some of your influences?

Gertrude Stein, Genghis Khan, and the Earl of Sandwich.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Steve Martin — yeah, I’m old.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Sam Morril lately, but Norm MacDonald, Nick DiPaolo, Joan Rivers, and Brian Regan all time.

What is your pre-show ritual?

I used to do push-ups, but now I just pace in the back and get my 10,000 steps in.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

I’m lucky enough to work for David Goodman at Humour Me. We’ve raised over $29 million for various charities and hospitals, and I’ve trained over 50 CEOs, politicians, and celebrities to become stand-up comics for charity. For the last 11 years, I’ve had the pleasure of performing at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre. But to be honest, comedy is always best in a small, damp, tight space — so the original ComedyWorks in Montreal where I started, or back in the day the Downtown Yuk Yuk’s on Bay Street in Toronto, were always my favourites.

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

If I can make you laugh and relate to something that is supposed to be painful and sad, then my job is done. A good dick joke can also be painful and sad, so really it’s the same thing.

What is your favourite medium for finding new comedians?

Everything is on social media now, but nothing beats live comedy.

Tell us a joke about your city.

My wife’s into roleplay. The other night she wanted me to pretend I was the Toronto Maple Leafs — so I started strong and hard, but then just before I was about to climax, I started choking. I lasted one round.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

I’d like to promote giving the thank-you wave when someone lets you into traffic. But if you want more, check out my album Roleplay — and email SiriusXM to tell them to play it more often. My kid needs a PlayStation 5.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram, or hit me up on Facebook. Yes, I’m old.

PAY IT FORWARD — who is another local comedian we should know about?

So many good ones, but I recently worked with a young kid named Ben Bayfield — he’s going to be something special.

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How would you describe your comedy style?

Dark and playful. I love how comedy can invite people into uncomfortable subjects that are otherwise too difficult to talk about. I wrote a one-woman show about hiding my MS for 17 years called Multiple Neurosis; it’s about serious topics like internalized ableism … and it’s also a lot of fun. Why not laugh at the darkest aspects of the human condition; what else can we really do?

Who are some of your influences?

Mike Birbiglia, who pulls you in with his storytelling, makes you feel like he’s your best friend.

Hannah Gadsby, who isn’t afraid to make a point, isn’t afraid to not be funny.

Maria Bamford, who is so uniquely herself, and ventures fearlessly into the absurd.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

As a kid, my first memories of comedy were watching SCTV. I LOVED Andrea Martin, John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Catherine O’Hara. I even had the chance to go to The Second City to watch an improv show; it was so unpredictable and fun. Three years ago – in a full circle moment – I began taking classes at The Second City, and had my very first performance in The John Candy Box Theatre. Awwww.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

I love Mike Birbiglia’s podcast (Working It Out), Netflix specials, and I’ve seen him live. He’s the kind of comedian that can transform a massive theatre into an intimate space, and deliver material that reflects your innermost private experiences. His shows have a lot of heart.

What is your pre-show ritual?

I meditate right behind the curtain, so I can feel connected to the audience before I perform. I listen to them come in, chat with one another … now that I write this it sounds a bit creepy lol.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Edmonton! It was the last stop on my Fringe tour last summer. By then, I’d performed the show so many times that I could just have fun up there. A major highlight was meeting the many people with MS and other disabilities who came out to the show, and hearing their stories.

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

A lot of people don’t know this, but Multiple Sclerosis is a Latin term meaning, God breaking your legs one day at a time.

This joke is a favourite, because it’s one of the first I ever wrote, and it’s deeply authentic to my experience of MS. The joke always lands, and quickly lets the audience know that it’s safe to laugh with me.

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

LIVE! I love sharing a laugh with strangers, and always come away knowing about new comedians, especially openers.

Tell us a joke about your city.

Having an MRI in the basement of St Michael’s Hospital, offers the same feelings of privacy and dignity, as a medical procedure on a subway platform.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

I’m performing my new storytelling show Who’s Gonna Push Your Wheelchair? at Sweet Action Theatre, August 18, 21, and 22. Tickets here.

You can find my 2025 show Multiple Neurosis on my YouTube Channel

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

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

Stand Up Gals – comedians Madeleine Brown and Taryn Dougall. They are hilarious and produce Ladies First – an amazing fem/queer priority monthly open mic – and other shows around Toronto.

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How would you describe your comedy style?

“Lo-fi ontological comedy” – Stand-up rooted in everyday observation, but with a philosophical undercurrent. I use crowd work and callbacks to pull people into ideas they didn’t know they were thinking about — the absurdity of how we’re expected to present ourselves, who gets to be complex, what stories we’re allowed to tell. It’s conversational, a little chaotic, but there’s always an argument being made.

Who are some of your influences?

Richard Pryor
George Carlin
Patrice O’Neal
Doug Stanhope

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Eddie Murphy

Who is your favourite comedian now?

Not sure.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Play Finiti on my phone.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

I don’t have one. Most places have something good about them. A place is a place to me.

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

Currently it’s one about wanting to get into voodoo. I like it because it was something I really believe in; voodoo is truly the DIY of religions.

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

YouTube

Tell us a joke about your city.

I’m from Toronto, but currently live in Hamilton. Hamilton is nice; the best way I describe it to people is: they did film The Handmaid’s Tale here, and really didn’t have to change the look of anything.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

Currently developing a documentary exploring nerd culture as a social and political identity — how it formed, who it belongs to, and what it means now that it’s gone mainstream.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Podcast | Instagram | Bluesky | TikTok | YouTube

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

Dave Getachew. Funny guy works hard.

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How would you describe your comedy style?

A blend of silliness, sarcasm, and passionate storytelling.

Who are some of your influences?

Mr. Bean, Daniel Tosh, Dave Chappelle, the genie from Aladdin, and Terry Crews in the Old Spice commercials.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Robin Williams.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

It varies day to day, but as I’m writing this, I’m watching a YouTube video of Larry David getting mad at a parking lot gate because it won’t accept his credit card, causing him to hold up traffic. So Larry.

What is your pre-show ritual? Anonymously walking through the audience, covertly spraying a homemade aerosol potion to brainwash them into becoming an angry mob so they heckle the entire show and provide me with juicy crowd work clips. I also always drink a club soda with lime.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

Toronto, because the late-night food in this city is incredible. It’s a deflating experience to finish a show only to find out the only food option is the Kit-Kat inside the Star Wars: The Phantom Menace-themed vending machine in the lobby of your motel.

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

When I was in grade 3, my teacher, Ms. Strilchuk, was trying to teach us the word “synonym,” and to make her and the class laugh, I kept pronouncing it “cinnamon” with slight variations. Not the most creative joke, but I committed 100%. After a couple of minutes, I had her in tears, which I was very proud of because I had a massive crush on her. She was hesitant to consider a relationship because of the age gap (she was in her late 20s and I was 8), but I knew the way to her heart was making her laugh. Sadly, we never dated.

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

Live shows, by far. The live experience is so different from what you see on social media, and you get a much better sense of who a comedian really is by watching them in person.

Tell us a joke about your city.

Toronto is known for its state-of-the-art public transportation, and there are NEVER issues.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

I’m touring across Canada, and you can find a full list of dates on my website

Where can we follow you?

Instagram

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

Jordan Policicchio

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How would you describe your comedy style?

My comedy style works best when I use particular words in a preplanned order. Fun fact: I usually personally have constructed the words into what is called a sentence or rhetorical question. Some of the words I use are longer words as well. Some words consisting of like 5 or 6 characters, but then I’ve been known to throw in an Onomatopoeia like “BLAM!” or “KA-CHUNK!” or my favourite “GLOOSH!” We certainly have fun on stage. The words are used in order to magically manipulate a group of people to elicit laughter. It’s pretty cool.

Who are some of your influences?

My influences are the interesting people that often surround me, so anyone (Even you: the one reading this could be an influence). I’m also influenced by people who like to laugh and volley a riff. People who can create comedy jazz and who are able to play or paint the hypothetical banter of the absurd. I hope that answered this question.

Who was your favourite comedian growing up?

Growing up, I would gravitate to people who could tell a story or a street joke. People who were genuinely funny. My favourite comics would be anyone in the public eye being genuinely funny, but if you truly need an answer, I would say my uncles and aunts. Anyone whose goal it is to get a laugh.

Who is your favourite comedian now?

My favourite comedians now are many of the newer comics that I am fortunate to work with. Comics who have a drive and excitement for the art of stand-up comedy. I like watching comics that still have excitement in their eyes.

What is your pre-show ritual?

Other than the Tibetan Sky Burial Ritual?! I usually settle for a coffee and a walk. However, if I can’t get the coffee or walk, I’ll settle for a Wiccan seance ritual.

What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?

My favourite place was the Underground Clandestiny. It was a true 420-friendly speak-easy run by Puff Mama in the east end of Toronto. I recorded my album “Born Crying Die Laughing” there.

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

It’s a meta bit about how I once got heckled for “making people think.” The bit speaks volumes about the way people don’t like to think anymore and would rather only feel. The bit then bleeds into a skit about how the average audience aren’t true fans of comedy but more fans of laughing. It then concludes with a hilarious act out of me unaliving myself because I chose to pander to the feeler fans of comedy rather than making people think. It’s not a crowd favourite, but it is my favourite.

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

Sirius XM Comedy Club channel is a great way to discover some of the greatest comedians you will hear. They run through many of Canada’s finest!

Tell us a joke about your city.

Toronto has the CN Tower: a very tall structure, if you didn’t know. Can you tell me why it’s called the CN Tower? It’s called that because everyone is CN it! I’m CN it. You’re CN it. The joke works best if you understand that “CN” sounds or reads like “seein.” Jokes are pretty cool and funny when you explain them.

Do you have anything to promote right now?

Check out my latest Album “Dark & Silly”; it was recorded on December 21, the Darkest Day of The Year.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram is the platform I’m mostly on.

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

I would have to pay it forward to all the comedians affiliated with Comedy Records; that is a solid, funny crew, and you’d have many hours of listening if you check them out.

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