Kinda Sorta Maybe Like a Podcast

Mark Little has made his mark in every possible corner of the Canadian comedy scene. Starting out in his hometown of Halifax with the sketch comedy troupe Picnicface (pioneers of online video sketch comedy), he eventually moved to Toronto and continued working regularly in sketch, improv, and stand-up. In 2015, he made his late night debut with a set on Conan, and he's appeared in TV shows (including the long-running sitcom Mr. D), movies, and web series in the years since. Three years ago, Mark made the move to New York City, and he's been carving out his place there performing at Upright Citizen's Brigade and various stand-up spots. He's come back to Canada regularly for comedy, though, including various Just for Laughs stops. This weekend, he's heading out to JFL Vancouver to host back-to-back nights of "The Alternative Show", a JFL classic that goes back years in Montreal with Andy Kindler as host. Paul chatted with Mark over Zoom to talk about his last few years, what he's looking forward to in Vancouver, and at Paul's behest, a look back at his far-too-short-lived 2019 CBC sitcom Cavendish.

If you've been anywhere on the internet, you've probably at some point encountered Grace Helbig, either in the form of her successful YouTube vlogs, her TV Show The Grace Helbig Show, late night appearances, or collaborating with creators like Mamrie Hart and Hannah Hart (no relation) on film and television projects. Grace is one of those rare people who is a delight to chat with, bright, fun, and full of joy, even when tackling difficult subjects. In a chat over Zoom, she and Matt Ardill discussed her comedy inspirations, her YouTube journey, and her current show "Let Me Get This Off My Chest" appearing at the Rio Theatre this Sunday, February 15 as part of Just for Laughs Vancouver.

Brent Butt is one of the biggest names in Canadian comedy. Turning a successful stand-up and TV writing career through the 90s into a legendary run as creator and star of one of the most iconic sitcoms in Canadian history, Corner Gas, the Tisdale, SK native continues to tour to sold out crowds across the country. And while he's lived in Vancouver for over 30 years, it's been over a decade since Brent has done a big theatre show in his adopted hometown. That will change on Saturday, February 21, as he hits the Vancouver Playhouse stage as part of this year's Just for Laughs Vancouver. Paul Little caught up with Brent over Zoom last week to talk about his early years on the road (and how that inspired his #1 bestselling horror novel, Huge), his sustained success in Canada, and his recent guest appearance on the hilarious CTV Comedy sitcom Acting Good. Tickets are selling fast for his JFL Vancouver show, so get yours now if you want to catch this one!

David Zucker has written and directed some of the biggest comedies of all time, including Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Along with his brother Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, the legendary ZAZ (Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker) trio essentially created the film spoof, making audiences laugh with glee through straight-faced delivery of their actors since the late 70s. On the heels of his 2023 bestseller, Surely, You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!, (a behind-the-scenes look of the making of the cult classic), the Milwaukee-born Zucker has now embarked on his own unique spoof comedy masterclass called MasterCrash. The 9-hour course promises to teach aspiring comedy filmmakers the dos and don'ts of effective comedy filmmaking. Plus, he's not done making films! Zucker is developing a new project to direct, The Star of Malta, which he's written with his longtime writing collaborator Pat Proft and is hoping to get to lens soon, while he's also executive producing Octoberfest from German production company Traumfabrik Babelsberg. Matt Ardill had the opportunity to chat over Zoom with David Zucker last week, and their sprawling half-hour conversation covered everything from 1977's The Kentucky Fried Movie through Airplane!, Top Secret!, Ruthless People, The Naked Gun, Scary Movie 3, his new projects, and his thoughts on comedy in Hollywood over the last few years. To join up for MasterCrash and learn ZAZ's 15 essential rules for making spoof comedy (along with collaborating with other students, taking part in Q&A's with Zucker, etc.), visit www.mastercrash.com.

Matt Ardill sits with comedian John Mostyn to catch up on storytelling, comedy, and their shared love of Britpop bands. Having previously recorded his special The Scotsman (available on streaming services of your choice) at Comedy Bar, John returns to one of his favourite venues to record his second special, this time as part of 2025's Just for Laughs Toronto.

Stand-up comic, writer, and actress Chloe Radcliffe has been hitting milestone after milestone the last several years. The Minnesota native moved to New York City in 2018 after appearances at Oddblock Comedy Festival, the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, and a stand-out performance at the New York Comedy Festival, being named by TBS as a “Comic to Watch”. She’s also made up-and-coming comedian lists from Deadline and Vulture in recent years, while establishing herself as a writing force with a year on The Tonight Show and a Writers Guild of America nomination for the Steven Soderbergh-directed Command Z (which she also starred in alongside Roy Wood Jr. and Michael Cera). Appearing at Just for Laughs Toronto September 25 & 26 with a pair of headlining shows, Paul Little talked with Chloe over Zoom about her earlier years coming up to Canada for those Winnipeg-based festivals; the development of (and next stages for) her one-woman show, Cheat; and her incredible web series In Tandem, where she talks with other comics while riding a tandem bike through NYC or L.A. Tickets for Chloe’s JFL Toronto shows can be found at toronto.hahaha.com, and other tour dates beyond that can be found at chloeradcliffe.com.

James Adomian, if you don't already know him, is your favourite comedian's favourite comedian. He can also do an impression of your favourite comedian so accurate that you don’t realize he's not your favourite comedian. Then when you do realize, he will be your favourite comedian. It is one thing to do an impression, and it's another to actually be funny as the impression itself. He seamlessly jumps between a flow of improvisation and solidly-written material. Go see his most recent comedy special "Path of Most Resistance" on YouTube to find out for yourself. If you don't recognize him from comedy, you might recognize his voiceover work on some of the best animated shows of the past 20 years. He also recently worked with Mel Brooks on the History of the World, Part II miniseries. He’s hosting "The Alternative Show" September 18–20 as part of this year's Just for Laughs Toronto. Andrew Lizotte connected with James over Zoom about everything from where an impression comes from to the significance of voices from the under culture, for better or worse.

Matthew Ardill got the chance to connect over Zoom with actor and musican Jeremy Hoffman to discuss his time playing Marshall in the new Andrew Ahn-directed film The Wedding Banquet, which is in theatres now. Jeremy discusses the welcoming and natural experience working on a queer film, an unexpected setback right before his days on set, the film's music, and his dream project, a most unexpected horror movie. Photo credit: Charles Zuckerman

Matthew Ardill chatted over Zoom with Bobo Le, who plays Kendall in director Andrew Ahn's The Wedding Banquet, which released in theatres April 18. The Wedding Banquet is a movie about found family, and Bobo talks about the family feelings on the set, the great experience the film's director Andrew Ahn created making the movie, and the joy of showing the cast – which includes Emmy nominee Bowen Yang from Saturday Night Live, Kelly Marie Tran of Star Wars fame, and Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone – around her home town of Vancouver.

If you've been following Canadian comedy over the last 15 years, you've probably seen Evany Rosen on TV, and you've definitely seen her work. Originally breaking out as part of the Halifax sketch comedy troupe Picnicface, she's since worked on the brilliant Baroness Von Sketch Show (writing for it and also appearing in many sketches over its 5 seasons) and co-created and starred in the Crave comedy series New Eden alongside Kayla Lorette. She's now behind a brand new series, Davey & Jonesie's Locker, which is streaming on Prime Video in Canada and Hulu in the U.S. The hilarious show stars Veronika Slowikowska and Jaelynn Brooks as best friends thrust into a multiverse saga without ever leaving their high school, and besides showrunning, Evany also appears on screen as the school's principal. Paul Little got the chance to catch up with Evany -- 13 years after their last interview for ShowbizMonkeys.com! -- to chat about combining the teen comedy with campy sci-fi, writing female friendships, working with the leads of Davey & Jonesie's Locker, and easter eggs.

Hunter March is a host, actor, producer, and comedian. He was one of the early faces of AwesomenessTV's collection of digital shows, hosted the game show Emogenius, and was one of the host of E!'s late night show Nightly Pop. After a successful run hosting Netflix's Sugar Rush, the streamer has brought him on board to host the 4th season of the popular glass-blowing competition series, Blown Away, which films in Hamilton, Ontario. Matthew Ardill got a chance to talk with Hunter about his experience working on the show, how talented the glass-blowing artists competing are, his advice not just for contestants of Blown Away but for anyone entering new experiences, and some of the things he did with his spare time in the Toronto area. At the start of their chat, Hunter also gives Matt some celebrity lookalikes to ponder, while Matt throws in some others he's gotten before. Season 4 of Blown Away can be streamed now in its entirety on Netflix, along with all past seasons of the show. You can find Hunter on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/huntermarch.

Many know Brandon T. Jackson from his film career starring in Tropic Thunder, Percy Jackson, and the upcoming I'm Beginning to See the Light. But before that, he was a young stand-up comic. When I say young, I mean young -- starting at the age of 14, catching the comedy bug after watching his father minister to his congregation. Brandon's career started on the stages of Detroit, but eventually he worked his way west to Hollywood, and for many years spent much of his time on screen. But after recent events, Brandon decided to return to the stage with his "Still Detroit" tour. He launches his tour November 30 at the Comedy Loft in Washington, D.C., with more dates and cities to follow (tickets available at brandontjackson.love). Brandon recently took the time to sit with Matthew Ardill for a chat, and they discussed this tour, his inspirations, and the weirdest experience he's had performing comedy.

During 2023's JFL Toronto, Matthew Ardill got to chat over Zoom with Toronto stand-up comic and producer Jessie Olsen to discuss her long-running live show "Hot Babe Energy" (part of JFL Toronto), her podcast "Your Place or Mine", and the many other shows she hosts around the city. They touch on creating safe, sex-positive spaces, what makes a good sexy joke, and the more non-traditional comedy opportunities that have arisen over Jessie's meteoric rise in the Toronto comedy world. Catch Jessie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jessie__olsen Visit her website at https://jessieolsencomedy.com/ Listen to "Your Place or Mine" at https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/your-place-or-mine/id1536752936 or https://open.spotify.com/show/6O8R4JluNeGa9iPfqezxAf

Ottawa's Graham Kay, who has called New York City home for years, has built up quite the comedy résumé. He's toured clubs around North America, appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and featured in festivals like Just for Laughs in Montreal and the Halifax Comedy Festival. Recently, Graham has shifted his focus to a new one-man show called "Pete and Me: A Non-Depressing Look at Autism and Family", where he uses fuses storytelling with his incredible joke-writing to talk about his experiences growing up with an autistic brother, from childhood to today. The show, which was workshopped at small venues around NYC, tackles difficult subject matter head-on with plenty of levity, and has earned great reviews. Now he's bringing the show to Toronto for JFL to end off September, with more dates at the Under St Marks Theater in NYC to follow in October. Before coming to Toronto, he chatted with Andrew Lizotte about what went into the show, the lack of support for adults with autism, how his childhood shaped his sense of humour, his podcast "Autastic" with fellow comic Kirk Smith, and the perfect set-up for a stand-up comedy venue. (Also note: Fred Penner is a national treasure, and there is no secret dirt behind behind a paywall to be accessed.)

Comedian and Second-in-Command at Howl & Roar Records caught up on Zoom with the charming and talented Sydnee Washington ahead of her appearance at the Toronto Just for Laughs Festival. You can catch Syndee's solo show "How to Start a Fire" at JFL Toronto every night at Comedy Bar from September 27-30. Find more info and get tickets at toronto.hahaha.com.

Among the first crop of winners at this year's Juno Awards was Jon Dore, who won the Comedy Album of the Year Juno for A Person Who is Gingerbread, the veteran Canadian comic's debut comedy album from Howl & Roar Records (headed by his sister, Allison Dore). The Ottawa native has had a long career working on both sides of the border, first becoming a household name as a correspondent for 3 seasons of CTV's Canadian Idol before hosting The Jon Dore Television Show on the Comedy Network for 2 seasons. Jon was the first stand-up comic to appear on TBS' Conan when it debuted on November 11, 2010 (his first of many appearances on the late night show), and he hosted multiple seasons of HBO Canada's Funny as Hell, an alternative comedy showcase shot each year during Just for Laughs in Montreal. He's appeared multiple times on the Comedy Central sketch shows Inside Amy Schumer and The Kroll Show, as well as CBC's Baroness von Sketch Show, and in 2021 created and starred in CBC's Humour Resources, shot during the early days of the pandemic. (You can -- and should -- watch all the episodes now on CBC Gem.) Leading up to this year's Junos, Andrew Lizotte got the chance to chat with Jon from his home in Juneau, Alaska about how his album got more personal than his previous material, growing up with a funny sister, the process of filming Humour Resources, what it's like living in Alaska, and work-life balance before and after having a baby. Jon Dore's A Person Who is Gingerbread can be purchased from Howl & Roar Records and streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

If you don't know who Vir Das is by this point, that's on you, because he's very busy. Most recently, the stand-up comic released an all-crowd work special which was recorded over Zoom -- two phrases that make him a comedy daredevil. This marks his 4th special for Netflix. He was also in the latest Judd Apatow film, The Bubble, shot in the heart of the pandemic that's also about a major motion picture being shot during the pandemic. In advance of his appearances this week at JFL Toronto, Andrew Lizotte chatted with Vir over Zoom about those two latest projects, and Vir spoke about how breaking into the North American market so successfully involved mostly happy accidents that forced him to be the most himself he could be.

Kurt Braunohler has been embracing the bananas since well before he had a podcast of the same name. A stand-up comedian, actor, and improviser, Kurt's material ranges from the conversational to the absurdist, and has always been willing to go to new places. Kurt has appeared at Just For Laughs in Montreal, hosted a comedy game show, Bunk, on IFC, and collaborated with Kristen Schaal on the long-running and critical favourite variety show "Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen" (coming to JFL Toronto). He most recently started an irreverent news podcast with writer and performer Scotty Landes, Bananas, on the Exactly Right Podcast Network. He'll be at Just for Laughs Toronto where he will be making multiple stand-up appearances as well as bringing "Hot Tub" to Toronto for the first time on September 24. Matt Ardill had an opportunity to sit down with Kurt before his Toronto dates to talk about "Hot Tub", Bananas, comedy, and Canadians' intrinsic love affair with the beaver.

Laurie Kilmartin has been making people laugh for a long time. She's been working as a stand-up for most of her adult life, putting out 3 albums (including 2021's Corset) and appearing on late night shows like CONAN, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. She spent 11 years writing on CONAN on TBS, and in 2012 wrote the New York Times bestseller, "Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us". Since CONAN ended last year, she's been hitting the road for stand-up more often, including Just for Laughs in Montreal this past July, and several upcoming dates at JFL Toronto at the end of September. Paul Little got the chance to chat with her before her Toronto dates to talk about her time at CONAN, getting back on the road, and why she likes talking about just about anything on stage. For JFL Toronto show info and tickets, visit toronto.hahaha.com.

Fresh off a spring West Coast tour opening for Molly Burch, a couple cool UK festivals, and several very fun music video releases, genre-bending singer-songwriter JayWood is starting an exciting summer. It began with his first-ever appearance at the Winnipeg Folk Festival last weekend -- where he brought his mix of jazz, pop, folk, and funk music to huge hometown crowds -- and then kicks into high gear with the release of a new full-length album, Slingshot, on July 15. Paul Little caught up with JayWood on the final day of the Winnipeg Folk Fest to chat about his festival experience, his successful tour windows when many acts have had to cancel gigs worldwide, writing and recording the new record, and why he made sure it's a complete front-to-back package rather than just a collection of songs. If you're in Winnipeg, you can head to the Tallest Poppy on Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 PM for a Slingshot album listening party. Otherwise, be sure to keep your eyes peeled to JayWood's Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for upcoming summer tour dates across North America and beyond -- including Manitoba festivals Real Love Summer Fest and Rainbow Trout Music Festival -- as well as a proper album release show sometime in the fall.

Fred Penner has been bringing music to the ears of children worldwide for over 40 years. He's a multiple JUNO Award Winner, a Member of the Order of Canada, and helped teach a generation of Canadians about everything from folk music to curiosity and creativity through his long-running CBC show, Fred Penner's Place. In short and without hyperbole, he's a universally beloved Canadian icon. Now, after a pandemic-enduced touring hiatus, the family entertainer is hitting the road again, including appearances at his hometown Winnipeg International Children's Festival -- a festival he's performed at more than any other. Leading up to the new shows, Paul Little got a chance to speak with Fred over Zoom to talk about his relationship with Winnipeg Kidsfest, his experience working with contemporary Canadian musicians on 2017's Hear the Music, the importance of childhood music education, and why he signed on to highlight Winnipeg musicians through the new TV series Route 90 Sessions.

Andy Kindler has been a stand-up comic for over 30 years; toured endlessly all over North America; co-starred in hit TV shows like "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Bob's Burgers", and "Maron"; spent years doing regular field pieces on Letterman; and delivers the "State of the Industry" address at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal ever year. Yet somehow, he only released his debut comedy album *this year*. In a way, it's fitting that a comic known for deconstructing the craft would wait until a global pandemic to release "Hence the Humor" via digital download and streaming. Less than a week after delivering this year's JFL "State of the Industry" address via Zoom for the first time with the festival moving online due to COVID-19, our own Andrew Lizotte joined Kindler on Zoom for a long conversation covering the 7 year process putting out the new album, what goes into making the address at JFL every year (and what was different about this year), Kindler's thoughts on "cancel culture", and a deep dive into each other's experiences with therapy, medication, and mental health.

With COVID-19 cancelling the main Just for Laughs festivals in both Montreal and Toronto, JFL is putting on a weekend of free comedy programming on YouTube and other media. Writer/performer Jenny Hagel (Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Amber Ruffin Show) will be joining her frequent collaborator Amber Ruffin for a chat as part of the "Conversations with Funny People" series on October 10 at 8:30 PM ET. The Second City alumn and mainstay of the hilarious "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" segment on Late Night joined our own Andrew Lizotte for their own conversation, where they discussed Jenny's experiences writing for The Amber Ruffin Show, the differences between writing for Seth and Amber, the way the pandemic has affected the work-home balance, and how to even find the funny in these bizarre times.

Due to COVID-19 and the many travel and performance restrictions in place, Just for Laughs is putting on a weekend of free comedy programming on various online platforms. The hilarious DeAnne Smith (Netflix's Gentleman Elf) is taking part in the "Conversations with Funny People" series, where they'll be speaking with longtime friend, Hannah Gadsby on October 10 at 10 PM ET. Chatting with our own Andrew Lizotte ahead of this weekend's online JFL, DeAnne spoke about their new monthly Zoom shows (DeAnne Smith & Acquaintances), staying in one location for the first time since starting comedy, the progression of their joke-writing and performance style over the last few years, and what this weekend's conversation with Hannah Gadsby will entail.

February 17 saw the return of metal titans Soulfly to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Along for "The Summoning" tour were thrashers Toxic Holocaust, and on this date we also received a metal barrage from X Method, Bears with Technology, and Cause of Death. Local writer/performer William O'Donnell had the chance to chat with Soulfly's legendary leader Max Cavalera in what was less an interview -- and more two metalheads nerding out about the genre, its bands, and Max's unending mission to blend every possible sub-genre of metal with world music sounds. His bandmates and wife/manger Gloria can be heard shuffling around them as they can tell: once you get Max going about these topics, it's going to be a while!

Comic Gavin Matts has had a pretty good last couple years. Since being named SiriusXM Canada's "Next Top Comic" in 2017, he's made a string of TV appearances in both Canada (The Stand-Up Show with Katherine Ryan, The Halifax Comedy Festival) and the United States (Conan, Comedy Central's Stand-Up Featuring). During that stretch, he also released a comedy mixtape called Premature and moved away from his hometown of Vancouver -- first to L.A. and then to New York City. This month, he's heading back home to Canada for shows in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Before the mini tour, he chatted on the phone from New York with our own Paul Little about the opportunities he's had recently, the insecurities of comedians, and what he's looking forward to with the upcoming shows. Catch Gavin live in Winnipeg on November 12, Edmonton November 13, Vancouver November 14-17, or all over NYC after that.

Hawksley Workman has been making albums since the late 90s (his first full-length, For Him and the Girls, came out in 1999) and he's been releasing new music every year or 2 since then. He's rarely been one to stick to the same vibe record-to-record, jumping between styles and influences in a way that he says was likely frustrating for record execs, his touring band, and perhaps even some of his fans over the years. However, he's always been a unique and singular artist, and his longtime fans have never doubted the authenticity of his music, whether it's stripped-down folk, high-energy synth-pop, or anything in between. Besides his many solo releases and tour dates around the world, he's also served as a producer for some of Canada's best folk and pop acts, wrote a stage musical with accompanying soundtrack, and has put out a pair of records as drummer and singer with the band Mounties. More recently, he released a brand new solo record ("Median Age Wasteland") earlier this year, just yesterday put out a single ("Around Here") from an already-completed new album, and will be on a 24-date tour with a full band across Canada from November 1 through December 4 (dates below). Paul Little got a chance to speak to Hawksley last week ahead of his month-long excursion across the country, and during their in-depth chat they talked about his return to Europe the past couple years, the music and influence of the 1980s on his last release and his upcoming record, the idea of "less rage, more tears", the destructiveness of fame, his sense of gratitude heading into this tour, and what his trusted piano player Mr. Lonely has meant to him musically and personally over the years.

Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, New York-based comedian Dave Merheje has had a pretty stellar 2019. He started the year off with a half-hour Netflix stand-up special as part of their Comedians of the World series, popped up as a series regular on the first season of the critically-acclaimed Hulu series Ramy (available in Canada on Crave), and he won the Comedy Album to the Year at the 2019 Juno Awards for his album Good Friend Bad Grammar. This in addition to performing around the U.S. and Canada, as well as wrapping up a long run last year as a recurring character on the popular CBC sitcom Mr. D. While back in Toronto -- the city where he started stand-up -- for a series of headlining gigs at JFL42, Andrew Lizotte got the chance to catch up with Dave to talk about the wild year he's had, how he's grown on stage, how his dad reacted to his Juno win, and his new love for Lulu Lemon pants.

Seán Cullen is one of those rare Canadian performers who has fans across any age group. People were excited to shake his hand and give him a hug as he sauntered to the stage at one of his recent JFL42 shows. For followers of the comedian's long career, the show at Toronto's Comedy Bar was a decidedly deeper and more intimate evening. As a comedian who is well known for pure silly, he was refreshingly open about... himself, for the first time. Cullen bared his soul, speaking to struggles with loneliness, depression, and weight. But it's still Seán Cullen, so it took the form of a song called "Shit-storm", wearing ghost pants, and reflections on dating a raccoon. The crowd was safe in his silly;he even stopped to have a conversation with a criminal defense lawyer about the pros and cons of depression vs. homicide. It was honest, and present, and felt just for those in the room that night. Much like the conversation he and Andrew Lizotte had last week in advance of his JFL42 appearances. (Andrew wrote this intro, and is clearly the King of Segues...)

Robby Hoffman is an original comedy voice whose writing and delivery on stage puts her at the top of the stand-up game. Her bit for The Chris Gethard Show with Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski is one of the funniest things on YouTube, and her other television writing -- which includes CBC/IFC's Baroness Von Sketch Show -- has even won her a Daytime Emmy for Odd Squad on PBS. Last September, she recorded her Crave TV stand-up special, Robby Hoffman: I'm Nervous, at Toronto's JFL42. Robby is returning to Montreal -- where she used to live and briefly began her stand-up career -- for the Just for Laughs Festival as part of the great line-up for "The Ethnic Show" (with shows through Thursday, July 25) and with her own "The Early Evening Show with Robby Hoffman", a unique take on the late night comedy format taking place at the Montreal Improv on Monday, July 22 and Friday, July 26. She spoke with Paul Little about the development of her talk show, her experiences at other festivals in Canada, the difference between writing for the stage and television, and living in Los Angeles after time spent in Montreal, Toronto, and New York.

Nick Nemeroff is a Montreal comic who has been a mainstay in the Toronto comedy scene for the past few years, winning Best Newcomer and Best Breakout Comic at the 2017 and 2018 I Heart Joke Awards. His comedy has been described as "aggressively deadpan" -- and if you're wondering what that means, just watch his set from last fall on Conan. It's a joy. After visiting Winnipeg for the Oddblock Comedy Festival a couple years ago, Nick is making his first appearance at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival this weekend. Paul Little chatted with him ahead of his visit, and they spoke about his "Square Pegs" gala taping, his experience on Conan, and what's in store now that he's made the move to Los Angeles.

Chris Gethard is comedy's favourite underdog. He is the fine wine that other comedians cannot recommend enough. His years of study as an improviser at the UCB Theatre in New York have made him a great listener and a truly empathetic storyteller. During this interview in advance of his appearances at JFL42, Chris gave Andrew Lizotte some of the most emotionally open and thoughtful answers of his career -- all while driving! Chris is a ringmaster of chaos. The man loves a sincerely weird experience. His beloved program, The Chris Gethard Show -- which has run on NYC cable access and a pair of basic cable networks -- is best described as if early MTV went truly punk and had no artistic censorship. His podcast, Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, gives you honest and thoughtful looks into the lives of complete strangers. Chris also released an HBO stand-up special last year, Career Suicide, which gets us to laugh and understand his struggle with mental health. He is a complex and interesting man. If this interview jumps around a bit, it's only because there is so much to talk about.

Shortly after Donald Trump decided to run for President, improviser and actor Anthony Atamanuik -- a veteran of UCB Theatre in New York who had worked on 30 Rock for years and wrote for and appeared in a number of other comedy television shows and specials -- was asked to do a one-off show as Trump after playing an exaggerated version of then-candidate Trump in an improv scene. That original live show led to more shows, an eventual "Trump vs. Bernie" debate tour alongside James Adomian as Bernie Sanders, appearances on @midnight and FuseTV as the character, and then after the seemingly unlikely election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States, starring in a Trump-themed talk show on Comedy Central called The President Show. In advance of a pair of apperances as Donald Trump for this year's JFL42 in Toronto, Paul Little spoke with Atamanuik over the phone about his career before taking on the Trump character, getting into the mind of someone like Trump, his overall take on the state of politics in the United States these days, and a very early teaser about a new President Show special coming up soon.

Greg's podcast, The Smartest Man in the World, is an hour and a half of crowd work and riffing off of the headlines. It's also consistently very funny. It's a style of performer/audience relationship that harkens back to the days of Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, and Joan Rivers; however, the format, subject matter, and approach are all modern. Like Greg himself, it combines the technical proficiency of an older generation, but continues to stay effortlessly relevant. He's also one of the most apt social critics working in stand-up comedy today. Don't believe us? The amount of issues that get touched on in this less than 15-minute interview with Andrew Lizotte is dense. His new album is out in October, his book is now out in paperback (The Smartest Book in the World), and he's performing stand-up and recording his podcast at JFL42 this week. Go enjoy him.

Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld are the writers, actors, and editors behind the award-winning webseries Jake and Amir, which began while the pair were writers at College Humor. In 2013, they started an advice podcast called If I Were You, and over the years, they have done special live recordings of the podcast around the U.S. Now they're bringing the podcast north of the border to Canada, with live shows in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver. In advance of these shows, our own Ian Bawa spoke to the comedy duo about the questions they choose to give advice on, where new segments developed from, if their current Vimeo series Lonely and Horny, and what audiences should expect going to a live recording of If I Were You.

In the fall of 2017, Toronto comic Courtney Gilmour was coming off the biggest professional accolade of her comedy career: being named the co-winner (along with Montreal's DJ Mausner) of the Homegrown Comics competition at Just for Laughs Festival. The win included a spot among the 42 feature acts at September's JFL42 comedy festival in her hometown. In the midst of JFL42, Andrew Lizotte sat down with Courtney for a long chat about her Homegrown win, her new CBC animated web series, and religion. The latter topic is the subject of her own podcast, So Help Me Pod, and in reality, Andrew just commandered her theme so he could sing Bible camp songs (which he swears is way cooler than it sounds). Since the interview took place, Courtney's friends and family have started a GoFundMe for her to be able to afford her #DreamLeg. She was born without both hands and her right leg above the knee, and the state-of-the-art prosthetic leg she'd love to have currently costs $100,000. The Toronto comedy community has stepped up in a big way with fundraiser shows and more, but if you have a few dollars to spare, you should consider donating to the #DreamLeg fund at gofundme.com/dreamleg!

Rhys Darby may be best-known to audiences as Murray Hewitt on the acclaimed HBO series Flight of the Conchords, but the New Zealand Army veteran is also an accomplished stand-up comic, having worked all over the globe for nearly 2 decades and put out 3 stand-up specials. He's also starred in films such as Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi's brilliant vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows and the upcoming Jumanji reboot. A veteran of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Montreal's Just for Laughs, Darby is now in the middle of JFL's Alternative Comedy Tour across Canada alongside headliner T.J. Miller. Back in September, during a visit to Toronto for JFL42, Andrew Lizotte sat down with him to cover a wide range of topics including show preparation, Conchords, his interest in cryptozoology, and his summiting of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

After becoming a comedy and film superstar in France, 46-year-old Morocco-born Gad Elmaleh has spent the last couple years based out of New York, starting comedy in a brand new language and paying his dues again in rooms like the Comedy Cellar and Joe's Pub in NYC, and other smaller clubs across the United States. Of course, being an established performer -- even in another language -- meant Elmaleh's anglophone rise has been a bit quicker than for most comics. Building off of appearances on Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and late night shows like CONAN and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the one-time Quebeccer is now playing theatres around Canada and the U.S., and is on the verge of recording his first English-language comedy special. In advance of some Canadian stops on his "Oh My Gad" tour, Paul Little got the chance to speak to Elmaleh about his original interest in performing and comedy after he moved from Morocco to Quebec, his discovery of Seinfeld, his recent adjustments to both the English language and North American audiences, and his desire to be seen as funny beyond the gimmick of "starting over".

Bronx-born comic, writer, and actress Gina Brillon made her first TV appearance over 10 years ago on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham. Since then, she's appeared on Chelsea Lately, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The View, and the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait in a recurring role. She also had a feature role in Gabriel Iglesias' comedy film, The Fluffy Movie, and put out a one-hour special, Pacifically Speaking. This fall, Brillon has hit the road north of the border, as comedy powerhouse Just For Laughs has teamed her up with JFL tour mainstays Alonzo Bodden and Sugar Sammy for a cross-Canada tour. Paul Little spoke with Brillon shortly before the tour began, and we talked about her absolute love of stand-up comedy, her experiences working in TV, her plans for the future, and why she was excited to hit the road with Bodden and Sammy.

SheDot Festival ("Toronto's Festival of Funny Women") is in its fourth year, and has grown from essentially a local festival in its first year to one featuring performers from all across Canada and the United States. SheDot co-producer Karen O'Keefe (who now runs the festival alongside founder Martha O'Neill) has been involved since its inception, and has also been performing stand-up for over 10 years along with other festival appearances and a writing stint on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Paul Little chatted with O'Keefe at a cafe across the street from SheDot's home base for the weekend, Comedy Bar, mere hours before this year's festival began. They spoke about the chaos of co-producing a festival, SheDots beginnings, future plans for the festival, some of the shows to check out if you're in Toronto this weekend (the festival runs through Sunday, May 7), and her own writing and acting aspirations.

Rebecca Reeds started her comedy career in Ottawa, performing at open mics and eventually being part of an Ottawa Fringe Festival show. She's since made the move to Toronto, where there are not only far more opportunities for her to get stage time and hone her craft, but where she can perform alongside touring comics who regularly hit up the city (such as a recent opening spot for Matt Braunger at Toronto's Comedy Bar). Reeds has previously performed at the SheDot Festival and JFL 42 -- as well as made appearances on CBC Radio and SiriusXM -- but she's appearing at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival for the first time this year. Paul Little chatted with her about the early part of her career in Ottawa, the difficulties of moving to a much bigger comedy city like Toronto, her growth as a comic over the last couple years, and what she expects from her first big TV gala experience.

Tim Gray and Matt Nightingale are both veterans of the Winnipeg stand-up comedy scene, and this year they're both a part of the local contingent at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Besides their accomplishments as stand-up comics (Tim's first comedy album comes out this June, and Matt is a regular host at Rumor's Comedy Club), they're also members of the sketch troupe HUNKS. Their work with HUNKS -- which also features Dana Smith, Quinn Greene, and Rory Fallis -- has taken them to festivals like Just for Laughs NorthWest, San Francisco Sketchfest, and the Montreal Sketch Festival. (They also have their own very funny podcast!) Last weekend, Paul Little sat down with Tim and Matt to talk about their growth as stand-ups, their early success with HUNKS, and a whole lot more fascinating (and ridiculous) stuff. It's our longest podcast yet, but it's also a whole lot of fun!

Amanda Brooke Perrin is a veteran of the Toronto comedy scene who recently moved to Los Angeles. Approaching 10 years as a stand-up comic, Perrin has appeared at festivals like JFL 42 and Bridgetown, has appeared on Match Game and written for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and just released her debut comedy album (AKA Randy, available on iTunes) last summer. Just prior to her first visit to the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Paul Little caught up with Perrin while doing a string of shows in B.C. They chatted about making the jump from her hometown of Calgary to Toronto earlier in her career, the comedy writing opportunities in Canada, what she's looking forward to about Winnipeg, and why Colin Mochrie should watch his back!

Whether you've heard his stand-up, read his articles for The Onion and The AV Club or watched @midnight, chances are you've know comedian Dan Telfer's work. Dan Telfer joins Aaron Demeter at the Oddblock Comedy Festival to talk about his work on @midnight, gives his opinions on living in L.A. versus his native Chicago, and opens up about his second bout with cancer.

Pete Johansson has spanned the globe with his comedy, spending the bulk of his career living in Vancouver, Los Angeles, and London. Just a few weeks ago, Pete made the move back to Canada, this time calling Toronto home. Paul Little speaks with Pete before this year's Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Among many things, they discuss his various moves, his experiences with the Edinburgh Fringe, and what he's got planned for this year's Winnipeg Comedy Festival (including his one-man solo show, "Good People", a preview of what he'll be bringing to Edinburgh this summer).

Paul Little chats with longtime stand-up comic and deliverer of Just for Laugh's annual "State of the Industry" address, Andy Kindler, in advance of his multiple appearances at this week's Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Topics include Andy's past visits to Winnipeg, Donald Trump and the state of journalism, how far comedy has come since the 80s, what David Letterman meant to television, and his other work in TV. He even tries out -- and quickly abandons -- some new hockey material. (Also, if Jay Baruchel is listening, get in touch with Andy. He wants to be on your radar, Jay!)

On his day off between Just for Laughs tour stops in Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, a slightly under-the-weather Jeremy Hotz joins us for the second time to talk with Paul Little about Just for Laughs, working with Ken Finkleman, the state of Canadian television, the improvised nature of his sets, and how despite never really going the political comedy route, even his current shows spend a couple minutes touching on the craziness that's going on in the never-ending American election cycle.

Shazia Mirza doesn't tend to stay in one place for very long. The award-winning stand-up comic, originally from Birmingham, England, has toured Britain, the United States, Canada, Pakistan, the United Arab Emerits, India, and all over Europe. Coming from a Muslim immigrant family in Britain, Shazia wasn't expected to end up in a career in comedy -- and in fact, she was a science teacher before she got behind the mic for the first time. However, over the last decade and a half, she's shown that comedy is definitely her true calling. Paul Little got the chance to speak to Shazia over the phone from her home in London just before she jetted off for some shows in India, one night back in the UK, and then her dates in Canada at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. They chatted about her unlikely start in comedy, her growth as a comedian and writer, her past experiences in Winnipeg, and the peculiarity of good comedy writing not always equating to the most laughter.

Veteran stand-up comic, writer, and actor Demetri Martin headlines this year's Just for Laughs comedy tour as it careens through Western Canada, and a couple weeks ago Paul Little had the opportunity to chat with Martin ahead of his Canadian dates. They talk about his expectations for the tour, his experiences on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, his two seasons of Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Martin, and his growth as a stand-up over the years.

Canada was first introduced to the comedic mind of Daryn Jones on his early 2000s Comedy Network show Buzz, which featured he and Mista Mo in various sketches and random bits and interviews on the streets of Toronto. In the many years since, Jones has become a household name -- and even for those that might not instantly recognize the name, they've almost certainly seen his work on CBC's The Mercer Report, doing pieces for Hockey Night in Canada and George Stroumboulopoulos, and as the longtime host of MTV's flagship show, MTV Live. Since leaving his regular gigs on television, Jones has spent a lot more time working on stand-up comedy, a return to what first brought him into the spotlight doing Yuk Yuk's amateur nights at 17 years old. A couple weeks ago I got the chance to speak with Daryn about his upcoming visit to the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, a look back at his career thus far, and what's on the horizon for this extremely talented host and comedian.