One of my favorite things about Toronto's Just for Laughs Festival is that some of the acts are really great at showing you how the sausage gets made.
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.
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.
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.
Andy Kindler has been a stand-up comic for over 30 years; toured endlessly across North America; co-starred in hit TV shows like Everybody Loves Raymond, Bob's Burgers, and Maron; spent years doing regular field pieces on The Late Show with David Letterman and returns to the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal every year to deliver his "State of the Industry
If you've watched Late Night with Seth Meyers over the last few years, you've likely seen lots of Second City alumn Jenny Hagel, either performing alongside Meyers and fellow writer Amber Ruffin for the popular "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" segment or appearing in various other bits and sketches.
DeAnne Smith has been doing stand-up for nearly 15 years, beginning in Montreal, moving to the Toronto scene, and performing on stages all over Canada, the United States, the UK, and Australia since.
Robby Hoffman is an original comedy voice whose writing and delivery on stage puts her at the top of the stand-up game.
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.
When Donald Trump decided to announce he was running for President, it seemed like a comedy goldmine. He had always been an over-the-top character, with his name in big, bold letters on everything he owned, and was already a frequent punchline before officially entering the political fray.
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