11 Canadian Comedians Who Rocked 2020

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2020 was rough in every corner of the world.  It was the year that everyone in comedy grew accustomed to bad news.

In 2002 we found out John Mulaney has checked into rehab. Mainstream news outlets reported on this as a side note cut with clips of Mulaney standing on red carpets or smiling on stage at Radio city music hall. People do not check into rehab days before Christmas if life is manageable. And if the guy who is a household name in stand up, with a career that everyone would kill for can admit publicly that he’s in crisis, you know it’s a dark year. The good news is, the headline does not however read John Mulaney dead at 37. His choice to go to rehab embodies the common thread in all comedic pivots of 2020 they are difficult and necessary. A choice to not abandon one’s art. To not let the demons win.

In 2020, the Canadian scene watched as The Second City Toronto’s location was dismantled without a final bow. We felt wrecked as the building that housed Bad Dog Theatre was demolished.  We were directionless every time we heard news of cancelled shows and festivals, with opportunities and paying off evaporating in front of our eyes.

In Canada (largely due to the Government’s continued reluctance to acknowledge Comedy as an artform under the granting system), Comedy is a vocation that requires a true passion and ability to adapt.

In this most difficult year, many struggled, and with good reason.  But in many cracks and corners, Canada’s comedy spirit thrived. This list recognizes Canadian comedians who rose to the challenge of understanding their job. When there is little to laugh about, that is when people need it the most. A dark club, a cold drink and killer headliner is a simple joy we all mourn right now. These comics pushed through their versions of grief to make others feel lighter. As we enter the darkest time of the year and the pandemic, we wanted to let  everyone on this list know: your talents and efforts are seen.

Also don’t forget to vote on the best of everything in comedy this year– books, albums, specials, stand up of the year and more! And read all of our 2020 year in comedy coverage here.

 

Matt Duffy would most certainly greet his placement on this list with the same questioning contempt that landed him here. In the before times he hosted the acclaimed Friend Zone open mic at the effortlessly stylish Cameron House. His pivot into streaming has brought with it the same laid back rawness.  His unscheduled streams feature the awful lighting of his porch where he cracks cheap beer banters in various temperatures of heat with his dog as much as the comment section and makes smoking look cool again. A worshiper of Bill Hicks and an enemy of censorship there in an authenticity to Duffy that gives you the sense if his phone broke he’d throw it off the porch and still be doing the same thing but although he’d never admit he’s glad to have someone to talk to.  Follow Matt on IG.

Danish Anwar kept stand up alive in Toronto this summer with  a secret invite only show with stunning views and hot lineups. His show gave most performers their first set back from quarantine. Laughing with the stunning sunsets as a backdrop was exactly what we needed. Anwar created a space where for a few hours the hand picked mix of guests and comics could be above their problems for a moment and get some much needed perspective.  Follow Danish on IG

Crystal Ferrier is a comic who cut her teeth as a regular on the long running Nubian show at Yuk Yuk’s downtown Toronto location. Her album “It Was All a Dream” self released this year solidifying her as a headliner. It is a deeply personal collection of well crafted material on her Indian heritage and the West Indian Canadian influence on her life and comedy. A perfect balance of bluntness and charm that could not come from any scene other than Toronto and no other comic then Ferrier. She makes delicious cakes on Instagram too.  Follow Crystal on IG

Meg MacKay  is a comic who embodies a new wave of Canadian female stand ups such as Olivia Stadler, Cassie Cao and Allie Pearse; comedians who make bigger points with softer edges. Meg is one of the most charismatic stand ups working in Canada today. Her album “Probably a Witch” makes use of every moment and serves straight up cunning stand up skill with moments of more contemporary absurdity. “Probably a Witch” is sweet and strange, the sort of album that shows new expansions in comedy trends occur naturally in Canada before any place else. Follow Meg on IG

 

Marc Anthony has always thrived in multiple mediums; the pandemic doubled his efforts.  He is a hybrid of Italian Canadian comedy releasing a W.A.P parody entitled W.O.P Stoner Comedy with the web series Buffet Buds where his chemistry with J.J liberman  was like if Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon blazed! Along with micro characters on tik tok like “fat Ramsay” and “German who parties.” Marc Anthony also pivoted his stand up production company Funny Guy to be able to stream quality stand up for corporate gigs. His followers can always trust Marc Anthony is cooking up something that is well crafted, relatable and served with a side of hyper hilarity. He is a comic with a great range and career to watch. Follow Marc Anthony on IG

The devastation to sketch comedy has been undeniable and felt especially hard in Toronto with the scene being so world class. Jon Blair made a name for himself with his distinct brand of political satire writing winning the acclaimed pitch contest at JFL and catching the attention of Hassan Minhaj. When the pandemic hit,  unsatisfied with the zoom sketches of his peers, he set to work on “Now More Than Ever” a full half hour sketch show that is so polished it’s ready for T.V complete with commercial breaks. The visuals are cohesive anda  natural expansion of his stage shows. Sketches like “10 years of punk” and “Monster Party” demonstrate how Blair is a comedy platypus:  smooth, rare, eclectic and finally swimming on his own.   Follow Jon on IG

Tamara played an incredibly important role in keeping the Toronto comedy scene united during the lockdown this spring with her Tuesday and Thursday Instagram live show Quarantea. Comedians would come on the show and be reminded who they were with hilarious and sometimes serious questions. One of the most notable interviews was with comic Jhanelle Dennis at the height of the black lives matter protests when they gave the scene a much needed reality check about a comedy show posing as a benefit for Regis Korchinsky Paquette a POC woman who fell to her death after being intimidated by Toronto Police while in a mental health crisis. Coining the radical honesty of the show “Free Smoke Summer.” In the brief months when stand up returned, Shevon had a full new 20 minute set that skated the delicate balance of making people laugh at trauma they were still living. Her Zoom show Sunday Best was picked up Nationally by Virgin radio as a podcast. She won’t stop till she is sipping purse wine with Kanye West.  Follow Tamara on IG

Canada’s East coast is home to an exaggerated character driven style that is wild and endearing all at once. Tracy and Martina are best friends and the hottest internet celebrities in the city of Cape Breton. They love big hair, black eyeliner, short skirts and having a few drinks. Even when separated by quarantine, Tracy and Martina  always had something for their fans “the huns” whether it was Bingo on Instagram or the six feet back rap. The province of Nova Scotia endured the most deadly mass shooting in Canadian history in April when 22 people were killed by a man impersonating a police officer.  Tracy and Martina were able to convey hope and sincerity without breaking character.  Their Holiday special  produced by The Trailer Park Boys Swear Net production company was crass with healing laughter and  beautiful music. Their friendship and commitment to their makeup routine reminded us all to find our inner tough broad and keep er’ movin.  Follow them on Facebook.

Keith Pedro belongs to a subset of Toronto comics like Paul Thompson, Nitish Sakhuja, Mike Rita, Nick Reynoldson and Big Norm Alconel who are flyer than your average stand up. Influenced by Hip Hop, Def Jam and the total legalization of weed in Canada. This scene was throwing secret shows long before the Pandy.  Pedro was scheduled to record a special for Amazon prime. Rather than be disappointed he wrote an entire hour in quarantine and set to work polishing it on any stage he could this summer. It was the most comprehensive and consistently landing collection of material on the pandemic that made even the most stoned traumatized audiences laugh. In a matter of weeks the material was strong enough to be turned into an album entitled “The Vaccine” which was released by Comedy Records in October. No one hustled harder then Keith Pedro this summer If the Vaccine is not nominated for a Juno the right people aren’t paying attention. Follow Keith on IG

If you think a little thing like a global pandemic could slow a bad bitch like Tom Hearn down you are sorely mistaken.  Sketch Comedy darling in the before times his show “Eleganza Extravaganza” won a Canadian comedy award, had a run at JFL and was The Second City’s pride show.  His other show Lip Synced merged the comedy and drag scenes and would sell out the historic Buddies in Bad time’s theatre every month. Without missing a beat Hearn was

Hosting.  (his own show, The bit which was digital improv with such high standards other shows took cues and made everyone better.)

Posting.  (Digital Sketches and Tik Toks that ranged from harmless to harsh)

Posing. (with new makeup skills and an emerging drag persona)

THE HOUSE DOWN!

This digital incarnation Hearn’s already solid writing has expanded to be more fearless and filthy all the glitz, glamour and camp are built on the solid foundation of Sketch fundamentals. Hearn has put out so much content since March it is beyond admirable and hard to believe all aspects are done by himself and his partner. Tom Hearn’s  werk is the next chapter of Queer comedians who have always blazed a trail of mirror ball light into the ugliest of times. Follow Tom on IG

With 66.8K followers Neema already had an impressive internet following before the pandemic. Yet since March his audience has only grown as his comedy has gotten sharper. He is a comic who truly is quantity and quality. He shoots edits and brings to life an entire cast of characters in his head everyday. He touches on situations and relationships accents that are spot on yet never overdone or taken too far. There is a sincerity to him that has created a bond with his legions of followers and keeps him working so hard. He makes the most of everything available to him. There is a freedom to Neema’s content, a style entirely his own. It would be phenomenal to see what he is capable of with a team behind him.  Neema is a new direction in Comedy where the Internet,Intensity and It factor collide.  Follow Neema in IG.

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