Heckled

Jay Light joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Heckled. Jay is a regular performer at famed Sunset Strip institution the Comedy Store, and co-produces weekly live editions of Roast Battle. He credits the latter with helping him tap into his true comedic voice, become a better joke-writer, and elevate his confidence as a performer...not to mention score the opportunity to open for Dave Chappelle. Onstage Jay may look like the clean-cut, naïve boy next door and readily admit, “I suffer from camp-counselor face!” But as crowds quickly learn, he doesn’t shy from discussing his sheltered religious upbringing or the formative lessons learned along his path to sobriety. 

In addition to making the finals of Comedy Central’s Roast Battle II: War of the Words, Jay has appeared on the network’s Not Safe with Nikki Glaser and HBO’s Project Greenlight. Most recently he’s honed his improv skills at emerging L.A. venue The Pack Theater, and in 2018 became both a contributing writer for Pete Holmes’ HBO series Crashing and staff writer for the Discovery Channel’s BattleBots reboot.  

Aside from touring clubs, music venues and colleges across the country, other stand-up credits include the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, the Motor City Comedy Festival, the Golden Spike Comedy Festival, the Blue Whale Comedy Festival, and South by Southwest.

In the podcasting realm, Jay puts his film degree to use every Monday morning on Blockbusting with Jay Light. The show first invites top comics and filmmakers to discuss industry news and the latest box-office results. Guests then dissect a successful mainstream movie they don’t consider a personal favorite – no gimmicks, no remorse, no punches pulled. Everything may be subjective in comedy, but on Blockbusting unpopular opinion rules. 

Christian Smith joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Christian Smith is an Actor, Writer, Sketch Comedian, Improviser and two time Canadian Comedy Award winner from Toronto. Christian has performed at Just For Laughs, JFL42 as well as the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival (Best of the Fest Award winners 2017) with his sketch/improv troupe Soul Decision. You can catch their CBC Comedy web series called “Soul Decision Comedy“ online now. Christian regularly frequents the stages at BadDog comedy theatre and was named one of Mark Breslin’s Up and Coming comedians to watch in 2017. Selected Theatre: The Adventures of Tom Shadow – Factory Theatre (2017) Dead End – Factory Theatre (2016), I’ll always be there to kill you (Summerworks), Blue Moon Girls (Fringe/Best Ensemble, “NNNN”) Selected Film/Television: Workin’ Moms, The Other Half, Alias Grace, Reign, Mayday. He’s also a nice and good boy.

Nabeel El Khafif joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Nabeel El Khafif is a Canadian-born actor, and former physician and surgeon. He has played a variety of roles in film and television, including 'The Expanse', 'American Gods', 'The Mist', and 'X-men: Apocalypse'.

Nabeel El Khafif was born January 2, 1984 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is the eldest of two children from Gamila Zahran, a pharmacist, and Mahmoud El Khafif, an economist and diplomat with the United Nations. He is of Egyptian descent. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school Nabeel performed in school drama productions and often garnered the praise of the audience and his teachers. He excelled academically, skipping three grades, and finishing 13 years of schooling at the age of 15. After being discouraged from pursuing a career in the performing arts, Nabeel attended the University of Waterloo where he studied Bioinformatics. After graduation he was still intent on becoming an actor, however he was forced to pick up a variety of odd jobs to support himself, and eventually gave in to family pressures again to pursue Medical school.

He attended Medical school at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, where the curriculum was entirely delivered in French. Upon completion of his schooling he was immediately hired by the University of Geneva hospital as a surgical resident. He obtained a Master's degree in medicine and won several awards for his research on Pancreatic and Islet transplantation, which was subsequently published in a top-ranked peer-reviewed journal. It was during this period that Nabeel realized he was quickly moving towards the fulfillment of a dream that "was not his." After much careful reflection, he resigned from his position at the hospital, and returned to Toronto to begin pursuing a career in acting.

Upon his return to Canada, Nabeel trained at the Second City Conservatory and the Professional Actor's Lab, both institutions being well known for their respective Alumni. His first film role was a minuscule appearance in X-men Apocalypse, and he has since appeared in a variety of film and television roles. Nabeel prides himself on being able to break rules and push the boundaries set by other people's perceptions.

Keesha Brownie joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Keesha Brownie is one of North America’s most candid comedians to watch. This Montreal born
Canadian with Jamaican Roots has graced comedy clubs across the country.
A unique blend of her Canadian & West Indian Heritage in her piercingly comical style and likeable approach has earned her a spot on last year’s 2019 SiriusXM Top Comic competition. She’s also appeared at Just For Laughs Festival Montreal, live Taping for Kevin Hart LOL Network, Best of Absolute Comedy at Toronto’s annual comedy festival, JFL42, and most recently, Keesha’s performed at the official pre-show for the “100% Fresher Tour” with Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider. Brownie, founded and produced her own comedy series in hometown Brampton, entitled Jokers Corner. She also lent a hand in co-producing Canada’s first All Black Canadian Comedy Tour, The Underground Comedy Railroad Tour and she headlined Kenny Robinson’s Nubian Disciples All-Black Comedy Revue, a monthly showcase of Black comics at Yuk-Yuks in Toronto. Whether touring across North America or the Caribbean, Keesha makes you feel as though you
have been a part of her journey the whole time.

Tom Henry joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Tom Henry is a comedian from Toronto. He's appeared on Comedy Network, and at festivals such San Francisco Sketchfest and Bridgetown Comedy Festival. He's opened for comics such as Tim Meadows, Nikki Glaser and Todd Barry and has been a regular on Andy Kindler's Alternative Show. Kindler also chose him as "The Next Big Thing in 2017" stating "Tom Henry is a comic who you could say he’s a little bit like Mitch Hedberg, a little bit Steven Wright, but he’s in a category by himself" He was named as one of LA Riot Fest's Comics to Watch in 2017 and was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for Best Stand-Up Newcomer in 2012. Last year his debut album, 'Tom Henry Kills' reached number one on the iTunes comedy charts. His special ‘66 Jokes’ recently became available on Crave TV. 

Neha Kohli joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Neha is a comedian, actor, writer, producer, a Chartered Professional Accountant as well as a cilantro aficionado.

Her parents are immigrants from India, so naturally, Neha had to become an accountant or she would bring shame upon her parents, her parents’ parents, her parents’ parents’ parents, and well, I think you get the picture. She hated it! So in 2017, she quit her job as an accountant to pursue her dreams of…well, not being an accountant (read: comedian, writer, actor, producer).

Neha is a graduate of The Second City’s Conservatory Program as well as recipient of the 2018 NBC Diversity Fellowship, which is awarded to the 15 best up and coming comedians in Toronto by The Second City. Neha co-wrote and starred in the Luminari ad I Am A CPA (Rant) (that went viral…with accountants).

She was part of the cast of the critically acclaimed 2019 Toronto Fringe Show called Woke ‘N Broke. You may have seen her in commercials for OLG Lottery, Rec Room, Trident, BMO or Twizzlers. Or you can catch her on the TV shows Meme This and Moonshine Diaries premiering later this year on Tamil Entertainment Television Network. Or you can watch her hosting Shopify’s NEW MONEY series on YouTube.

You may have seen her producing and hosting OTHER (Second City) or assistant producing Yas Kween (Bad Dog) or performing in comedy improv troupes The Kweendom and She’s All That. Or maybe you saw her crying in public during the summer of 2005 when Dumbledore died. You can follow her on Instagram @nehakohli__

Yaw Attuah joins Jimmer Lowe for an episode of Q’d Up. Yaw Attuah is a comedian, writer and actor from Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. He was a finalist in the 2017 Toronto Comedy Brawl competition and competed in comedy competitions in Brantford, ON and San Diego, CA. He debuted his critical and audience hit one-person show 'Rhymes with Wow' at the Toronto Fringe Festival July 2018. Yaw has completed the Second City Toronto Writer’s program and the prestigious Second City Conservatory program. As a stand-up comedian, Yaw has performed at many well-respected clubs/venues across the North America and has opened for Comedians Sam Jay (SNL), Josh Gondelman (Desus & Mero), and Eliza Skinner (Drop the Mic on TBS). Yaw also performs as an improviser in a duo called Not-Not Best Friends, in a sketch duo called Oreo Blizzard.

Gavin Pounds joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. After moving to Toronto at 18, Gavin Pounds has been doing improv, sketch, and stand up comedy in the city for 6 years. He can be seen with his improv troupe The Kids Table, doing solo character shows as Randall Walsh, or spilling tahini on his shirt before a show.

Rob Michaels joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Rob Michaels is a Toronto-based writer, performer, director, and improviser. After completing bachelor degrees in both mathematics and business, he realized his true passion lies in comedy. He has placed in the Austin Film Festival for a spec written for “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” and in the ScreenCraft Pilot Launch for his original pilot, “Trading Life”. He is a graduate of Second City’s Sketch Conservatory Program and an alumnus of their Bob Curry Diversity Fellowship. He recently performed in the pre-show for Second City’s FamCo show “What The Elf?!” and as a swing in Second City’s EdCo show “We WOKE Up Like This.” His Fringe Show “Woke N Broke” was awarded “Outstanding Ensemble” and rated “NNNN” by NOW Magazine. His sketch comedy channel, Wishful Genies, has been screened in numerous festivals and accumulated millions of views online via features on Funny Or Die and 9GAG.

Rob is most notable for his roles in his own sketches, because the only person willing to cast him is himself. In his free time, Rob likes to travel to new places and listen to Disney songs on repeat.

Anasimone George joins Jimmer Lowe for an Episode of Q’d Up. Anasimone George is a comedian & producer who would like to be left alone for the remainder of 2020. She can be found at @theanasimone / www.anasimone.com.