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.

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.

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.

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.

K. Trevor Wilson -- the self-proclaimed Mountain Man of Comedy -- has a natural knack for brilliant and hilariously engaging storytelling, and held his own this past fall at Toronto's JFL42 alongside an impressive line-up of international comedy heavyweights. He's returning this year to the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, this time with the distinction of being the winner of the 2012 Homegrown Competition at Just for Laughs.

In advance of his visit to Winnipeg, J.D. Renaud chatted with Wilson about what it takes to spin a good story into a good bit, J.D.'s inability to correctly read IMDb, and what it takes to become a member of K. Trev's Elite Adventure Squad.

K. Trevor Wilson -- the self-proclaimed Mountain Man of Comedy -- has a natural knack for brilliant and hilariously engaging storytelling, and held his own this past fall at Toronto's JFL42 alongside an impressive line-up of international comedy heavyweights. He's returning this year to the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, this time with the distinction of being the winner of the 2012 Homegrown Competition at Just for Laughs.

In advance of his visit to Winnipeg, J.D. Renaud chatted with Wilson about what it takes to spin a good story into a good bit, J.D.'s inability to correctly read IMDb, and what it takes to become a member of K. Trev's Elite Adventure Squad.

Returning by popular demand to the Winnipeg Comedy Festival once again, John Wing has more than secured his reputation as a stellar performer and true renaissance man in the world of comedy. A seasoned vet of the stand-up world, Wing has long been one of Canada's most original and consistently irreverent comedic voices. Not only that, he has also inexplicably found time in his busy schedule to write several books and collections of poetry in his down time, while being one of the most sought-after, witty, and razor-sharp joke writers in North America. He also has over 200 television appearances under his belt, including six Tonight Shows and nine Just for Laughs galas.

J.D. Renaud spoke to John about the nomadic life of a traveling comic, the challenge of writing material with deadlines looming on the horizon, and the debate surrounding whether or not stand up comedy can be considered 'art'.