Wilfully Funny

I talk with Ottawa comic Mike Leblanc (IG: @mikeleblanccomedy, Twitter: @mikeleblanchaha)

Mike is one of a handful of Ottawa-area comics who perform in both English and French. He spoke about how he started comedy in Vancouver six years ago. He had a crazy story about his first time on stage at an open mic in Vancouver and other cool stories about doing comedy in LA and NYC. It was a fascinating conversation!

I talk with my good friend, former co-host, and comic Dawn Xanklin (IG: @dawnxanklincomedy, Twitter: @dxanklin)

We were co-hosts last year on our podcast “Black Don’t Crack” until the end of the first lockdown last summer. We talked about comedy, lockdown, quarantine, and vaccines. Dawn told me about the cool things she’s been doing since the last time she was on the show. We also shared that neither of us were wearing bras or real pants.

I talk with comic Lindsay Ventzke.

I was fortunate enough to be hosting the show where Lindsay had her first set. She killed it. We talked about her journey into standup comedy so far and what motivated her to start.

I talk with radio personality and friend Dylan Black.

We could have talked for hours more! Dylan told me about his almost 25-year radio career. I made him blush by telling him how much I liked his voice.

I talk with Ottawa comic and good friend Emmett Morrison.

We met in a comedy class in 2019 and reconnected during the pandemic.  We reminisced about our first forays into standup. I asked him how getting started in comedy during a plague has been.

I talk with Cornwall comic and radio personality Dan Allaire.

Dan and I discussed our love and passion for standup comedy. We talked about how people think we’re crazy for driving for miles to do 5 minutes for no pay. We both started “late” and want to enjoy the ride for as long as we can.

I talk with Montreal comic Victoria Blair.

We met at The Comedy Nest in Montreal after the first lockdown. Victoria and I talked about sexism and ageism in our comedy communities. We talked at length about getting hate and mansplained. She finds it funny while I find it infuriating.

I talk with Ottawa comic and friend Ashley Krawchenko.

Ashley is the only woman so far to have won the Yuk Yuk’s summer comedy competition. I asked her about her prolific TikTok and Instagram posts. We also talked chins and making crazy faces. We discovered that we both have huge pandemic online shopping addictions. We also talk getting mansplained by psychopaths.

I talk with Ottawa comic and friend Wafik Nasralla.

Wafik and I got deep talking about lockdown, how we’ve been doing, and what life has been like a year into the pandemic. We did have light-hearted, funny moments like when he told me about his very first set.

I talk with my close friend Kingston comic and show producer Ashley Perna.

Ashley and I are not happy that it’s Valentine’s Day. She tells us about presenting a bill to city council to ban conversion therapy in Kingston. Currently she is working towards getting comedy recognized as an art form in Canada. We also talked comedy, getting stuck in an elevator, people “giving us jokes”, and sex injuries.