Canadian comedians have always punched above their weight. Names that come to mind include John Candy, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Don Aykroyd, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, McDonald, Mike Meyers, Russell Peters, Caroline Rhea, and Jim Carrey. More recently, Seth Rogan and Dan Levy are the latest Canadian comedians to experience mainstream success.
On the music side, Celine Dion, Drake, The Weeknd, Alanis Morisette, Avril Lavigne, and Nelly Furtado have been ambassadors for Canadian music around the world.
Now there’s a new crop of Canadian comedians and recording artists you should keep your eye on.
In the latest installment of SHIFTER and the National Arts Centre‘s Innovators & Icons series, where we celebrate Canadian women of colour in live performance, we take look at seven Canadian comedians and recording artists who are quickly making names for themselves.
This month’s honourees include hip-hop artist Charmaine, Nunavut-born singer-songwriter and producer Angela Amarualik, Experimental Hip-hop duo Cartel Madras, Alternative R&B artist and producer Janette King, and comedians Hoodo Hersi and Janelle Niles. These women are all innovators in their own right, whether through their content, craft, or by causing little controversy.
Here are seven Canadian comedians and recording artists you need to know today.
HOODO HERSI | Comedian
City: Toronto/New York
Instagram: @hoodocomedy
Previous work: Late Night with Seth Meyers, The New Wave of Standup Season 2 (CBC Comedy)
When we talk about rising Canadian comedians to watch we have to include Toronto native Hoodo Hersi. Now based in New York, she is comedian who is quickly making her mark across North America for her observational takes on race, politics and family.
Introduced to comedy by watching the David Chappelle Show, Hoodo is now 11 years deep in the game and counts making her late night television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers, being selected as a New Face: Canada at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, one of CBC’s 15 Comics to Watch, an Audible New Voice at SF Sketchfest, and writing on A24/Amazon’s untitled Ramy Youssef animated show among her major accomplishments.
She has performed alongside current and rising comedy starts like Hasan Minhaj, Lil Rel Howery, Roy Wood Jr., Nicole Byer, and Maria Bamford, and was featured in Sephora’s national “Get Lippie” lipstick campaign in partnership with Fashion Magazine, where she was profiled as one of the three Female Comedians Taking Canada by Storm Right Now.
More about Hoodo Hersi
What is your biggest professional achievement?
“Doing Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
What obstacles/challenges have you had to face to get to where you are today?
“My immigrant mother’s judgment on my comedy career.”
What’s something people should know about you?
“Comedians are essentially sad clowns.”
