Andrew Grant artfully blends introspection, storytelling, and a healthy dose of puns, both delightful and horrible. As a performer, Andrew thrives on contrast, deftly navigating between loud and quiet, fast and slow, and highbrow and lowbrow humour—each performance a dynamic experience.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Introspective with elements of storytelling and horrible puns. As a performer, I like to play with contrast. I mix loud and quiet, fast and slow, and highbrow and lowbrow (which is coincidentally how some audience members look at me).
Who are some of your influences?
Bill Burr, Kyle Kinane, Patton Oswalt, and Myq Kaplan all have had a big influence on my material but in terms of my look and the way that I speak, it has been pointed out to me that I owe a lot to the wrestler Mick Foley.
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
I didn’t have cable or high-speed internet growing up so one of the few ways I was exposed to stand-up was through the CTV Comedy Now specials that would air on Saturday nights. At the time I thought Russell Peters’ episode, the special that made him famous, was the funniest thing I’d ever seen. My taste in comedy is completely different these days but it was part of my journey.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Kyle Kinane. I think his recent special Dirt Nap is the type of material I aspire to and he always has such amazing word choices.
What is your pre-show ritual?
I take a few deep breaths, check that my fly is up, and remind myself this is one of my favourite things in the world to do. Even after doing this for over 10 years, I still get nervous and sometimes it’s easy to forget.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
The first time I ever tried stand-up it was at an open mic in a tiny room in the back of a little bar in Wan Chai, Hong Kong called Bar 109. I had just moved to the city for grad school and I was going to events trying to make friends. I was just going to watch, maybe work up the courage to try it one day. But when the host found that out, he didn’t ask me if I wanted to try it that night, he told me I was trying it that night and I was on after the next guy. I eventually ended up running that open mic and becoming its regular host. I’ve performed in bigger rooms, nicer rooms with better layouts and better equipment but for over 3 years it was the room where I knew I could try new things, take big swings, and even if it didn’t work out it would still be there for me the next week. The bar and all of the staff genuinely wanted us there and they gave us that freedom. For that, it will always hold a special place in my heart. The show is still running so if you’re ever in Hong Kong on a Monday, go check it out.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
My motto when writing is “less what, more who”. Labels and titles and diagnoses aren’t nearly as interesting to me as how they’ve shaped who you are and how you feel about the world. I do have lines here and there that I think give audiences a lot of insight into who I am as a person. And that’s why it pains me to say my favourite joke I’ve ever written is “Butter knives are pointless”. I think it’s a quality pun but it’s the efficiency that I’m most proud of. A true one-liner with no wasted words.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Word of mouth. Taste in comedy is so personal that the best way to find new comedians you like is to find people whose opinions you trust and hear who they like. Or if a comedian you like is in town, check out a show. If they’re a big name they’re probably handpicking the other people on the show with them. If they’re not a big name you can still get exposure to different types of comedy that you might not realize yet that you enjoy.
Tell us a joke about your city
Vancouver has more 24-hour gyms than 24-hour McDonalds. I guess you can’t spell “Van City” without “vanity”
Do you have anything to promote right now?
Nothing at the moment but keep an eye on my socials. In general, though, just support the Vancouver comedy scene. We have some truly great comedians in the city who are well worth your time and ticket purchase.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
There are a lot of high-quality comedians in the city that deserve more recognition and I don’t want any of them to feel left out but in the interest of brevity, I’m going to go with two Joshes: Josh Romyn and Josh Fleming. Romyn runs an amazing storytelling show called True Enough every Wednesday at Underground Comedy but just in general he has such a unique, warm, and thoughtful approach to comedy that I don’t think there’s anyone else like him in the city. Fleming is a fantastic writer and performer, he’s a fast-rising star of the Vancouver scene, and he has one of my favourite comedy bits I’ve heard in the last two years.
