Hailing from Vancouver, Arya Afshar is a rising star in the comedy scene with a style that’s both transgressive social commentary and silly observational humour. Drawing inspiration from comedy greats like Frankie Boyle and modern powerhouses such as Jordan Jensen, Arya’s goal is to make audiences think while they laugh. His sets are known for being both smart and engaging, and he’s a true comedy fan who watches hours of stand-up daily.
How would you describe your comedy style?
I try to strike a balance between transgressive social commentary and silly observational humour. One time, I told a joke and an audience member laughed with their mouth and winced with their eyes, and I thought, “That! I want THAT to be the reaction to my comedy!”
Who are some of your influences?
Jordan Jensen, Nikki Glaser, Geoffrey Asmus, Frankie Boyle, Drew Lynch, to name a few
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Frankie Boyle, Bill Hicks, Mitch Hedberg, Richard Pryor, and Larry David
Who is your favourite comedian now?
I don’t think many comics would deny that Jordan Jensen is next level! We’re in the golden age of comedy right now. There’s never been as many incredible comics. To name a few: Geoffrey Asmus, Gianmarco Soresi, Nikki Glaser, Amber Autry, Jaqueline Novak, Steph Tolev, Niki Mohrdar, Rory Dunn, Akeem Hoyte-Charles, Sophia Johnson, Josh Johnson, Randee Neumeyer, Jeff Arcuri, Dina Hashem, Mae Martin, Gina Harms, Rachel Ruecker, Troy Bond, Michael Rowland, Ben Feldman, Drew Lynch, James Acaster…the list is literally never-ending
What is your pre-show ritual?
I try to get a feel for the audience. Are they drunk or sober? Are they a lot of easily-offended men or cool people? Is there anyone I can make fun of? Did a topic come up that I have a bit over, or a joke I can call back to.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
I did a set at Red Gate for Collective Disorder as the only comic in a line-up of drag performers and bands. Punk Rockers are my perfect demographic as it turns out!
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
I do a bit where the premise is ‘Men are the Israel of Genders’ and it always kills! I’m proud of it because it has a lot of laughs per minute, but also it’s a great bit that catches out people who think of themselves as feminists but support Israel, or men who support the liberation of Palestine but uphold the patriarchy. It highlights that all our struggles truly are connected, and our enemies are one and the same. Whether you’re fighting patriarchy, capitalism, colonialism, or white supremacy, we’re all really just fighting the same 400 annoying men (and JK Rowling).
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
I watch 1-3 hours of comedy every day so if you put it on YouTube, I will see it! I like the channel ‘Don’t Tell Comedy’. I think of them as ‘Tiny Desk’ for comics. I also moderate a subreddit for stand-up comedy where I mostly delete transphobic bits but occasionally discover some real gems too!
Tell us a joke about your city.
People in Vancouver complain about traffic a lot, which I find adorable! I was born in Tehran, a city with the population of 10 million at night and 12 million during the day. The entire population of Vancouver commutes in and out of my city every day. That’s traffic!
I also find the language around traffic interesting. People say, “I’ve been stuck in traffic for an hour.” If you drive a car, you’re not stuck in traffic, mate. You are traffic! That’s main character syndrome. I’m riding on a half-empty bus that can’t move ‘cuz everyone likes to drive a massive SUV and no one takes the bus. I’m stuck in traffic. The rest of you are causing the problem and have the nerve to complain to me about it.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
I’m doing a fundraiser for Disco Distro on October 16th, a Halloween-themed special edition of FML on October 17th, and I’ll be doing D Fretter’s show on October 25th. All ticket links in my Instagram bio.
Where can we follow you?
You can follow me on Instagram, where I post short clips and show dates, as well as daily rants. Ticket links will be in my bio. You can follow me on YouTube, where I upload full sets and longer clips.
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
Kay, comedian and producer behind some of JFL & Fringe festival’s most popular shows, and host of Laughs in Queer, Autumn Jean, aka Carins, the creator and curator of collective disorder, Debbie Courchene, creator and producer behind Gender Neutral Comedy Hour & IndigE-Girl Comedy. All 3 are great comics, but above and beyond that, they’re doing very important work in the comedy and art scene in general and contributing to how amazingly diverse the comedy scene in Vancouver is becoming!
