Sammy Ray Benty is a musical mischief-maker who blends Fred Penner warmth with Adam Sandler chaos, turning low-brow silliness into something unexpectedly sincere. Fueled by black coffee, dark beer, and the surreal soundscape of Bish Bosch, he brings a big-hearted, big-energy presence to every stage he touches. With a debut album already under his belt and a studio comedy record on the way, Sammy is carving out his own wonderfully weird corner of Canadian comedy.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Like Fred Penner mixed with Adam Sandler. I sing silly low-brow comedy songs that often have a sincere, earnest twist.
Who are some of your influences?
My biggest influences are Sean Cullen, Brent Weinbach, Henry Phillips and Steve Martin. Oh, and Johnathan Richman.
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Definitely Robin Williams. We had an audiobook of Robin Williams narrating all these cowboy folk tales, and he did all the voices, and it was great.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Brent Weinbach or Maria Bamford, probably. Those two are so unbelievably original, it makes me mad
What is your pre-show ritual?
I like having a small black coffee, a tall dark beer and pace around while listening to Scott Walker’s album “Bish Bosch.”
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
Probably The Laugh Shop in Calgary. I’ve won 2 contests there, and it’s where I recorded my debut album. The size of the venue feels big enough to fully contain my energy there.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
My favourite bit is my “Film Noire Comedy” joke. I’m proud of it because it’s silly, and is a meta joke about the conventions of both black and white cinema and of stand-up comedy.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
I like the podcast “Comedy Bang Bang”. And going to shows in cities I haven’t spent a lot of time in and meeting/seeing new comics that way
Tell us a joke about your city.
Affordable rent.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
I’m going to be a musical feature at the OKAY, DOPE Late Night Show at the Metro Theatre in Victoria, December 12th, 7 pm.
And I’m working on a studio Comedy Music album for 2026!
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
I think Mikey Dubs is someone who is always worth watching if you are lucky enough to see him.
