A Toronto-born artist is hoping to bring joy and spark dialogue over controversial topics with a show that mixes comedy and politics.
Comedian, filmmaker, and TV producer Connor Malbeuf always knew he was fit for the arts. After moving from Toronto to Los Angeles and securing his first job with iconic TV and radio host Larry King, the comedian has now accumulated eight years of experience in the entertainment industry.
With his bold personality, extroverted charisma and unique perspective, he soon jumped at the opportunity to be the star on stage himself, offering to open a show for American stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser in 2020.
“I have tenacity, and I love what I do, and I want to make people laugh. And it worked out really well. So, I opened for her on the California shows, and it was an incredible experience. And that’s how I got into comedy,” he told Now Toronto on Wednesday.
But the pandemic drove Malbeuf off the stage, until recently.
Earlier this year, the comedian unveiled a new one-man show titled Sorry: A Canadian’s Apology for America, which is now making people laugh across the globe, exploring the contemporary political climate through a queer Canadian immigrant’s voice.
The comedian says he had the idea for this show even before the trade war hit, when the U.S. President Donald Trump won the American elections in 2024.
“I was just frustrated, confused, but at the end of the day, I just wanted to find an answer to how this happened,” he said.
“It’s a play on words of the stereotype that Canadians are all nice. I poke the bear a lot, and I talk about immigration, gay rights, trans rights, religion, and I flip the script. I make fun of everybody. No one’s off limits, whether it’s Mark Carney or Donald Trump, everyone is on the table.”
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According to Malbeuf, besides being an opportunity to leave stress at the door and laugh out the absurdities of today’s politics, the show is also giving many people the opportunity to speak out about controversial issues in a lighter way.
Having performed for various audiences across the world, the comedian says he has been receiving tremendous support from the public about the show.
“Comedians are the last-standing truth speakers; I personally believe that. So, the show is just a way for you to come in, leave all your problems at the door, have a good laugh at what we’re all thinking. Because no one wants to talk about things. Everything’s controversial. No one wants to be political, but I hate to break it to you, life is political,” he said.
“The Los Angeles crowd is also amazing because I think Americans right now also want to laugh at themselves, and I just think everyone really is so receptive to the show because it deals with big topics, but it breaks them down.”
The comedian also had the opportunity to come back to his hometown in June for a concert, which he said had a very special meaning to him. With Toronto being such a multicultural city, Malbeuf says he saw an opportunity to not only beat the homesickness, but also hear from different perspectives.
“Toronto, I think, is one of the only microcosms of every diversity, every background, every ethnicity. It just brings everybody together. And also, Toronto is dealing with their fair share of issues as well…I think regardless of this show being focused a lot on America, I think a lot of these topics, like immigration, are universal. And I think Canadians just love a good laugh. They’re good belly laughers,” he added.
Malbeuf is now focused on finishing up his tour, and says he is still figuring out his next steps in comedy, hoping to enjoy the “endless opportunities” that come with an artistic career. His next show will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday night.
For more information on his tour, visit connormalbeuf.com.
