Bits and Bytes: Winnipeg Comedy Podcasts and Albums
Tyler Penner, Chad Anderson, and Dana Smith are just a few of the Winnipeg comedians making the most of the digital revolution by releasing podcasts and digital albums to for an ever expanding audience.
From the 1950s right up to the 2010s, the path to stand-up comedy success was pretty clear: move to New York or Los Angeles, get booked on the Tonight Show, and then hopefully sell thousands of physical albums. But, over the last decade—and for sure since the COVID-19 pandemic—the world has changed, and comedians can reach a larger number of people online via podcasts and digital albums.
If you want to know which Winnipeg comedians are putting out podcasts and albums that will make your sides hurt, you've come to the right place. Rumor's Comedy Club has compiled this comprehensive list of Winnipeg comedy podcasts and albums.
Winnipeg comedians in the digital age
As the world cuts the chord and moves online, comedians have adapted well, putting out hilarious podcasts and incredible albums for the masses. Here are the Winnipeg comedians to watch for on audio streaming platforms.
Winnipeg comedy podcasts
Podcasts are probably the best way for comedians to collaborate and create funny content for comedy fans all over the world. Podcasts like Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend and The Joe Rogan Experience have helped expose comedians to new audiences and launched comedy careers to new heights — and Winnipeg's comedians have taken notice.
Bravo Outsider
Hosted by Craig Midwinter and Dylan John Fergusson, Bravo Outsider is a comedy podcast that re-caps recent events from your favorite Bravo reality shows with the help of a special guest comedian who knows nothing about the Real Housewives or Vanderpump Rules — hence the name, Bravo Outsider.
And they are not being ironic, folks. Craig and Dylan are absolute die-hard fans of these shows, and they help their comedian guest understand and appreciate the weird world of reality television.
You can find Bravo Outsider on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Prairie Dumpster
This one-person stream-of-consciousness podcast is an ever-evolving manifesto from a man who isn't about to do much of anything. Every week Winnipeg stand-up comedian Tyler Penner brings you a hilariously unfiltered diatribe on everything and anything that rubs him the wrong way from fast food options to small town schools.
It's ascerbic, it's cynical, it's honest, and it's funny as hell.
Prairie Dumpster is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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Winnipeg comedy albums
Streaming services like Spotify and Bandcamp have opened up a lot of opportunities for Winnipeg comedians to release their own comedy albums. Here are some of the Winnipeg comedy albums you can find streaming online.
Jordan Welwood - Weird Flex
Pound for pound, one of the best stand-up comics to come out of Winnipeg is Jordan Welwood. His rascally persona mixes well with his inclination to call foul when he sees it, and his mix of observational and absurdist comedy allow him to explore topics to their highly illogical (but hilarious) conclusion.
Listen to Weird Flex on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music.
Dana Smith - I'll Smile At Your Funeral
Life is a journey and Dana Smith is dragging her feet the entire way. In her debut album, I'll Smile At Your Funeral, the Winnipeg-born comedian gathers up enough energy to complain about having to gather up her energy all the time. Despite having difficulty pulling herself out of bed every morning, Smith somehow still has no time for fools, as she recounts stories from her serving days and her time with Tim (you'll find out who that is on the album).
I'll Smile At Your Funeral is available just about everywhere.
Chad Anderson - Live At Wee Johnny's
Chad Anderson is an emerging force in Canadian comedy, and his debut album Chad Anderson: Live At Wee Johnny's will show you why. Equal parts charming and self-depricating, Chad gives his audience a view of life through the lense of an Indigenous man from the Northern Manitoba. He's been to all the major Canadian Just For Laughs festivals, but he still calls Winnipeg home, as he has for the past 15 years.
Apple Music, YouTube, and Spotify is where you can find this treasure of an album.
Various Artists - Stand-Up Prairies
If you're not sure where to start your Winnipeg comedy adventure, there are a few Winnipeg comedy compilations you can listen to. Two such compilations are called Stand-Up Prairies: Controversial Among Geologists and Stand-Up Prairies: Zero Peripheral Vision. Both albums were produced by Just For Laughs, and include a handful of tracks from several Winnipeg comedians including Kristen Einarson, Matt Falk, Mike Green, Rajat Kashyap, Matt Nightingale, Benji Rothman, Angie St. Mars, Dan Verville, and more.
Both compilation albums were recorded at Rumor's Comedy Club and are available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
Various Artists - Winnipeg Comedy
The Winnipeg comedy scene is well-represented in the new Comedy Records-produced compilation aptly titled —wait for it— Winnipeg Comedy. While the title might be a bit on-the-nose, the comedy is off-the-wall with weirdos like Tim Gray and Garrett Jamieson anchoring a line-up of vets and new-comers including Tyler Kotowski, Emmanuel Lomuro, Sarah London, Andy Noble, and more.
Recorded at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, this show lives on in digital form on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
Various Artists - Treaty 1 And Only
While this album doesn't feature Winnipeg-based comedians exclusively, they do feature heavily on this compilation of Indigenous comedians.Chad Anderson, Paul Rabliauskas (Acting Good), and Florence Spence slay from front to back on this ripper of a record. See for yourself anywhere you stream your albums.
More Winnipeg comedy albums to look for
Here are some more comedy albums from Winnipeg comedians for your listening pleasure:
- Aisha Alfa - All the Parts
- Matt Falk - Optimistical
- Tyler Penner - So Many Walls
- Tim Gray - You Gotta Laugh
- HUNKS - Mouth Beef
- Ben Walker - forthcoming
- Andy Noble - forthcoming
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Where to find live comedy in Winnipeg
While comedy albums are great, live comedy is best. If you want to see live stand-up comedy in Winnipeg, come on down to Rumor's Comedy Club. We've got all the best comedians from Winnipeg and around the world, and our nacho platter is legendary.
Not in the mood for nachos? Take a look at our full-dinner menu. You're sure to find something you like. Celebrating something? Join the Rumor's Birthday Club or check out our promotions page for group deals.
"I have been to many comedy clubs and Rumor's is still my favorite comedy club on Earth!" - Carrie T.