Comedians Winnipeg Saw Before They Were Famous

Comedians Winnipeg Saw Before They Were Famous

Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Steph Tolev are just some of the comedians that played Rumor’s Comedy Club in Winnipeg before achieving big league success. That’s one of the things that makes comedy clubs like Rumor’s so fun and exciting: you never know if you’re watching the next big name in stand-up comedy.

 

Stand up comedy is a long and winding road. Most comedians spend many, many years in obscurity before they make it big. Comics hone their craft on the road, testing material in front of audiences all over the US and Canada, and Rumor’s has been an important stop on the road to fame for some of the biggest names in comedy.

 

Here’s a look at some of the famous comedians who have performed at Rumor’s Comedy Club before they hit it big.

 

Jerry Seinfeld

Before he got together with George, Elaine, Kramer, and the gang, Jerry Seinfeld was, of course, one of the hottest stand-up comics on the road. And that road led right through Rumor’s Comedy Club way back in November of 1985.

 

Four years later, Jerry’s hit sitcom, Seinfeld debuted on NBC and the rest is history.

 

More: More comedians coming to Winnipeg in 2023

 

Andrew Schulz

 

The undisputed heavyweight champion of new media, Andrew Schulz catapulted to fame in 2020 when he began delivering made-for-Instagram late-nite-style monologues for the masses of comedy fans stuck inside during the early COVID-19 lockdowns. These videos resulted in his own four-part Netflix series entitled Schulz Saves America.

 

But Schulz’s success was not earned overnight. Before the pandemic, Hezi (as he’s known to his fans), was on his grind hitting comedy clubs all across the continent, including Rumor’s in 2015. His hard work and ingenuity helped him build an audience through YouTube and social media at a time when he faced rejection after rejection from industry gate-keepers.

 

Chris Rock

Described as “half rapper, half preacher” by Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock is one of the all-time biggest names in stand-up comedy. He’s a three-time Grammy winner, and he also brought home an Emmy for his Bring the Pain special, which established Rock as a stand-up superstar. But perhaps his biggest credit of all is having played Rumor’s Comedy Club in Winnipeg.

Steph Tolev

Steph Tolev is a powerhouse on stage, and the world is finally seeing what Rumor’s fans got to see in 2018, just before she broke out. Back then, Steph was hustling hard in Los Angeles, hosting her own regular stand-up showcase and fighting for a spot on the Comedy Store’s paid-regular roster of comedians.

 

Just as Steph was beginning to gain some traction, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and live stand-up comedy was shuttered. But, Steph turned lemons into lemonade, establishing herself as a strong comedy presence on the burgeoning social media platform, Tik Tok. Her hilarious character driven videos caught the attention of Bill Burr, who reached out to Steph, eventually taking her on the road as his opening act and inviting her to appear on his Netflix comedy showcase special, Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill.

 

More: Movies filmed in Winnipeg

 

Brad Garrett

The world knows Brad Garrett as Ray Romano’s anxious older brother in the hit television series Everybody Loves Raymond. But, before that career-defining role, which won the comedian three prime-time Emmy awards, Garrett made a living by using his distinctive voice for cartoons, and by doing stand-up comedy all across North America including a stop at Rumor’s in the 1980s.

 

In fact, while Brad was in Winnipeg performing at Rumor’s Comedy Club, he attended his first NHL game, and actually hung out with some of the Winnipeg Jets. According to Garrett, he ended up going to a bar with a few of the Jets and had a few too many drinks (he’s now 25 years sober). But, Garrett’s partying ability made such an impression on the players that they sent him a Winnipeg Jets jersey with the number .08 — the legal blood-alcohol limit to drive in Manitoba at the time.

 

Tom Segura

Tom Segura, co-host of the Your Mom’s House podcast and the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast, has been coming to Rumor’s for over a decade, and his acerbic storytelling style has made him  a club favorite.

 

On one of his first trips to Winnipeg, Tom appeared on a local public access television variety show called Week Thus Far, which was written and hosted by several of Winnipeg’s finest young comedians. You can still find the episode on YouTube, and Tom is being his usual self.

 

These days, Tom performs in huge theaters for hundreds or thousands of fans. But, things haven’t always been that way. Back in 2013, when he wasn’t famous, Tom did a show at Rumor’s that went… well… interestingly. Tom even talked about the show at length on episode 172 of Your Mom’s House, including audio from the show.

 

Bob Saget

Most people’s introduction to Bob Saget was through his role as Danny Tanner, the saccharine single-dad from the 90s family sit-com Full House. And, understandably, many people assumed that the soft-hearted dad jokes that Sagat delivered on the ABC series was representative of his comedy stylings on the stand up stage.

 

But Winnipeggers knew better, because Bob brought his brand of dirty stand up to Rumor’s just a few years before Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos made Bob Saget a household name. Years later the world was in for a rude awakening when Bob told his particularly heinous version of the “Aristocrats” street joke for a documentary of the same name.

 

Steve Harvey

Name a comedian that came to Rumor’s Comedy Club in the 1980s who went on to host Family Feud. DING! Steve Harvey is the number one answer.

 

The mustachioed master of ceremonies started out as a stand-up comedian at the ripe old age of 27. But, he didn’t waste any time building his career on the road, eventually landing his own sitcom, the Steve Harvey Show, which aired on the WB for six seasons from 1996 to 2002.

 

Here are a few other notable names that graced the Rumor’s stage before fame came calling.

 

  • Russell Peters

  • Louis CK

  • Jon Stewart

  • Emo Philips

  • Dan Soder

  • Sam Morill

  • Mark Normand

 

More: Winnipeg comedians on TV: From Portage and Main to your livingroom screen

 

Catch the next big comedian at Rumor’s

If you want to catch the next big star, Rumor’s Comedy Club is the place to be. We’ve been bringing in the best stand-up comics in North America since 1984. Check out our events calendar to see who’ll be here in the coming months.

 

While you’re at it, why not join the Birthday Club and celebrate your big day with us. You can also bring your bachelor or bachelorette party to Rumor’s and kick off your last night of freedom with some big laughs.


No special day coming up? Not to worry, we have regular weekly deals you can take advantage of as well, including our 2-for-1 Tuesdays, Early Burg Wednesdays, and Thursday Date Night deals.

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