Rumors' Top 40 Headliners for Our 40th Anniversary — Do You Agree with Number 1?
We've had hundreds, if not, thousands of hilarious comedians come through Rumor's in our 40 years of funny business, and we're keeping the good times going by bringing in some awesome comics to end out the year. But today, in honor of our 40th anniversary, we're listing the top 40 comics to ever grace our stage.
It was really hard to choose just 40, but those are the rules of this game, so here we go!
40. Erica Sigurdson. Maybe the most versatile comic in the country, Erica Sigurdson can be clean, she can go dirty, but one thing she can’t do is disappoint.
39. K. Trevor Wilson. You probably know K. Trev from his role as Squirrely Dan on Letterkenny. But did you know that he’s recorded two stand-up albums right here at Rumor’s?
38. Bob Saget. Yep, Bob Saget his shockingly dirty routine on our stage before he became the iconic TV dad of the 1990s.
37. Tony Woods. Dave Chappell’s mentor has been a regular at Rumor’s since we first had him on at our club in 2019.
36. Mary Mack. A unique voice and temperament, Mary Mack was a breath of fresh air.
35. TJ Miller. He’s a fan favorite wherever he goes, and luckily, TJ Miller often comes to Rumor’s.
34. Jon Stewart. Before The Daily Show, Jon Stewart was grinding as a stand-up, and we were lucky enough to have him before he went on to bigger and better things.
33. Jamie Lee. She was a writer and executive producer for Ted Lasso, but before that, Jamie Lee was a semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing and a cast member of MTV’s Girl Code.
32. Kevin Bozeman. His laid-back style and devilish punchlines have made Kevin a fan favorite here at Rumor’s.
31. Paul Rabliauskas. We’ve watched our hometown hero Paul Rabliauskas grow from open mic stand-out to bona fide TV star with his CTV sitcom Acting Good.
30. Jay Pharaoh. His dead-on impressions have left a great impression on our audiences. That’s why we have Jay back every chance we get.
29. Ashley Gavin. Ashley Gavin is the life of the party. Her quick wit allows her to meet anybody where they are and become their best friend.
28. Donnell Rawlings. A legend in his own right, Donnell has been in the eye of the hurricane for decades, working alongside legends like Dave Chappell and Kevin Hart, to name just a couple.
27. Sophie Buddle. She may be Canada’s sweetheart, but don’t let her innocent demeanor fool you — Sophie Buddle’s act has a lot of edge to it.
26. Sam Morril. A comic’s comic if there ever was one, Sam is a joke machine, able to tackle any topic with skill and nuance.
25. Ms. Pat. Before there was the Ms. Pat Show there was just Ms. Pat, and anybody who saw her perform knew it was just a matter of time before she got her own show.
24. Tom Segura. Tom’s been a friend of Rumor’s for a long, long time — since way before he became one of the biggest names in comedy.
23. Caitlin Peluffo. We’re still reeling from the sheer explosion of energy that Caitlin brought to Rumor’s back in May. What a week!
22. Andrew Schulz. Before he played Madison Square Garden, and before he exploded on social media with his socially-charged rants, Andrew Schulz played Rumor’s, and absolutely crushed.
21. Dan Soder. You might know him from his role as Dudley Mafee on Showtime’s Billions or as the co-host of The Bonfire on Sirius XM. But we just know him as Dan, the hilarious stand-up who comes to Rumor’s from time to time.
20. Steph Tolev. The Filth Queen of comedy, Steph Tolev has been blowing up the past few years, opening for Bill Burr at the Air Canada Centre and making a few Netflix appearances. She’s a regular headliner here at Rumor’s for now, but she might outgrow the club circuit soon.
19. Jon Dore. Jon Dore is one of the most creative and dynamic acts on the stand-up circuit. Just when you think you know what stand-up comedy is, Jon Dore shatters your expectations.
18. Marlon Wayans. You remember him from In Living Color and the Scary Movie franchise. And despite being a movie star, Marlon still made a point of coming to Rumor’s.
17. Jimmy O. Yang. The Silicon Valley star came through Winnipeg a few years ago when he opened for Shawn Wayans. Since then, Jimmy has forged a career in Hollywood with appearances in films like Patriots Day, Crazy Rich Asians, and Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe.
16. Kristen Toomey. She’s so brash that you might think the “Too” in Toomey stands for “too much information”. Kristen’s self-deprecating style was endearing and uplifting. 10/10, no notes!
15. Adrienne Iapalucci. If Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars had a favorite comic, it’d probably been Adrienne Iapalucci with her dark, sardonic take on anything and everything.
14. Mark Normand. There is no more efficient joke writer than Mark Normand, and he can riff with the best of them. No topic is off-limits for Mark, and it’s always fun to watch him dance around a serious issue. Comedy!
13. Rachel Feinstein. Rachel recently released a new special on Netflix called Big Guy, and she worked out some of that material at Rumor's when she visited for three unforgettable nights in 2022.
12. Deb Di Giovanni. Millennials remember watching Deb on Much Music’s Video on Trial. Her machinegun style of comedy keeps the audience rolling to the point that we’re just catching our breath by the time she returns for her next weekend of fun.
11. Brian Simpson. The three words that best describe Brian Simpson’s act are thoughtful, precise, full-of-heart. This guy’s a gem.
10. Wendy Liebman. A master of deadpan and misdirection with a dark streak, Wendy is in a class that includes stand-up greats like Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, and Steven Wright.
9. Steve Harvey. The legendary mustachioed host of Family Feud once entertained Winnipeg audiences right here at Rumor’s.
8. Doug Stanhope. If there’s one person who’s been able to do stand-up comedy the way they want for their entire life, it’s Doug Stanhope. And, with that uncompromising demeanor, we’re honored that Doug has chosen Rumor’s as his venue for his Winnipeg stops.
7. Russell Peters. He’s one of the most recognizable comics in the entire world. And, not to brag, but his headshot is on our wall.
6. Iliza Shlesinger. This comedy icon is the first and only female comic to win NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and she’s gone on to release six specials on Netflix. But her best credit has got to be the time she performed five white-hot shows right here at Rumor’s.
5. Louis C.K. Louis has brought his trademark self-loathing brand of comedy to our club a few times over the past 35 years.
4. Nate Bargatze. He’ll be hosting Saturday Night Live for the second time this up-coming season. That’s almost as many times as Nate has performed at Rumor’s.
3. Chris Rock. A three-time grammy award winner and one of the most recognizable faces of the past 30 years, Chris Rock got his start on the club circuit, and that included stops at Rumor’s in Winnipeg.
2. Jerry Seinfeld. Before Seinfeld and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld played our club all the way back in 1985. What’s the deal with that?
- 1. Norm McDonald. Norm called us the best comedy club in the country. And we call him the best stand-up we’ve ever had the pleasure of hosting. We miss you, Norm!
Forty down, forty to go!
We’ve had such an awesome time bringing the best comedians in the business to Winnipeg that it’s hard to believe we’ve been at it for forty years! Where does the time go?
Well, we’re not stopping any time soon. There are tons of great comedians coming to Winnipeg in 2024, and they’re all playing Rumor’s! Be sure to check out our up-coming events calendar to see our full list of shows, and get your tickets online or by calling 204-488-4520.
We can’t wait to see you!