Canada ain't cuttin' it: Vaughan comedian decries state of comedy industry, weighing move to U.S.

Despite producing comic legends, TikTok sensation Marc Anthony Sinagoga says the way Canada treats its up-and-coming comedy talent is a tragedy

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 21, 2023
Jeremy Grimaldi

Since “SCTV” first hit the airwaves, followed by “The Kids In The Hall,” Canada has been a global comedic powerhouse producing some of the most successful funny people on earth.

Among a long list of others, the Great White North has given the world Leslie Nielson, Mike Myers, Norm Macdonald, Lorne Michaels, Russell Peters and Seth Rogan among many more.

York Region’s list is nothing to sniff at, including John Candy and Jim Carey.

Despite all the success, one thing remains consistent according to an up-and-coming comedic force from Vaughan who you might have seen on your phone, but likely haven’t paid out to see at one his comedy specials.

Marc Anthony Sinagoga -- the Instagram and TikTok sensation, whose most successful video skit (his wife holding up his spare tire for some relief, rather than he holding up her pregnant belly) has been watched globally 43 million times -- says we Canadians don’t know how to support our best and brightest, until they make it elsewhere first.

“It’s only when a Canadian comedian has exploded in the U.S. that we’re the first to say, ‘Oh, they’re Canadian’,” said the married father-of-one. “It’s almost like we’re saying ‘Oh, everyone else likes you? OK, sure, now we’ll pay attention’.”

Sinagoga, 32, who now lives in Richmond Hill, began his comedic career about five years ago and has worked his tail off to develop 40,000 Instagram and 17,000 TikTok followers.

During that time, he's learned plenty, but perhaps the saddest insight he's garnered from his look behind the curtain is that it's the friends who have moved to the United States who have hit it the biggest.

“Lots of talented people hit a ceiling because there’s not enough work in the industry here,” he added. “I can name a number of headliner comedians that had no choice but to leave (Canada) to make it even if they didn’t want to leave.”

That includes friends like Ryan Long, who moved to the U.S. and hit it big, even being featured on the Joe Rogan podcast, and Stephanie Tolev, who began opening for Bill Burr.

He said at one point Canada had outlets for comedians to get discovered, including SCTV, but almost all those opportunities have dried up.
But even if those opportunities did exist, it might not make as much of a difference as it used to.

Nowadays comedy is more accessible than ever. All it takes is a cellphone and a social media app to access thousands if not millions of viewers free and on demand.

Even with this shift, he’s continued to struggle.

To date, his best year earned him $65,000; his worst year was $25,000.

Since starting out he’s tried everything, repeatedly organizing self-produced shows, renting venues and putting on shows himself.

He’s tried curated tours, like Laughs and Drafts at local breweries, but even then, there are barriers to success.

“If you’re willing to front all the money, you’ll get a lot of shows and go across the country, but after expenses you break even or make a few thousand dollars,” he added. “Then you have some comedians willing to undercut you by almost half; there’s just not enough work to go around.”

He said the funny thing is that nowadays, when the world is more in need of laughter than ever, somehow we Canadians are perhaps more reluctant than ever to go see comedians.

“I feel strongly that all we really want to do is laugh,” he added. “We go to hang with friends to laugh, we go to the movies to laugh, watch TV to laugh, but no one goes to comedy shows.”

But it’s not just the residents of Canada who don’t support their comedians, he says. The government, too, refuses to recognize standup as an art, making it impossible for comedians like Sinagoga to seek grants.

And while the Just for Laughs festival remains the one Canadian comedy constant, large parts of that show are now made up of American headliners and comedians.

If all of that wasn't bad enough, Sinagoga says since the pandemic a number of clubs have shuttered and those that have remained open often have to “paper the room,” filling it with unpaid customers, so that there’s a full house for the comedians.

There’s also culture wars impacting the industry, he says.

Sinagoga says some comedians are fearful of making off-colour jokes, and venues have even cancelled shows due to backlash against certain comedians, like controversial jokester Ben Bankas.

Other more established comedians like Frank Spadone, one of the founders of the Canadian Association of Standup Comics (CASC), said the organization has spent years trying to encourage the government to classify it as an art, but it never amounted to much.

“It’s puzzling to me why Canada hasn’t made it easier for comedians to thrive,” he said.

A spokesperson from The Canadian Council for the Arts didn’t respond to questions about the possibility of a designation being made available to standup, improv comedians and sketch artists.

Sinagoga, meanwhile, continues to perform shows and put out comedy videos that can be found on his website www.marcanth.com.

You can also help by following a plethora of Canadian comedians on Instagram and TikTok, including @Neemanaz @Austenalexander @Andrewpacker @Rebeccareeds.