Ross Never Sleeps

Dan Speerin lives and breathes Canadian digital content. From his beginnings with YouTube and The Young Turks network to his latest project Creatortown, Dan Speerin is motivated in exposing talented Canadian artists. Dan provides a much-needed voice for producers and entrepreneurs as the VP of Independent Web Creators of Canada. The IWCC organizes ‘TOwebfest’ May 25-27, 2017 at the CN Tower. Tickets available at TOwebfest.com   IWCC website TOwebfest Dan Speerin on Twitter Creatortown podcast on YouTube

Multi-Award winning Canadian sketch troupe Vest of Friends speaks to the hard work taking place during the sketch comedy resurgance in Toronto. Toronto’s comedy boom includes some of the most talented sketch comedy in the world. Vest of Friends combines friendship and absurdity into a refreshing live show and future podcast on NeverSleepsNetwork.com Vest of Friends are the winners of the Best of the Fest Award at the 2016 Toronto SketchFest and the 2015 Montreal SketchFest.   Check them out May 11th, 2017 at the Montreal Skecthfest: https://montrealsketchfest.com/artists-2017/vest-of-friends   And on Social media!   Vest of Friends Facebook Vestoffriends Twitter Twitter: @morganjgeorge Instagram: @morganjgeorge  Twitter: @hallworthmarc

Alex Bird is Toronto’s answer to the lost art of crooning, but he’s more than that. A talented singer, actor and writer, Alex Bird is the renaissance man that Toronto needs. Alex chats about working in the Canadian landscape, from audition to audition, gig to gig, and what it’s like to chase the spotlight. www.AlexBird.Net Alex Bird Instagram

Todd Van Allen is a comedian, podcaster, and host of the first popular interview podcast in Canada, Comedy Above the Pub. TVA is a wealth of knowledge, experience, and some of the best stories in Canadian comedy. Listen to a living legend in podcasting as we chat about the booming comedy industry in Toronto. www.ComedyAboveThePub.com

Filmmaker Alexander Carson reflects on the reasons why artists fall in love with the “struggle” to create their art. His feature film, ‘O, Brazen Age’, focuses on the life of young artists and their need to create art to evolve as people. Carson’s film pays homage to young artists and their social effects on the communities they are building. http://www.obrazenage.com/ (Trailer) https://www.facebook.com/obrazenage/ (National Canadian Screening Dates)   Toronto’s Carlton Cinemas Screening Tickets (March 24 & 25, 2017) https://imaginecinemas.com/cinema/carlton-cinema/?date=2017-03-24 (Friday) https://imaginecinemas.com/cinema/carlton-cinema/?date=2017-03-25 (Saturday)

Jen Sakato & Patrick Hakeem are self-proclaimed love gurus with their very own advice podcast, Listen to Us! on TEN Minute Podcast Network. Jen hosts Ladies Night Comedy every 3rd Thursday at the Underground (670 Queen East, Toronto) & Patrick can be seen every week performing all over Toronto. These two are hustlers!! Don’t miss out on a great conversation about love & relationships. Instagram @jensakato @hakeemness http://10minutepodcastnetwork.com/index.php/listen-to-us/

Vancouver’s Crazy 8s Film Festival proves that great teams and great scripts can produce compelling shorts films….IN JUST 8 DAYS. Hear about the process from winners Mike Jackson and Peter New of Woodman, and Lawrence Le Lam, Jerome Yoo, and Alex Barima of Cypher.    http://crazy8s.film/

Marito Lopez brings the fire on this exciting episode of #RNS. Marito shares his love for Jay-Z and Kanye West while teaching us a hip hop crash course. Marito chats about moving to Canada from El Salvador and his fight to keep comedy in his life. Marito is in the studio producing his second Runnin’ At The Mouth hip hop comedy album–The Cream Soda Fur Coat. Check out Marito’s bi-weekly comedy show CommaTea every other Thursday at Bampot House of Tea (201 Harbord St, Toronto).   Instagram CommaTea  

Nitish Sakhuja is one of the funniest up-and-comers in Toronto. He talks about his start in comedy in Toronto including the time he helped Canadian legend Kenny Robinson move homes. Nitish can be seen every Monday hosting “The Laugh Dispensary” at The Underground Comedy Club (670 Queen East) and out west this March on tour with Dean Young & Scott Belford for their “Cowboys & Indian Comedy Tour”: http://talkhole.co/dont-heckle-dean/cowboys-indian-comedy-tour/ Instagram: @nittysak

With the recent closure of the Hoxton, Silver Dollar Room and Hugh’s Room there seems to be a very strong trend opposing the once sought after MUSIC city dubbed by Toronto mayor John Tory. This episode is the return of comedian Garrett Jamieson with his band leader, musician Ryan Spratt of Sprattacus and formerly of Vince Lömbarrdi — they come and chat about their ideas to help Toronto be a better music and comedy city. IG: Ryan Spratt Garrett Jamieson www.GodOfComedy.com

Entrepreneurs Connor Thompson and Chris Elphick are podcasters turned authors. Instead of writing the next great Canadian novel, they turned to the budding industry of adult colouring books. Taking the word “adult” to its darker origins, they created Cockadoodles: a VERY Adult Activity Book. Ever wanted to launch your great idea? Take it from these two and follow your dreams….your wet dreams. http://www.thisisntnecessary.com/

“Podfather” Dean Young from Talkhole.com and Inside Jokes with Sandra Carusi chats about how he’s helping the Toronto comedy boom become Canada’s comedy boom. Catch him on tour this March on the “Cowboys and Indian” tour with Scott Belford & Nitish Sakhuja. First stop, Comedy Bar Toronto (945 Bloor St W, Toronto). IG: deanyoungpodcast

JJ Liberman & Amish Patel are two comedian friends who are both working hard, etching their individual marks in the Toronto comedy scene. JJ has been hitting the stand up hard this past year, making it to the Carolines stage on Broadway in New York City. Amish Patel from FadeToBrown.com makes his second RNS appearance promoting his his upcoming projects including working closely with Kevin Hart. 2017 is a big year for these two. Catch JJ every first Friday of the month at Toronto’s Comedy Bar (enter address) for the extremely raunchy and popular THE DIRTY NORTH. (Please note this episode is exceptionally explicit and fun). JJ Liberman @Crayjliberman Amish Patel @fadetobrown

Jeremy Woodcock is one of Toronto’s secret comedic weapons. A writer for This Hour Has 22 Minutes and CBC Comedy, Jeremy has worked hard in sketch and improv leading to these well deserved opportunities. Jeremy’s docu-series, The Urbane Explorer, highlights his charm and wit while he exposes Toronto’s plethora of adventures. A must watch for any lover of dry humour done right!

Sara Starkman is a fresh face in Toronto’s booming comedy scene. Her blog Schticky Situations has evolved into a budding stand-up comedy career. Sara is raw and unfiltered, easy to digest and one fart joke away from stealing your heart. Sara chats about being raised Jewish and non-religious, her love for all things Asia and how she stole her fiancée from the UK. Sara can be seen every month at her curated comedy show The McQueens of Comedy at McQueens Pub (993 Queen Street East).

After the recent release of his second successful comedy album, Demons Are Eating My Head, Chris Locke continues to prove why he’s one of Toronto’s leading stand-up comedians. Chris is humble, silly, genuine and hungry. This recording occurs right after President Trump was elected, so you get to hear a side of Chris that is unusually disappointed, yet calmingly funny. We discuss his love of Indian cuisine, living in Toronto, his new born, and his incredibly original podcast, Utopia To Me. www.UtopiaToMe.com

Toronto is home to a growing number of Burlesque performers and teachers. This confident community can be seen shedding their beautifully elaborate costumes at a variety of shows downtown. We chat with performer Zyra Lee Vanity about the history of Burlesque and how Toronto is playing an important role for Canadians involved in live performance, art, and expression. With the recent news in Hamilton where a bylaw officer ticketed Burlesque dancers for their performance at a bar, Zyra Lee Vanity gives her own take on working in a progressive art form.

DeAnne Smith is a world class comedian and fellow podcaster who now calls Toronto her home. DeAnne has this amazing ability to make those around her feel at ease with a genuine interest in her audience and collaborators. Toronto is very fortunate to have DeAnne! Just like her new puppy, we have to ask, “Can we keep her?” DeAnne’s podcast, Questionable at Best can be heard at NoMoreRadio.com

Winnipeg’s Garrett Jamieson is one of the kindest and equally funny comedians residing in Toronto. Always happy to work and collaborate with other artists, Garrett is coordinating his very own showcase featuring painters, magic and live music. The event will feature art by Garrett and Charlotte Mars, Magic from “The Amazing” Nick Reynoldson and performances including comedian Todd Graham.

Mark Little is just as funny as he is humble. Mark is surely becoming a great Canadian name having worked on some of the most popular comedy projects in Canada including CBC’s Mr. D. Mark helped open the sketch comedy doors in Halifax with the troupe Picnicface, he’s been featured on Just For Laughs & Yuk Yuk’s. You can see him regularly at Toronto’s Bad Dog Theatre with the sketch super group GET SOME featuring Jeremy Woodcock, Miguel Rivas, Alex Tindal & Laura Cilevetz.