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comedian jesse singh will perform on new year's eve at trevi bar and grill.
fresh off the release of his debut comedy album baby goat, stand-up comedian jesse singh takes the stage at sudbury’s trevi bar and grill on new year’s eve.
singh hails from woodbridge, ont. and has performed across the continent at just for laughs, cbc’s accent on toronto and opened for colin mochrie. his album, and his stand-up comedy, explore his career as a youth worker, converting to buddhism and his travels across canada.
singh said that growing up, comedy allowed him to have a place in the world.
“growing up, i didn’t have the best relationship with my dad and then when i was eight years old, he left; that’s when my parents separated,” he said in an interview. “culturally that’s very taboo, especially in south asian culture. it’s almost better to stay in a bad relationship than split up from one. seeing the challenges within my household, comedy itself became a defence mechanism for me almost. that idea of being the jokester in the house, or the goofy one, was just a way for me to bring other people up or get myself out of trouble. because i knew that if i could lighten up the situation, then it would be better for me as well; there would be less conflict. that translated a lot into school.”
singh said that in school, although an introvert, he considered himself the class clown. he excelled in drama class and used comedy as a way to make friends.
“comedy was much more than just an art,” he said. “it was a way for me to network and build relationships. on stage is where i felt comfortable. i felt that people needed to listen to me or had to listen to what i had to say. there was nothing for me to prove myself — they were just paying attention to what i was saying and the stories i was telling.”
singh is a youth worker for an organization that offers a variety of programs for at risk youth, including a drop-in centre, employment services, counselling and alternative education.
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“it’s difficult to find a work-life balance,” he said about juggling comedy and being a youth worker. “you hear a lot of stories and tribulations of what they go through and it’s hard to not take some of that home with you.”
however, much as there are sad stories, said singh, there are also very funny situations. after all, kids will be kids. as such, his day job informs his comedy material. but also vice versa — singh uses comedy to connect and form relationships, just as he did as a kid.
“being in the drop-in centre, a lot of them are characters,” he said. “some of them know i do comedy because i’ve done stand-up fundraisers or charity events where i’ll perform or host the event. i find even the comedy helps me build a relationship with the young people i am working with. one of the biggest things of working with youth, in this field, is having to garner an element of trust because a lot of them are coming from backgrounds or family households where that trust was never there or was broken. they are in a space where they are rebuilding that, so sometimes humour is the best way to do that, breaking the ice, making a joke, making them feel comfortable. that was my in.”
as an impressionable kid, singh counts comedians dave chappelle and russell peters as important influences.
“i used to watch the chappelle show religiously, probably at an age i wasn’t supposed to,” he laughed. “he was always great in my opinion, in adding that social commentary and satire in a way where it wasn’t forced. i think there are a lot of people who try to preach their message through art, but he was someone who did it in a way that seemed natural.”
meanwhile, seeing peters on tv doing his comedy schtick was a breakthrough moment for singh.
“it was a segment on comedy central,” he recalled. “he had this white bottom down shirt and these white sneakers and jeans. i remember that aired on tv and my family was in the living room, we were all sitting together. they were laughing and that was the first time i had seen someone who looked like me, a brown comedian, who was an english-speaking comedian, and my mom and uncle could understand him. seeing that i thought, this is possible. i can actually do this.”
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singh’s debut album baby goat was released nov. 3 and is available on all streaming networks. he will accompany other comedians come new year’s eve at the trevi in sudbury.
sudbury performance group presents the show on dec. 31 featuring dinner, comedy and dancing. max sheldrick hosts the show, which boasts comedians marc anthony sinagoga and singh. doors open at 5:30 p.m. dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and the comedy show starts at 9:30 p.m. tickets are $125 for general seating and $150 for vip. tickets are available at the trevi, sudburyperformance.ca or by calling 705-662-8518.
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