As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Curry Bradshaw. The Toronto, CN native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how she always owns the laughs.
Name: Curry Bradshaw
Hometown: Toronto, CN
Instagram/Twitter/Tik Tok: @CurryBradshaw
Years in Comedy: 2 & counting
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: I’ve been on local podcasts like Friends of Friends and Hello Jay and Rae.
Comedic Influences: So many! There’s probably a lot more but here are the main ones: Zainab Johnson, Michelle Buteau, Ilana Glazer, Hasan Minhaj, Ray Romano, Ali Wong, Atsuko Okatsuka, Bill Burr, Tig Notaro, Mae Martin, Jo Koy, Ramy, Deon Cole, Ian Lara, Vir Das
Favorite Comedy Album: A Toronto local, Isabel Zaw-Tun “God’s Perfect B*tch
Favorite Comedy Special: Ali Wong ” Baby Cobra
Favorite Comedy Movie: Always Be My Maybe
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Everybody Loves Raymond
Favorite Comedic Character: I know she’s not a comedian but Erykah Badu playing a voodoo priestess in Think Like A Man with Taraji P Henson cracked me up!
Favorite City to Perform In: New York City, duh!
Favorite Topics to Joke About: How stupid straight men still are…(laughs)…and how dating is trash so I don’t do it anymore.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: All of them!
Favorite Comedy Club: Comedy Lab in Toronto
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
I hit rock bottom in my life, and I was tired of being the victim. I was tired of my voice not being literally heard in all areas of my life. It is not a very funny story, but it is true. I was angry, and it turns out that when I’m angry, I’m funny.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
When men boo’d me and told me to get off the stage. But also, when women came up to me and said to me that they felt like their stories were heard on stage (like being forced to wear a hijab, being a late bloomer, or coming out of a shit long-term relationship, etc.).
How would you describe your comedic style:
Blunt, unbothered, & unapologetic.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I record voice notes; then, I try to transcribe them later in an order that hopefully makes coherent sense on stage.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
I’m not sure; I stay indoors a lot due to chronic pain. When I started stand-up I realized very quickly that it’s supportive and catty and gatekeepy. I’m pretty sensitive, so I don’t mind being an indoor cat (laughs).
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
When you start making money from it and being really good live, your follower count doesn’t mean anything. Anyone can call themselves a comedian and still be a terrible one. Everything is relative.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
In Toronto, there are a lot of comedians who have impeccable writing, timing, stage presence, and crowd work. To name a few, Isabel Zaw-Tun, Surer Qaly Deria, Faiza Kulle, Rae Gallimore, Jason Bradley, Moe Ismail, Shanil Patel, Dimi Kolovopoulous, Stephen Karmyzn, Harv Khatow, Rahul Topiwala, Keisha Browning, man, I can just keep going on and on.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
Opening for Leslie Liao and Abby Govindan in Toronto.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
That is part of the process. You can’t be a good comedian if you aren’t constantly failing and learning from those failures to improve.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
They’re usually shocked. A lot of people consider it brave, especially because most people have a fear of public speaking.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
Work your ass off, prove you can be funny to everybody, and create the things you want to without waiting for a handout or permission from anyone. It’s fun, but if we’re calling it a “career,” you’ll have to figure out how badly you want it and do everything to get to your goals. Oh, and be real clear about your goals. But also, don’t go doing “everything” at the same time…trust your judgment. Especially if you’re a woman, and especially more if you’re a woman of colour. Most people in this industry are gross. If you work hard though, you’ll find regular normal people, (laughs).
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
Everyone’s attitude and ego problems.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Take breaks, but don’t quit.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“Pretty Funny”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
I met Drake while he was just starting out, and he injured his leg. He was walking around with a cane, and he dropped it by mistake in front of me. I didn’t pick it up because I’m the type of person who freezes when I encounter celebrities. So he just watched me not pick up his cane as he slowly bent over and picked up his cane. I actually make a joke about it, like, “What if I did pick up the cane, though?” and then I go into a whole dream sequence of how I coulda been his hoe from this area code.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
Some guy’s apartment disguised as a comedy club, with a wallpaper backdrop of a brick wall, and like 10 chairs. It was insane but it was super fun. His Google reviews say that Dave Chappelle once performed there. I can confirm that he did not.
A Curry Bradshaw Fun Fact:
I wore a hijab for more than a decade.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
Hopefully touring. I have bigger dreams but I like to manifest those privately and see them come true.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Be honest, be yourself.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I know this is nuts but I don’t think about this that much. It’s hard to paint a broad brush stroke on an industry that literally has no rules, and people can “say whatever they want” (in certain parts of the world, of course).
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
I already have! I went to school for TV Writing, and I wrote an episode of Broad City, which was such a good show – I miss it! Ilana finds out that she’s a sex addict after she encounters someone who is one and doesn’t want to have sex right away; Abbi keeps trying to spend time with Trey alone, but he keeps inviting random people on what was supposed to be their date together and it’s so annoying.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
I would say Comedy Bar here in Toronto, and hmm…Monica Gross, Etay Kuperman, Daniel Araya. We would go on stage and kill! That’s how it would go!
What’s next for you:
Producing more shows in Toronto (@bradshawandfrenns) and New York City (@tamarindtings) and producing my first one hour comedy album.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Because it’s too short, and the only thing that’s promised to all of us is that it’s gonna end.
Follow Curry Bradshaw’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Tik Tok: Curry Bradshaw
Youtube: Curry Bradshaw
Personal Website: Curry Bradshaw
