As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Faiza Kulle. The Toronto, Canada native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how she always owns the laughs.
Name: Faiza Kulle
Hometown: Toronto, CN
Instagram/Twitter/Tik-Tok: @FaizaKulle
Years in Comedy: 2
Comedic Influences: My family, the primary source of all my joy- which is what my comedy is about. My sisters shaped my sense of humour and are the people I want to make laugh the most, all the time. They deserve endless happiness.
Favorite Comedy Album: “LMNOP” by Sam Burns. It was the first time I had ever seen a live recording and the longest I had seen anyone do Stand-Up. It was unfathomable to me that someone could be so funny, for so long, in real time. I was less than a year in and as silly as it sounds, that’s when comedy registered as an art form. The title track still makes me laugh as hard as I did the first time.
Favorite Comedy Special: LatinXXX: A Love Letter to Immigrant Parents, by my brother in Islam, Marito Lopez. Love is at the heart of our greatest joys and our deepest sorrows. With his special, Marito blurs the line between the two with laughter and tears. Then, he blurs the line between laughter and tears. Then, he blurs your vision because you’re laughing so hard you have tears in your eyes. Or maybe it’s the other way around. This will make no sense until you’ve watched it yourself (Laughs).
Favorite Comedy Movie: Facts of Life Reunion Movie!
Favorite Comedy TV Show: The Facts of Life and The Boondocks!
Favorite Comedic Character: Tootie Ramsey from the Facts of Life or Jasmine from The Boondocks!
Favorite City to Perform In: Toronto
Favorite Topics to Joke About: Culture, whatever that means!
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Anyone who wants to laugh!
Favorite Comedy Club: Comedy Bar in Toronto!
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
It was always fun for me, but the passion started when I realized that people were taking time out of their crazy, hectic, busy days for a moment of laughter. I get to be part of it. A total stranger and I can walk away with matching lights in our chest!
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
Getting only one laugh, and it being enough to propel me to my next 10!
How would you describe your comedic style:
Peppy, political, and always having fun!
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I start with a punchline and work my way backward. I think of a funny thing I want to say, and sit down to figure out how to get there.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
Love galore. It’s been an endless reservoir of support, compassion, and guidance for me. I am always in awe at the talent that I’m surrounded by. I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t start in Toronto.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
To have carved out a distinct voice. The comics I admire the most, and aspire to be like, have jokes only they could have written. The true marker of a successful standup comedian is if someone can find their joke book and return it to them based on the writing. We have countless comics like that in Toronto.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
The women who inspire me are contagious in their uniqueness. They are themselves, exceptionally. The list goes on, but to start; Tia Percy, Sarah Bennett, Lily Langen, Curry Bradshaw, Erin Wood, Tamara Shevon, and Hoodo Hersi.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
My sister had a school project where she had to make a documentary on any subject in the entire galaxy. She chose my pursuit of standup comedy. For a night, she followed me at my shows and I got to combine the two things I love the most.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
How much I love comedy, even when it’s hard.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
They ask me to tell them a joke (Smiles)
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
The only right way for you to do it, is the way that feels right for you.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
Our cultural understanding of gender and comedy. Often, what constitutes a Funny Woman isn’t the joke she tells, but rather the jokes she laughs at. Women are *to be* amused, not *be* amusing. We measure a woman’s sense of humor based on her receptivity rather than her contribution, rendering us perpetual audience members even when we are on stage. I still hear people being surprised to see a “good female comedian” and I think that comes from the surprise that she is an active source of comedy to begin with.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
You can’t always be the funniest, sometimes you can’t be funny at all. But you can always be interesting. That, and to take my time. In every sense.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“Smile lines”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
Anytime I’ve met a Degrassi actor- it’s like my mom was meeting Lady Diana.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
At 8:00 am, at a breakfast conference. It was a lot of fun, and I felt like a freshman orientation leader doing icebreakers during the first period.
A Faiza Kulle Fun Fact:
I make really good vegan cookies and I don’t tell people they’re vegan until after they’ve tried one. If you haven’t tried one, forget what you heard!
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
The only expectation I have is for myself. Be better than yesterday. Always find joy in it.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Be yourself, always.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
So bright. We are hungry for new perspectives, and we will be hearing from them soon. I also think we’re in for a resurgence of The Earnest. Cringe Culture is out! It will be the coolest thing to not care about being cool.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Carlton Banks discovers anime. Begins with him entranced by the idea of using a Shadow Clone Jutsu to maximize productivity.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
Ramy Youssef, Hoodo Hersi, and Trevor Noah at Toronto’s Comedy Bar performing for the aunties.
What’s next for you:
Only God knows.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Genuine laughter is the purest expression of joy. When we laugh, we fully surrender ourselves to our happiness. We are at our most honest. Our most alive. Our most human.
Follow Faiza Kulle’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter: Faiza Kulle
