Winnipeg’s comedy scene is cashing in on laughs.
Both established clubs and fresh new venues are filling seats for open-mics, showcases and headline acts, proving that in Winnipeg, comedy means business.
Few local spots can say they’ve made people laugh for four decades straight, but Rumor’s Comedy Club, which opened in 1984, has done it by treating comedy as both an art and a business.
“The primary reason for our success is putting the art form of comedy above everything else,” says Tyler Schultz, who started working at Rumor’s in 2008 and took over as general manager in 2010. “There isn’t one big thing we do differently, but 20 small things we try to do right – the little details that other clubs might overlook.”
And those details have paid off. Over the years, Rumor’s – which hosts standup acts from around the world at its club at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre – has welcomed performers such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Steve Harvey and Nate Bargatze before they became household names.
For Schultz, one of the club’s defining moments came in 2018, when Canadian comedy legend Norm Macdonald performed just a few years before his passing – a dream Schultz had chased for more than a decade.
“Norm was brilliant and very silly,” Schultz says. “We had such a great relationship and it continued afterward. He always played the fool on stage because he knew people don’t like to laugh at someone who feels superior to them.”
Although, not every moment has gone smoothly.
“Tom Segura getting booed off stage,” Schultz recalls. “That’s one I try to forget but it’s forever imprinted in my brain.”
In an era dominated by streaming platforms and short-form video, the fact that people still pack into comedy clubs every weekend is no small feat. Schultz thinks he knows why.
“With so much content online, people are craving real, live experiences,” he says. “With the rise of AI-generated videos, audiences are becoming more skeptical about what’s real – so live comedy really hits that need for authenticity.”
RATHER than hurting business, Schultz says digital media has actually helped fuel it. Podcasts, television specials, social media – they all build loyalty. When a comic with an online following comes to town, fans are eager to see them in person.
“Comedy’s more top of mind these days thanks to podcasts and online specials,” Schultz says. “It used to be a niche art form, but now it’s become mainstream.”
That surge in popularity has only strengthened Rumor’s reputation as a standout on the North American comedy circuit. In 2022, a Montreal-based entertainment company ranked the Winnipeg club fifth among the top 10 comedy clubs on the continent.
“Most people don’t realize that Rumor’s is a bit of a unicorn,” says Drew Mindell, the club’s chief sales and marketing officer. “Most clubs don’t run shows Tuesday through Saturday – let alone have packed houses midweek when other clubs are dark. Winnipeggers take pride in institutions that earn recognition beyond our borders, like the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Within the comedy world, Rumor’s has done the same and we take pride in that.”
Rumor’s isn’t alone. Winnipeg has no shortage of places to catch a laugh. The Park Theatre, Wee Johnny’s, the Limelight, the Basement Speakeasy, Stone Angel Brewing Co., Kilter Brewing and 1928 Eatery & Pub all host stand-up, improv and open-mic nights. Nearly three years ago, Canadian comedy mainstay Yuk Yuk’s set up shop in the Club Room of the Fort Garry Hotel – its second stint in the city after its Osborne Village days in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Ida Albo, managing partner of the Fort Garry, decided comedy was the best way to redeploy the underused 4,000-square-foot space that used to be known as Broadway’s nightclub in the 1980s.
“It’s our space and we run it but they book the comics for a booking free,” she says. “I don’t have any expertise in the field of booking comics. Yuk Yuks does.”
Many of the comics hitting the stage over the past couple of years have appeared on late-night talk shows and have a significant presence online. They include Steve Hofstetter, Harland Williams and Kevin McDonald of Kids in the Hall television fame.
The weekly schedule includes one show on Friday and two shows on Saturday. (McDonald’s act was so popular in November that he did five shows.)
Now, a new contender has joined the mix: Luci’s Comedy Club, a speakeasy-style venue tucked behind Ashdown Market, a grocery store on Bannatyne Avenue. Named after the owner’s dog, the venue opened about a year ago.
Tim Gray, who holds the title of comedy builder, led the design and construction of the space and continues to provide technical support for live shows, as well as managing the club’s online presence.
“We started with just a spotlight and a stage built from pallets leftover from the grocery store’s deliveries,” says Gray. “I had just moved back to Winnipeg from Toronto and was looking for a space to produce comedy shows. [The owner] championed the idea and led the transformation of the space into what it is now.”
The result is an intimate room with an atmosphere that’s part underground, part community gathering spot.
Opening any live venue is a leap of faith, but for Luci’s, it’s paid off. Gray credits much of that success to Winnipeg’s strong comedy community.
“The live shows have been going really well,” he says. “Winnipeg has a vibrant arts scene and our comedy scene is no exception – it’s respected across Canada. The city’s smaller size and isolation give artists more room to focus on their craft without all the noise.” Luci’s Comedy Club on Bannatyne Avenue is the latest club of its kind to open in Winnipeg.
So why is Winnipeg such fertile ground for funny people? Schultz credits a savvy audience and a culture that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a mix of self-awareness and smarts – and it makes for great crowds.
Comedians from the U.S. often leave town surprised by how quick and engaged local audiences are.
“We tell them, ‘most of the crowd will get your American references,’” Schultz says. “People here are smart, engaged and know what’s going on in the world.”
With long-running institutions and new clubs finding their audience, Winnipeg’s comedy scene shows no signs of slowing down – proof that laughter might just be one of the city’s best exports.
“Winnipeggers have always had a sharp sense of humour,” Schultz says. “We like to poke fun at ourselves but we also know quality when we see it.”
