SiriusXM Canada, the country’s leading audio entertainment company, announced the return of Canada’s biggest comedy competition SiriusXM’s Top Comic. 2019 is a milestone year for the competition as Top Comic celebrates a decade of hilarity featuring the best stand-up comics from coast-to-coast. To mark the 10thanniversary, SiriusXM is opening up the competition to past winners for the first time, giving them the chance to win for a second time, and raising the bar.
“Over the past decade, we’ve had a score of top notch talent from across the country go mic-to-mic for a chance at the Top Comic title, but the winners have never competed against each other on the Top Comic stage,” said Ben Miner, Canadian comic and SiriusXM host. “The stakes are higher than ever as reigning champs now have the chance return to defend their title while Top Comic hopefuls vie to dethrone Top Comic veterans and prove they are Canada’s best comedian.”
Starting today at 10 a.m. ET, Canadian comics can register at siriusxm.ca/topcomic where they will be able to submit a video of their best material. The deadline to register is April 18.
Since its inception, the competition has grown exponentially from a $2,000 prize to the biggest comedy prize in Canada. The winner will take home $25,000 cash and receive global exposure with a guaranteed spot to perform at JFL Sydney in Australia, in addition to spots at JFL42 (Toronto), JFL NorthWest (Vancouver), Just For Laughs Montreal and inclusion in a JFL TV taping airing on a Bell property network. Two runners-up will also receive cash prizes of $2,500each.
Top Comic is part of SiriusXM Canada’s ongoing initiatives to provide a platform for Canadian talent. In 2018, Chanty Marostica took home the grand prize, with Vancouver’s Sophie Buddle and Scarborough’s Nick Reynoldson claiming the runners-up prizes. Following the win, Chanty’s debut comedy album, The Chanty Show was nominated for the JUNO Award for Comedy Album of the Year.
SiriusXM will select the 60 best comedians and provide them with travel grants to audition in front of a live audience and a panel of industry judges, either in Vancouver at Yuk Yuks (May 13 – 15) or Toronto at Absolute Comedy (June 10 – 11) and Yuk Yuks (June 12).
Later this summer, Canadians can vote for their favourite Semi-Finalists with the top six, as well as two additional comics chosen by a panel of industry judges, moving on to compete as Finalists live on stage at the Top Comic Finale this September during Just For Laughs’ JFL42 festival, presented in association with SiriusXM.
Previous Top Comic winners are: Chanty Marostica (2018, Winnipeg), Gavin Matts (2017, Vancouver), Chris Robinson (2016, Toronto), Derek Seguin (2015, Montreal), Faisal Butt (2014, Montreal), Pete Zedlacher (2013, Wawa), Eric Andrews (2012, Brampton), Matt O’Brien (2011, Toronto) and Brian Stollery (2010, Calgary).
SiriusXM listeners will be able to listen to Top Comic content on SiriusXM radio, and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. Go to siriusxm.ca/streaming to learn more.
