Skip to main content

DeAnne Smith

The headliners at this year's JFL42 comedy blowout are absolutely A-listers: Tig Notaro, Jim Gaffigan, Roseanne Barr and Trevor Noah, among others. On the other end of the spectrum are the eight up-and-comers in contention for the $25,000 top prize awarded to the SiriusXM Top Comic winner. Somewhere in the middle is DeAnne Smith, an established comedian with a potential for a breakthrough any moment now. Toronto's Smith is a sneakily hilarious lesbian laugh-maker who wins with clever material and a non-confrontational demeanour. Her charisma is of the easygoing kind; her sweetness allows for off-the-wall zingers we never see coming. "I hope you guys like me," she once said at the beginning of an appearance on the The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Smith needn't have worried, for there is little not to appreciate when it comes to her.

DeAnne Smith plays JFL42 (Sept. 22 to Oct. 1, various Toronto venues) on Sept. 22 and 28 (venues to be announced). jfl42.com.

Follow related authors and topics

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Interact with The Globe