Local, national, American, international, fat, thin, black, white, Hispanic, clean, dirty, male, female, even cross-dressing: we’ve got comics of all stripes coming this fall.

Greg Proops
(September 19 at FanClub)
Proops is the first comic to successfully fuse standup comedy with podcasting. He performs at least one hour a week of riffing on arcane subjects in front of a live audience. He’s recorded his Smartest Man in the World Proopcast in seven countries and on one ocean (aboard a cruise ship). This is its first venture into the ’Couve.
The Draw: If not the actual smartest, he just might be the most cocksure. His tongue is as quick as his mind and he lets fly in beautifully phrased soliloquies off the top of his head, all in an only slightly annoying stoner/valley-girl accent.
Target Audience: Students of comedy (both improv and standup). But really we’re all students before the smartest man in the world.

Ryan Hamilton
(September 19 to 21 at the Comedy MIX)
He may look squeaky-clean. And, okay, his act is devoid of curse words and sexual content. But Hamilton has attitude, not to mention great jokes and stories.
The Draw: It’s always worth the price of admission to hear about his dating escapades. Especially if they take place in a hot-air balloon.
Target Audience: No doubt people who eschew blue comedy will love the guy, but that’s putting the cart before the horse. And his horse is funny.

Todd Barry
(September 23 at the Biltmore Cabaret)
Barry is no easy conversationalist off-stage, but the shy Floridian is never stuck for words in front of a microphone. On his Crowd Work Tour, he throws the prepared jokes away in favour of full-time spritzing.
The Draw: No two shows can be alike in this format. It’s comedy catered just to you (and everyone else in attendance).
Target Audience: Fans of FX’s Louie, Adult Swim’s Delocated, HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, Comedy Central’s Dr. Katz, or the movie The Wrestler, all of which he’s appeared in. Only this time he’s not reading other people’s words.

Gabriel Iglesias
(October 4 at the Vogue Theatre)
It’s hard to take seriously anyone nicknamed Fluffy, but what the hell, Iglesias doesn’t want you to take him seriously. He’s all about the laughs.
The Draw: He’s broken away from being simply a Latino comic or a fat comic. Today he’s just a comic.
Target Audience: Iglesias may have been in Magic Mike, but he didn’t play a stripper (thank God), so get that out of your head.

Simon King
(October 12 at the Rickshaw Theatre)
A mainstay of the Vancouver comedy scene, King picks a raucous venue for his live DVD recording.
The Draw: Doug Stanhope recently called King “wicked fuckin’ funny”. He’s often compared to Robin Williams for his breakneck pace, but King’s comedy has an axe to grind. It’s no wonder his special is called Furious.
Target Audience: He’s been patiently building up credits all over North America, but it’s only a matter of time before he breaks out. And you can say you saw him when. How does he do it? Volume, volume, volume.

Godfrey
(October 17 to 19 at Yuk Yuk’s)
The Chicago powerhouse gave us a taste of his infectious act on last year’s Just for Laughs tour. If 20 minutes wasn’t enough for you, he’s back with a full set. Five of them, actually.
The Draw: This guy’s got energy, charisma, and fake accents coming out the yin-yang.
Target Audience: Try not to like him. Go ahead and try. It’s impossible.

Maria Bamford
(October 24 at FanClub)
The quirk that walks, talks, and jokes, Bamford is getting more popular by the second. Fans love her idiosyncratic and inward-looking comedy, which includes a cast of characters.
The Draw: Two local legends share the stage with her in emcee Graham Clark and feature act Dino Archie. Plus, you’ll get to hear the lineup for the new Northwest Comedy Fest, which debuts in February.
Target Audience: Anyone who’s ever heard voices in their head will appreciate knowing that they’re not alone.

John Cleese
(October 24 to 27, 29 and 30 at the Vogue Theatre)
This may indeed be the last time to see him before he dies, but if they keep adding shows, he could live forever. We’re at six nights and counting.
The Draw: The comedy legend will tell tales, show clips from his 40-year career, and, sadly, take questions from the audience. If we can all agree to dog-pile the first person to ask him for a hug or just express their undying love for him, it may work. Otherwise, we can just agree to be embarrassed for our city once again.
Target Audience: Are you kidding me? Like I have to tell you.

Just For Laughs Comedy Tour
(November 21 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey; November 22 at the Vogue Theatre)
The annual comedy caravan (now in its 13th year) is always a sure-fire winner. Each comic is a seasoned headliner, but if you don’t like one, another one follows 20 minutes later.
The Draw: Match Game’s Darrin Rose hosts The Marriage Ref’s Tom Papa, Last Comic Standing winner Alonzo Bodden, magician Ben Seidman, and the antagonist of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedian, Orny Adams.
Target Audience: People with wide-ranging tastes. It’s a comedy smorgasbord, after all.

Eddie Izzard
(December 2 and 3 at the Orpheum Theatre)
Everyone’s favourite makeup-and-dress-wearing comedian returns to Vancouver with his Force Majeure tour.
The Draw: Whether he’s sporting men’s or women’s clothes, Izzard’s absurd brain is always on full display when he’s performing.
Target Audience: Those who couldn’t get tickets to John Cleese, who once apparently called Izzard the “lost Python”.

Gerry Dee
(December 10 at the Vogue Theatre)
Everyone sit at attention, eyes forward: Mr. Dee is coming to town. You know him from the hit CBC sitcom (not an oxymoron) Mr. D, which is really—dare we say surprisingly—funny. He’s also an accomplished standup comedian and now the author of Teaching: It’s Harder Than It Looks.
The Draw: Dee made good on a template set for Canadian standups by Brent Butt’s success on Corner Gas. Their shows are great, but the stage is where they excel.
Target Audience: Teachers, students, parents, offspring, sports fans… No wonder he can fill theatres across the country.