What’s the number one thing a touring Canadian comedian needs? A car that suits their needs. What is veteran comedian Ryan Lachance missing? Take a wild guess.

Lachance is headlining a stacked fundraiser at Yuk Yuk’s Surrey on April 6 to help cover the cost of a new wheelchair-accessible van. 

“I have been performing for nearly 25 years now and have toured across Canada but my last van broke down which has really halted me from getting back on the road after the pandemic,” Lachance says in a press release. 

The comedian, who has quad-spastic cerebral palsy, is aiming to raise $70,000 for a new van so he can continue his career of entertaining audiences across the country.

Besides Lachance, the lineup features a bevy of local comedians: host Chris Gaskin and performers Katrina Bennett, Shane Clark, Sophia Johnson and Darwin Barcellano, as well as Nanaimo’s Peter Hudson. 

Yuk Yuk’s Vancouver location, where a young Seth Rogen cut his teeth, closed in 2020 due to COVID-19 event restrictions and its lease expiring. But it re-opened in Surrey last March, inside Cloverdale’s Elements Casino.

“I am really pleased to be performing at the new Yuk Yuk’s Surrey and grateful that they are helping me shine a light on my wheelchair van fundraiser,” Lachance says.

Garry Yuill, promoter for Yuk Yuk’s Surrey, adds that, “As we just passed our one-year anniversary in Surrey, our goal is to consistently bring Canada’s best talent to Surrey, while also focusing on local talent like Ryan Lachance that are already making their mark in the stand-up scene across the country.” 

If you can’t make it all the way to Cloverdale, you can contribute to Lachance’s fundraiser here.

Ryan Lachance performs at Yuk Yuk’s Surrey on April 6. Tickets are available here and start at $20.