I had the utmost pleasure to showrun and supervise produce season 7 of CBC and Just For Laugh Vancouver’s standup comedy series “New Wave of Standup”.
Filmed in February 2026 as part of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER’s annual festival, “New Wave of Standup” introduces Canada’s hottest new comics who have gathered for one hilarious night of comedy.
14 comedians have their own 10 minute special that is available now on CBC GEM for free.
Four broadcast episodes featuring all 14 comedians will air on CBC broadcast this fall.
The New Wave of Standup Season 7 artists’ lineup includes:
● ABBAS WAHAB is a New York–based, Canadian comedian and actor. He’s been featured at the Just For Laughs and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, and is best known for his role as a SWAT officer in M. Night Shyamalan’s TRAP. Wahab has appeared in hit TV shows, including The Boys, What We Do in the Shadows, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. He has opened for comedy legends Tom Green and Brian Holtzman, and has built a loyal following of over 350k fans on Instagram and TikTok: @abbaswahab.
● ALASDAIR TREMBLAY-BIRCHALL is a Canadian/Australian with 10 years of experience writing jokes for TV, for shows such as The Roast of John Cleese and Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell. Alasdair wrote and co-hosted the science comedy quiz show The Pop Test for Australia’s Radio National; hosted over 500 episodes of the comedy sketch idea podcast Two in the Think Tank with Andy Matthews, and is the voice of the comedy guided meditation podcast Shusher Guided Meditations. He loves standup, the nice Montreal comedy community and getting opportunities to work in Canadian film and TV.
● ANDREW PACKER is known for his standout performances on the hit show Kill Tony and for Man News, his comedy news series that has attracted over 1.2 million subscribers with over one billion views on YouTube. Andrew has headlined in over 15 countries, with highlight performances on Netflix is a Joke Radio, the Just For Laughs Festival and the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. His debut comedy special, On Guard, is available on YouTube, amassing over 100,000 views in its first year. His next special, Never Call Her Crazy, is scheduled for release by Dry Bar Comedy later this year.
● ANJELICA SCANNURA is a 2025 Just For Laughs New Face of standup, the first Canadian woman to win the Boston Comedy Festival, and she also won the Jersey City Comedy Festival. Her debut comedy EP with JFL Originals can be heard on SiriusXM, with a JFL Live Sessions recording set for release later this year. She’s appeared on the Winnipeg Comedy Festival and CBC’s Laugh Out Loud, and has opened for Shane Gillis, Joe List, Stavros Halkias, Rachel Feinstein, Jay Pharoah, Tom Green and Cipha Sounds. She was also featured on Roast Battle Canada at JFL Montreal.
● BITA JOUDAKI is a Toronto-based Iranian/Canadian TV writer and comedian, originally from Vancouver, and has performed standup comedy at festivals across Canada and the United States. Bita is currently writing on CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes and has also worked as a writer on the hit CTV series, Children Ruin Everything; the children’s animation series Caillou and Peppa Pig, as well as the adult animation series, Doomlands. Bita landed a development deal at CBC for her original tween animation series, Leila and the Zit, and is developing several half-hour scripted comedy series.
● CASS FURMAN is a standup comedian based out of Vancouver who is thrilled to be included in the seventh season of The New Wave of Standup. She has been featured on SiriusXM, Just For Laughs Originals Album (2024), Comedy Here Often and graced the cover of the Georgia Straight. She co-hosts and produces two frequently sold-out Vancouver shows, Pillow Talk and Couples Clownselling, and also hosts the comedy/advice podcast, The PodCass.
● DUSTIN SEARCY was born with a cheeky attitude and obsession for the ridiculous, and is damn fun to watch. His joke-packed storytelling feels playful yet cathartic, and has led to critical success; Dustin has appeared on the Top Comedian showcase at the Monsoon Art Festival, Just For Laughs Toronto, and Just For Laughs Northwest. Dustin has also delivered a standout performance as ‘John’, the lovable but misguided love interest on the acclaimed Apple TV sitcom, Our Big Punjabi Family.
● EMMANUEL LOMURO is a Sudanese refugee who was born in Cairo, Egypt before embarking on a life journey that took him to the prairies of Winnipeg, Manitoba. As one of Canada’s top young talents, his comedy reflects his journey from a young refugee to seasoned performer, blending the poignant with the hilarious. Emmanuel has been featured as part of Comedy Records Top Prospects album as well as the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Just for Laughs Toronto and CBC’s Laugh Out Loud. As an actor, his skills have been showcased on CBC’s hit TV series, The Porter.
● HANNAH VELDHOEN has quickly become a rising star in Toronto’s robust comedy scene. She performs at clubs and festivals throughout North America, including Just For Laughs Toronto and has been featured on CBC. Originally from Oshawa, she shared the stage with Annie Lederman and Stavros Halkias and was featured as part of Comedy Records’ Top Prospects album that was released in the fall of 2025.
● MARK THOMSON is a gay ex-evangelical who loves a cream-filled pastry. Mark got his start in Chicago as a regular performer at the famous iO Theater and has since performed standup across Canada and the US. His standup performances have been featured on CBC and OutTV.
● NIKI MOHRDAR is a standup comedian based out of Vancouver. She has been featured at Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, YVR Funny Season 2, OutTV’s KillJoy, Just For Laughs Originals, Comedy Here Often and the South Rock Comedy Festival. In 2025, she hosted the new reality TV show, Fade Masters, featured on Telus Optik. She is also a co-host of Pillow Talk, which has been featured on Just For Laughs’ Best of the West and Vancouver Fringe.
● SAM BURNS is an electrifying standup comedian whose performances are a blend of off-the-cuff silliness and relatable humour. Having toured across Canada, he has opened for the renowned Michelle Wolf and has been featured on SiriusXM and Just for Laughs. Sam’s comedic journey reached new heights with his debut standup special, LMNOP, now available on YouTube. Audiences everywhere can’t get enough of his unique brand of comedy!
● SAVANNAH ERASMUS is an Indigenous comedian and writer based in Vancouver, from Kikino Metis Settlement and Cold Lake First Nation, in Treaty 6 Territory. Her Indigenous perspective, awkward confidence and storytelling create a unique standup persona that audiences adore. Savannah co-hosts and co-produces Camp Comedy and Millennial Line and has appeared at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs Toronto, and Just For Laughs VANCOUVER and in the JFL Originals comedy compilation album.
● VIZA is Toronto’s Queen of Mean & Curator of Chaos. VIZA is an experience unlike any other. Originally from Hamilton, ON, VIZA’s career spans over 17 years and she has been featured on CRAVE, CBC Gem, SiriusXM and the Just For Laughs Toronto 2025 lineup, where she recorded a standup comedy set for JFL Live Sessions. She has had the privilege of opening for several major touring acts, including Caroline Rhea and Tim Murray, and last spring, released her debut comedy album VIZA: A (Semi) Legend In The Making.
Brianne Nord-Stewart 