Top 15 funniest Canadian comedians of all time ranked

Canadian comedians are some of the funniest performers in the world, with Norm Macdonald, Jim Carrey, and John Candy leading the way. They have brought humour to global audiences through stand-up, television, and blockbuster films. The journey of these comedians showcases how Canada quietly became a comedy powerhouse.

Key takeaways

• Mike Myers and Dan Aykroyd helped shape sketch comedy through their work on SNL and iconic film roles.
• Tom Green rose to fame in the 1990s with The Tom Green Show on MTV.
• Canada’s comedy legacy continues through stars like Seth Rogen, Katherine Ryan, and Debra DiGiovanni.

Top 15 funniest Canadian comedians

In compiling the list of the funniest Canadian comedians of all time, we considered their careers, notable works, and cultural impact, acknowledging that perceptions of humour evolve across generations. This list was crafted with data and insights from trusted sources, including IMDb, Ranker, and MovieWeb, to ensure an accurate reflection of each comedian’s legacy.

15. Jon Dore

• Full name: Jonathan David Dore
• Date of birth: 2 November 1975
• Age: 49 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer

Jon Dore is a Canadian comedian known for his deadpan, absurdist humour. He first appeared on television as a correspondent on Canadian Idol. He then created The Jon Dore Television Show (2007–2010), a half-scripted comedy series that aired in Canada and the U.S. on IFC.

Dore also performed on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham (2008) and made guest appearances on sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother and How to Live with Your Parents. In 2006, he won Best Stand-up Newcomer and awards for writing and performance on his TV show.

14. Seth Rogen

• Full name: Seth Aaron Rogen
• Date of birth: 15 April 1982
• Age: 43 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer, producer

Seth Rogen is one of the prominent male Canadian comedians. He got his start as a teen stand-up comedian and TV writer in Vancouver. He broke into Hollywood playing amiable stoner characters. Rogen won audiences with comedies like Superbad (2007) and Knocked Up (2007).

Rogen also starred in ensemble comedies, including The Pineapple Express and This Is the End. In 2025, he won four Emmy Awards as an executive producer and writer of the TV comedy series The Studio.

13. Katherine Ryan

• Full name: Katherine Louisa Ryan
• Date of birth: 30 June 1983
• Age: 42 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, writer, actress, presenter

Katherine Ryan is one of the top female Canadian comedians who has built her career in the United Kingdom. Known for her sarcastic and candid style, she became a regular guest on British panel shows, including Mock the Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats.

As a stand-up performer, she has toured internationally and released Netflix specials, such as In Trouble (2017) and Glitter Room (2019).

12. Debra DiGiovanni

• Full name: Debra DiGiovanni
• Date of birth: 21 March 1972
• Age: 53 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Canada
• Profession: Stand-up comedian, actress

Debra DiGiovanni is a veteran stand-up comedian known for her energetic storytelling and sharp wit. Originally from Ontario, she made her name on Canadian comedy shows.

DiGiovanni’s humour often revolves around everyday life, relationships, and her Italian-Canadian background. In 2002, she won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Stand-up Newcomer, and later won Best Female Stand-up in 2007, 2009, and 2011.

11. Brent Leroy

• Full name: Brent Leroy
• Date of birth: 3 August 1966
• Age: 59 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer

Brent Leroy is best known as the creator and star of Corner Gas (2004–2009). On the show, he played gas station owner Brent Leroy, showcasing his dry, laid-back comic style. In addition to TV, Brent continues to tour as a stand-up comic, often joking about prairie life and family.

The comedian recorded comedic songs, like Nothing Rhymes with Saskatchewan, reflecting his folksy humour. In 2008, he received the Sir Peter Ustinov Award at the Banff World Television Festival for his body of comedic work.

10. Dan Aykroyd

• Full name: Daniel Edward Aykroyd
• Date of birth: 1 July 1952
• Age: 73 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer, musician

Dan Aykroyd is a pioneering figure of Canadian comedy. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975–1979), where his fast-talking deadpan style became iconic. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing a racist husband in Driving Miss Daisy (1989).

9. Phil Hartman

• Full name: Philip Edward Hartmann
• Date of birth: 24 September 1948
• Age: Deceased on 28 May 1998 (would have been 76 years old as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Brantford, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, screenwriter, graphic designer

Phil Hartman was a versatile character comedian. In the 1970s, he helped develop Paul Reubens' Pee-wee Herman and even appeared on Pee-wee’s Playhouse. He joined Saturday Night Live in 1986 and became known as the “Glue” of the cast for anchoring many sketches.

Hartman won a 1989 Emmy Award for his SNL writing. On SNL, he also created beloved characters: impressionist Bill Clinton and the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer. After leaving SNL, the comedian starred as the goofy newsman on the sitcom NewsRadio (1995–1999).

8. Martin Short

• Full name: Martin Hayter Short
• Date of birth: 26 March 1950
• Age: 75 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer, producer

Martin Short is best known for his wild characters and voice work. After moving from Canada to the U.S., he joined SCTV (1981–1984) and created characters like the frenetic Ed Grimley.

The successful comedian spent a season on Saturday Night Live (1984–85) and co-starred in comedy films with Steve Martin, including Three Amigos! (1986) and Father of the Bride (1991).

7. Eugene Levy

• Full name: Eugene Levy
• Date of birth: 17 December 1946
• Age: 78 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Actor, comedian, writer, producer

Eugene Levy is celebrated for playing anxious, unconventional characters. He first rose to fame on Canadian TV’s Second City Television (SCTV, 1976–1984), earning writing Emmys for his work.

The comedian also appeared in popular comedies such as the American Pie series (1999–2012) and National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983). Levy has won multiple Emmys and even a Grammy, and he was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada in 2022 for his impact on comedy.

6. Dave Foley

• Full name: David Foley
• Date of birth: 4 January 1963
• Age: 62 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer, producer

Dave Foley’s stand-up is marked by quick wit and observational comedy. He became known as a founding member of the Canadian sketch troupe The Kids in the Hall. The group’s TV show (1989–1995) and film Brain Candy showcased Foley’s goofy, self-deprecating humour.

In 1998, Foley voiced Flik in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life and had roles in comedies like Blast from the Past (1999). Foley’s career spans both sketch and sitcom work, and he remains respected for his role in one of Canada’s most influential comedy ensembles.

5. Tom Green

• Full name: Michael Thomas Green
• Date of birth: 30 July 1971
• Age: 54 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, television host, podcaster

Tom Green made a name for himself with outrageous shock comedy. After performing stand-up in Canada and the U.S., he created The Tom Green Show (1994–2000) that gained fame on MTV for its absurd pranks and stunts.

In 2001, Green wrote, directed, and headlined the surreal comedy Freddy Got Fingered. The film flopped but later became a cult classic for its bizarre, scatological humour. Green has continued to work in comedy, hosting talk shows, includingTom Green Live online and Tom Green's House Tonight.

4. Mike Myers

• Full name: Michael John Myers
• Date of birth: 25 May 1963
• Age: 62 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Actor, comedian, writer, filmmaker

Mike Myers garnered fame as a sketch comedian before crafting a string of hit characters. He spent six seasons on Saturday Night Live (1989–1995), winning an Emmy for writing. Myers then turned several of his SNL creations into movies, such as Wayne’s World (1992–1993) and the Austin Powers (1997–2002).

The comedian co-wrote The Cat in the Hat (2003) and appeared in comedies like So I Married an Axe Murderer. He has earned numerous comedy awards and honours, including seven MTV Movie Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2017, Myers was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada for his body of comedic work.

3. John Candy

• Full name: John Franklin Candy
• Date of birth: 31 October 1950
• Age: Deceased on 4 March 1994
• Place of birth: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Actor, comedian

John Candy was beloved for playing lovable everyman characters in comedy films. In the 1980s, he became a Hollywood star with movies like Stripes (1981), Splash (1984), Spaceballs (1987), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Uncle Buck (1989) and Cool Runnings (1993).

2. Jim Carrey

• Full name: James Eugene Carrey
• Date of birth: 17 January 1962
• Age: 63 years old (as of September 2025)
• Place of birth: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, actor, writer, producer

Jim Carrey broke out on television as a cast member of In Living Color in the early 1990s before becoming a blockbuster movie star. His 1994 films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber were huge hits that established his manic comedic persona.

Carrey earned Golden Globes for playing Truman Burbank in The Truman Show and Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. With decades of hits and awards, Carrey remains one of Canada’s most famous entertainers.

1. Norm Macdonald

• Full name: Norman Gene Macdonald
• Date of birth: 17 October 1959
• Age: Deceased on 14 September 2021
• Place of birth: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
• Profession: Comedian, writer, actor, and producer

Norm Macdonald rose to fame as an SNL cast member (1993–1998), anchoring Weekend Update and creating iconic sketches. After SNL, he starred in the comedy film Dirty Work (1998) and headlined his own sitcom, The Norm Show (1999–2001).

On stage and screen, Macdonald maintained a fearless comedic voice. He produced several stand-up specials, including Me Doing Stand-Up (2011), Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017) and Nothing Special (2022).

Who are the most famous Canadian comedians?

Some of the most famous comedians from Canada include Norm Macdonald, Jim Carrey, John Candy, Mike Myers, and Seth Rogen.

What Canadian comedian passed away?

Several Canadian comedians have passed away, but two of the most notable are John Candy and Norm Macdonald.

Who is the Canadian comedian on MTV?

The Canadian comedian best known for his work on MTV is Tom Green. He created and hosted The Tom Green Show.

These Canadian comedians have influenced comedy across television, film, and stand-up, shaping the way audiences enjoy humour. From Norm Macdonald’s sharp wit to Jim Carrey’s expressive style, their contributions reach far beyond Canada.

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