The Diversity Hires Comedy tour is coming to Calgary at YukYuk’s on Sept. 27, bringing lively routines that address current Canadian social issues.
Created by a trio of comedians whose family backgrounds are from South America, South Korea, and Pakistan, the tour is traveling around Canada and brings their personal experiences to the stage.
Noor Kidwai, one of the comedians hosting the tour, comes from a Muslim family that immigrated from Pakistan to High River, south of Calgary.
Kidwai’s passion for comedy was sparked when he watched his dad enjoying shows from comedians such as Chris Rock. He began doing improv shows in high school with his friends, and started doing shows in Calgary. Six years ago, he moved to Toronto to further his career.
Kidwai said he is inspired by current social issues and touches on these issues in his work.
“A lot of it is about my background, you know, growing up in a small town, being one of the only Muslims growing up in that town,” Kidwai said. “But now that I’m older, I’m looking into social commentary and talking about the culture around us and what’s happening in our culture and society.”
Kidwai’s co-hosts for the tour are Bonggun Kim and Andrew Oporto. The trio has developed the Diversity Hires Comedy Show into a collection of sketches that both skewer and celebrate Canadian society and its diversity.
Kim comes from South Korea and has a background in acting and breathes life into the routine. Oporto, who stems from a South American background, has experience with online sketches, workshopping these sketches and bringing them in front of the camera.
“So it was these three different backgrounds, and we’ve been able to find this really nice balance of humour,” Kidwai said.
One of the sketches Kidwai, Oporto, and Kim have put out in the past is about the recent developments and changes of the Canadian Citizenship Test. Another sketch touches on the different parenting styles across cultures, looking at the different expectations parents of various cultures put on their children.
One of Kidwai’s favourite sketches is about attitudes toward the current housing crisis when it comes to millennials compared to boomers.
“I’m talking about how [the housing crisis] is different for all of us,” Kidwai said. “And I compare it to a video game. […] Those are the kind of social commentaries I love to do.”
Kidwai has found success with this routine, as both young and old people respond positively to the approach on the topic, and it shows the difference between the generations.
Intrigued? Excited? Catch Kidwai, Kim, and Oporto on Sept. 27 at YukYuk’s in Calgary. Buy tickets here.