# Simon Rakoff: 40 Years of Canadian Comedy

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-comedians-paradise-149885/simon-rakoff-40-years-of-canadian-comedy
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-comedians-paradise-149885/simon-rakoff-40-years-of-canadian-comedy.md
Podcast: [The comedians paradise](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-comedians-paradise-149885)
Published: 2026-01-18T19:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://instant-laughs.com/simon-rakoff
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/3228a1e2-9701-457b-80fc-70ce44e44423.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-comedians-paradise-149885/episodes/simon-rakoff-40-years-of-canadian-comedy
Duration seconds: 4587

## Resource

An interview podcast giving the inside scoop of what happens in comedy scenes across the globe and dedicated to speaking to the mavericks in the comedy world. Our guest today is Simon Rakoff, Simon Rakoff is a veteran Canadian stand-up comedian with a career spanning over 40 years. Known for his sharp wit, observational humour, and storytelling, Simon has performed across Canada, the USA, and the UK, earning acclaim at major comedy festivals such as Just For Laughs, Halifax Ha!, and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Here is an overview of what we discussed: [[00:00]] A brief overview of Canadian comedy, including insights into working with different comedy promoters. [[10:16]] [[10:16]] Keeping my skills sharp and how Canadian comedy differs from American comedy; legalising cannabis; should drugs be legalised? [[21:04]] [[21:04]] The importance of knowing French; comparisons between Toronto and Montreal; how Toronto is perceived across Canada. [[24:17]] [[24:35]] Adapting my stand-up set for different audiences. [[27:27]] [[27:27]] Many talented comedians travel from Canada to perform in the USA and UK; how Canadian humour stands apart. [[31:25]] [[52:37]] The “woke versus edge-lords” debate in comedy; insights from Anthony Jeselnik. [[55:16]] [[56:25]] Navigating the line between true comedians and aspiring performers.[[57:45]] [[58:00]] How many real comics are there and how many wannabe comics; people who aren’t original. [[01:03:00]] [[01:12:00]] – I don’t have enough time for people I care about, never mind those I don’t. [[01:16:24]] To learn more about Simon, you can listen to his album Surrounded by Idiots on Spotify at https://shorturl.at/MnAqu or visit his official website at https://www.simonrakoff.com/.You can follow this podcast on Youtube at https://bit.ly/41…

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## Transcript

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