South Asian Comics "Spicing" up Toronto's Comedy Scene

MyBindi.com, North America's premier online South Asian network, is thrilled to announce its 7th annual MyBindi Comedy Night, a two-night event taking place on Thursday June 19, 2008 at 8 p.m. at Empire Theatre, Mississauga and on Friday June 20, 2008 at 8 p.m. at the Novotel Toronto North York. With an all new line-up of talented South Asian stand-up comedians and improv acts, MyBindi Comedy Night kicks off MOSAIC, Mississauga's South Asian Heritage Festival which is now in its third year.

Showcasing both Canadian and International talent, the impressive line-up, hosted by Mohit Rajhans of Omni, includes Dave Merheje, Saad Kiyani, Pio Modi and features headliners Vijai Nathan, whom Russell Peters has named as one of his top comics to watch, and Vidur Kapur, who was selected to perform at the world famous "Just for Laughs" Comedy Festival, together with a special performance by Toronto's only Brown sketch comedy troupe, Fade to Brown. The evening will also include a live performance by Ishq Bector.

Each comedian shares his or her unique experiences as second generation North Americans. Dave Merheje recounts stories of his growing up in Windsor and dispels the stereotypes which bind Muslims, Arabs and East Indians living in Canada, while Saad Kiyani delivers tight political punchlines drawn from his diverse experience of life lived in seven countries, including Pakistan and Saudia Arabia. Pio Modi, a former dentist, shares the inside of Desi experience. Headliner Vidur Kapur culls a set of original and funny insights out of the contradictions which inform his experience as a gay man, an immigrant son of a conservative upper middle class family intent on arranged marriages, a corporate executive in blue chip international firms, and a person horrified at being mistaken for a terrorist in post 9/11 America. Headliner Vijai Nathan breaks every taboo as she exposes the underbelly of an Indian American family in her struggle to discover, create, and claim an Indian American identity.

MyBindi Comedy Night is gaining in popularity as well-known comedians who have previously graced the stage, such as Sugar Sammy, Jazzman, and Ishtyle TV's MO-D have successfully risen to national and international fame, while continuing to encourage promising Canadian comics to showcase their talents in this sold out annual affair.

Tickets are $22 each and can be purchased at www.mybindi.com/comedynight Group rates are available. Tickets include the comedy show, special performance by Improv Act Fade to Brown and reduced rates to the official afterparty at Six Degrees Night Club.

Doors open each night at 7 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m., the after-party begins on June 20th at 10 p.m. This is a 19+ event.



BIOS:

Vijai Nathan: Vijai is one of the leading Indian American female comedians making people laugh across America, in South Africa, England and Canada. Her TV appearances include: ABC News' 20/20, PBS, The Oxygen Network, and the BBC. She appeared on the BBC and taped UK Comedy Channel's "The World Stands Up" in England March 2005. Vijai is the first and only woman to be nominated Comedian of the Year 2005 by South Asian Media Awards. NBC chose her as one of its top 10 comics in the Nation for its Stand-Up for Diversity Showcase in Los Angeles, Sept. 2004. She was also chosen as one of two comics to represent America at the Smirnoff International Comedy Festival in Cape Town, South Africa in September of 2003. Currently, she is touring nationally with her one-woman show, "Good Girls Don't, But Indian Girls Do," a funny and poignant exploration of the struggle to discover, create and claim an Indian American identity. It's a universal show that connects with people of all races. Vijai's humor springs from her experiences of growing up as a "foreigner" in America- despite the fact that she was born and raised in a suburb of Washington D.C. Much of her stand-up comedy is about growing up as an Indian in America, cultural clashes with her parents, and the racism she dealt with as a child and now as a comedian.

Vidur Kapur: Vidur was just nominated for a "NewNowNext" award by MTV in the category of "Brink of Fame:Comic" . His stand up has been seen on MTV Network's "Outlaugh Festival" where he co-starred with Margaret Cho. A film on Vidur was shown Steven Spielberg's "On The Lot" on Fox tv. Vidur is currently one of the top acts across US college campuses and one of the top upcoming comedians in the US and a headliner at New York's famous Gotham Comedy Club. He has toured internationally including Canada, India, the UK, Ireland, South Africa and the Carribbean. Vidur was one of the original "Gurus of Comedy" in a show produced in 2003 along with Russell Peters and was nominated in the category of "Favourite South Asian Comedian" for the South Asian Media Awards, 2005. Vidur was also a New York finalist in NBC's "Stand Up for Diversity" initiative and performed as part of the famous New York Comedy Festival where he was described as "A comedian to remember". Vidur was selected as one of the top 4 asian comics for Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival's first "Asian Invasion" show.

Dave Merheje: Dave's comedy style has been described as aggressive in-your-face funny. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Dave found a love for comedy at a young age and started performing in Detroit. Now living in Toronto, Dave has gained a following with his "no fear" approach on stage. He has performed all over Canada and the US; including all the top clubs in New York and L.A. Dave has produced his own series of comedy shows called the "We Ain't Terrorists Comedy Tour" to address the post 9/11 experience of Muslims, Arabs and East Indians living in western countries. Dave offers audiences a calculated interpretation of urban life using an improvisational, high energy style.



Fade to Brown: Fade to Brown, Toronto's first and only 'brown' sketch comedy team premiered October 19, 2006, selling out to a standing room only crowd in Toronto. Performing sketch comedy about everything brown from; arranged marriages and Mid-East politics to religious extremists and Indian mama's boys. Edgy jokes about race relations in Canada told through high energy comedy sketches and full-on Bollywood spoofs including original song and dance routines.



Pio Modi: Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Pio started doing stand up in April '06. He made it to the finals of YukYuks Great Canadian Laugh Off within his first year, and his performance was aired on the Comedy network. Since then, he has continued to make audiences laugh at comedy clubs across the city.

Saad Kiyani: Saad is an edgy stand up comedian with a lot of ethnic, racial, and political material. He has been hailed as 'one angry brown man' and 'a rogue comedic intellect'. Saad draws intelligent social commentary from his experience of being born in Pakistan, growing up in Saudia Arabia and living in five countries. He is not afraid to let his comedy get a bit intense. This witty and acerbic comic has audiences of all ages, races, and creeds thinking and laughing in the same set.

Click HERE for tickets and more details.

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