“It’s awesome to talk about something that you’re going through and have anybody from different backgrounds laughing at the same thing; we all have times where we have done something stupid, but we all come together and everyone’s laughing at the same thing,” – Sunee Dhaliwal

Sunee Dhaliwal is a South Asian stand-up comedian who has graced multiple stages around the world, and is one of the fastest-rising stars in the Canadian comedy scene. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia but now calls Edmonton home, Sunee has performed in many Comedy Festivals around the country such as Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival, the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, and the Halifax Comedy Festival, and has also worked with other talented comedians such as Jim Belushi, Tom Segura, and Charlie Murphy. The Universal Radio Network’s own Sapreet Buttar had the chance to sit down and chat with Sunee about his beginnings in comedy, performing around the world, and much more in this episode.

At the beginning of the interview, Sunee gives a quick insight into his background and when he started stand-up comedy (1:39), when he moved into Edmonton (3:00), how he encourages the younger generation to pursue stand-up comedy (4:52), how his first stand-up performance went (5:27), and how he enjoys other South Asian comedians content (6:14). Next, Sapreet and Sunee talk about Sunee’s ability to naturally create comedic content on the spot (7:29), what spaces he would like to see more South Asian representation in (8:39), how things went when Sunee told his family he was going to pursue being a stand-up comedian (10:28), and what it was like performing in India (11:15). Sunee and Sapreet next discuss how comedy can help alleviate any stress or hardships within the moment (13:17), what else is in the works for Sunee in the year (14:30), and finally, what we can do to get South Asian Edmontonians out more to events in the city and supporting one another (16:24).