Most of you have never heard of Chanty Marostica. But in 2019, they were considered a rising star in the Canadian comedy industry. Originally based out of Winnipeg, Marostica is transgender and non-binary, and was hailed as a leader of the growing diversity movement in Canadian comedy. They’d won some of Canada’s most prestigious Comedy Awards: SiriusXM’s Top Comic in 2018, as well as the Canadian Comedy Awards’ 2018 Best Breakout Artist and 2019 Best Album. In 2018, that album, The Chanty Show, was also nominated for a Juno Award (our Canadian version of a Grammy). On the basis of these credentials, one might imagine Marostica to be one of the funniest people in Canada.
Search Marostica’s name on the web, and you’ll find plenty of information about these accolades, as well as glowing accounts of the comedian’s role as an advocate for queer comics and safe spaces in stand-up comedy. What you will not find is any indication that Marostica has (or rather had) anything in the way of a real fan base outside of their immediate circle of progressive friends and supporters. Nor will you find any mention of Marostica’s role as a gatekeeper in queer comedy and a callout king in Canadian stand-up, as illustrated by the case of Matt Billon, a stand-up veteran and runner-up for SiriusXM’s Top Comic in 2015.
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