One of Canada’s rising stars makes his first appearance on “Comedy Now!”

The funnyman was also recently nominated for a 2010 Canadian Comedy Award for “taped live performance” for her set from the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.

He has a personal and edgy approach at the microphone stand, but it’s gotten him all the way to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

CTV.ca: What was it like performing stand up in Toronto?

I’ve been to Toronto a few times before to do shows, but it was my first special, so it’s pretty amazing. I had a bunch of family in the audience. It was so nerve wracking, but once you get off the stage, you don’t remember anything that happened. So until I saw it, I couldn’t remember much of the experience.

CTV.ca: Before taping this special, were you given a warning about what kind of things you could do? From your clips online, some of your material seems risqué.

They knew my stuff going in, and they let me do what I want, but they definitely chose the more TV-friendly material to air. I did it all, and they chose what to put into the special. I didn’t have much say in the editing, or I would have put in the dirtier stuff!

CTV.ca: This season on Comedy Now! Most of the comedians featured have been from the west coast and Vancouver. Why do you think that is? Is there something about west coast comedy right now?

I think it’s an amazing group of people out here. I’m constantly blown away by how much talent is on the west coast. I think because Vancouver audiences, I know every comic says this, but they really are tough little buggers. It’s pretty fun to do shows for them, because they make you think you have to work harder. There’s something different out here. Maybe a disenfranchisement with people on the west coast, like the comics band together, and it’s a team effort out here. It’s fun. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.

CTV.ca: Congratulations on your nomination!

Thanks, that was fun… I look forward to losing to John Dore. The comedy awards are always a good party.

CTV.ca: Why were you drawn to a career in stand up?

I had done acting and improv, and there was three or four years when I wasn’t doing anything artsy or creative, but when I got married, the speech I had at the wedding was very fun and my partner Jeremy suggested I do standup. If he wanted to get me out of the house, it worked, he has three weekends a month to himself now to do whatever the hell he wants! I’m sure his boyfriends are happy with it to.