What happens when a comedian trusts the moment more than the script? You get Sloan Kooshan.
Sloan is a Montréal comic whose sweet spot is improvised storytelling. He can take something as ordinary as a doctor’s appointment and spin it into a completely spontaneous, laugh-out-loud story. With sharp opening jokes and a confident leap into the unknown, Sloan builds his sets around the room’s energy, creating callbacks and punchlines in real time. Some of his strongest material has been written an hour before showtime… and some of it the second the mic hits his hand.
It is comedy that feels alive, personal, and a little daring in the best way.
The best moments are the ones you never see coming. So if you’re ready to be caught off guard and laugh until your stomach hurts, why not catch him live?
How would you describe your comedy style?
The best way I can describe my comedic style is improvised storytelling. My favourite thing to do on stage is take something completely mundane, like a doctor’s appointment, and turn it into a funny story right off the top of my head. Some of my best moments have been totally unwritten and completely spontaneous. But since I graduated from Joke Club, I’ve been able to start my sets with a bit of structure: strong, quick jokes, and then I dive into an improvised story. I love tailoring what I say to the audience’s vibe. Not having a fully tight, scripted set gives me room to improvise and make callbacks. I’ve written material an hour before going on stage and nailed it, and I’ve also come up with something the moment the microphone touched my hand. It gives me such a thrill; it’s almost like jumping without a parachute.
Who are some of your influences?
Fatiha El-Ghorri, Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa, Daniel Sloss, Romesh Ranganathan
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Rachid Badouri
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Daniel Sloss
What is your pre-show ritual?
I am very big on self-care; making sure I eat right, stay hydrated and warm up my vocal cords. The key to a great set for me is that I need to be fully rested and in a good mood. Once all these elements are in place, the rest follows.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
The Wiggle Room is by far my favourite place to perform. It is such a lovely space, and the audience is always warm and welcoming. It is an iconic venue, and it is the only burlesque cabaret in Montréal, owned by an outstanding woman.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
My favourite story to tell is the Mae Martin story. I talk about how we met at Zoofest in 2023, and it has been a crowd‑pleaser everywhere I’ve performed it, even internationally. I’m proud of it because I built it entirely through improvisation: I kept telling the story on stage, a little differently each time, until I suddenly had a tight eight‑minute piece. I also had the privilege of performing it at We’re Funny That Way in Toronto while they were hosting the Screen Choice Awards. It went especially well because it was Mae’s hometown and they were everywhere on TV at the time, so the audience was already excited about them. The whole thing landed perfectly. It’s genuinely one of the highlights of my career.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
TikTok and Instagram are my go-to for finding new comedians.
Tell us a joke about your city.
Montreal reminds me of those memes about continuously working on yourself cos it’s always under construction.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
