Velvet La Touche, a physical and musical comedian, describes her style as “absurd glam with a twist of WTF.” Blending vintage elegance with unexpected punchlines, her comedy is an energetic mix of physicality and music, likened to a Liberace-Little Richard hybrid moonwalking in high heels while playing the piano. Velvet’s influences range from The Muppets’ Rowlf the Dog to icons like Liberace, Little Richard, and Tina Fey. Known for routines like her whimsical “Flower Duet” and Liberace strip number, Velvet aims to transform the everyday into extraordinary, offering audiences those unforgettable “wait, what just happened?” moments.
How would you describe your comedy style?
I’m a physical comedian first, musical comedian second. I like to call it “absurd glam with a twist of WTF.” I take something beautiful, classy, or vintage and then smash it into a punchline that nobody saw coming. It’s like if Liberace and Little Richard had a baby and Grace Jones baby-sat every other weekend; that baby grew up to moonwalk in high heels while playing piano. Comedy is magic for me—I love transforming the everyday into something extraordinary and giving my audience those “wait, what just happened?” moments.
Who are some of your influences?
Rowlf the Dog from The Muppets was my first hero—great pianist, excellent timing, and always cool under pressure. Then there’s Liberace. Talk about stage presence—he was like “If I can’t wear a 40-pound rhinestone cape, what’s even the point?” Of course Little Richard the King of Rock and Roll. I have tribute acts to both those heroes. Modern influences? Definitely Tina Fey. She’s the queen of making smart comedy look effortless, and Lucille Ball… she’s the OG comedy diva. I hope to achieve that iconic status someday.
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Growing up, I was obsessed with The Muppets, especially Rowlf the Dog. He could play piano, crack jokes, and his cool, laid-back vibe always made me laugh. Plus, my childhood dog looked just like him, so there was definitely some bias there. I watched Steve Martin’s The Jerk over 100 times. The original Blues Brothers movie with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had a huge influence on me. And I can’t forget to mention Victor Borge and Tom Lehrer.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Tina Fey, hands down. She’s just a powerhouse of wit and timing, and she’s shown us that women can run comedy empires. I want to be her when I grow up. And I have to shout out Lucille Ball—an absolute trailblazer. She basically invented the term “comedy diva.”
What is your pre-show ritual?
I go full-on spiritual comedy ninja. My mentor, the fabulous drag queen Billy L’amour, taught me to drop to my knees and pray before every performance—because when you’re about to strip while playing piano, you need all the divine intervention you can get. Then I do a power chant of “YES” over and over, like I’m at some weird self-help seminar, just to drown out the voice in my head that’s like, “Are you sure about this?”
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
I’ve performed in Place Des Arts, and I’ve performed in every little hole-in-the-wall bar in Montreal. It doesn’t matter to me where, it matters to me why. The answer is always the audience. I love to connect with the audience and inspire. Lately, I have been performing a lot at Theater Saint Catherines where productions and programming are designed to make culture accessible to the community, and to stimulate artistic creation. The audiences there love to laugh and to be challenged which is perfect for what I bring to the stage.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
I’m pretty proud of my Flower Duet routine. Imagine me dressed as a giant flower, performing a duet with a mime dressed as a bee, to The Flower Duet from Lakmé. It’s weird, it’s whimsical, and audiences love it. More recently, my Liberace strip number is stealing hearts—and sequins. I play piano while stripping and it’s probably the most ‘me’ thing I’ve ever done.
What is your favourite medium for finding new comics/comedians?
Podcasts! I actually host one called Sex Songs, where we dive into the world of dirty music with different guests every week. It’s the best way to hear new comedic voices because there’s so much intimacy and nuance in audio—timing, tone, all of it comes through perfectly. Oh, and of course local live shows!
Tell us a joke about your city.
Montreal: The only city where we pretend potholes are part of the culture. “Oh, you fell into a crater on the street? Nah, that’s authentic Quebec experience!”
Do you have anything to promote right now?
Oh, do I ever! Pretty Funny: Burlesque Vs Stand Up, a comedy competition show which pits physical comedians against stand-up comics, just had a killer run at LadyFest, so we’re bringing it back as a regular monthly show. Also, I’m planning to relaunch my solo show Velvet’s Greatest Tits—it’s got everything: burlesque, comedy, piano stripping, and the occasional puppet. Plus, my podcast Sex Songs is all about dirty music and fun conversations with awesome guests. Check it out if you like laughing and cringing at questionable song lyrics. I perform improv regularly at Theater Saint Catherines.
Where can we follow you?
You can follow me on Instagram (expect a lot of glitter and questionable life choices), Facebook, and definitely check out my podcast Sex Songs. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to stay in the loop about my upcoming shows, because who doesn’t want more absurd glamour in their life?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
Sandi Armstrong, a founder of Theater Saint Catherine is hilarious and very quick-witted! Maite Sinave, a francophone comedian who is my current comedy crush, has hilarious characters not to be missed!
