Levi McCachen is a comedian who knows how to deliver the good stuff: unapologetically silly and delightfully dumb humour that leaves audiences feeling lighter than air. In an era overwhelmed by heavy news and political discourse, Levi stands out as a comic whose sole mission is to help people forget the seriousness of life—even if just for a little while. He believes comedy should be for laughing, not hand-wringing or soapboxing, and he’s proud to steer clear of making “points” in his sets. Levi’s ability to make audiences chuckle over something as simple as the quirks of cats and dogs is exactly why he’s a comic whose performances are a refreshing escape from the weight of the world.
How would you describe your comedy style?
I’m a firm believer that comedy should be at least kind of silly and dumb. In this day and age, people are inundated with politics and negative news, and the last thing I want to do when I get on stage is remind them of all the terrible stuff going on in the world. I’m not a fan of comedians getting on stage and trying to make ‘points.’ I’ve stopped telling certain jokes because they would get applause breaks and not laughter. My ultimate goal is that after watching my set, people walk away feeling like there’s no need to take anything too seriously. Save politics for the politicians. For anyone out there getting your worldview from comedians, whether it’s their act or their podcast, you should seriously reconsider your entire stance on everything. Some of my favourite jokes are about the differences between cats and dogs. Because, ya know, they really do be different.
Who are some of your influences?
One of my favourite comedians is Rory Scovel. I saw him perform at an independent weekly show in Vancouver for 100 people at a time when he was already selling out clubs and theatres, and it redefined for me what stand-up comedy could be. I think he’s the best comedian at improving that’s ever done it. Coming up in Vancouver, Ivan Decker is, of course, a major influence. He helped define the Vancouver style, and I don’t think there’s a Vancouver comic who isn’t knowingly or unknowingly influenced by Ivan. I was definitely more influenced by the headliners I looked up to in Canada than anyone else. I admire and have tried to emulate Ivan’s immaculate joke-writing, Chris Griffin’s storytelling, Chris Gordon’s zaniness and god-like immaturity, and Dino Archie’s laid-back stage presence. (Dino is an honorary Canadian)
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
I, like pretty much every millennial comedian, was obsessed with Jim Carrey growing up. Ace Ventura, Liar Liar, and The Mask are three of the greatest comedies of all time, and I watch them now with my nieces, and they hold up perfectly. The first stand-up comedian I remember truly loving was Mitch Hedberg. I was amazed by how Mitch could get laughs from jokes that would outright bomb if anyone else tried to tell them. His saying “popsicles are for the summertime… alright” is still one of my favourite “jokes.”
Who is your favourite comedian now?
I don’t think there’s a better comedian to see live than Rory Scovel. He and Nate Bargatze are the two comedians I get most excited for every time they put out a special.
What is your pre-show ritual?
If I’m up later in the show, I’ll always try to sit in the crowd and try to absorb the vibe from the audience to try to get a feel for what they’re into. A lot of comics will be in the back of the room talking to the other comics right until they’re about to go up, and I think it does them a disservice. Every audience has its own aura, and I do my best to pick up on it.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
I absolutely loved The Comedy Mix in Vancouver. A lot of clubs tend to have a bit older audience, which is fine, but my favourite crowds to perform for typically tend to be younger people because we share the same worldview. It was also the first club I got paid to perform at, and where I really cut my teeth learning how to perform at a club, which is very different from performing at local independent shows. Now that I’m in Calgary, my favourite place is The Laugh Shop, which is an amazing club that everyone should check out. The owner, Matt Wal,l loves comedy and exclusively books hilarious comedians.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
I have a bit about how you can always tell whether a romantic movie has been written by a man or written by a woman. It combines my love of movies and my love of dumb jokes, pointing out the silly differences between men and women. I wrote the entire bit in one afternoon while working my dog-walking job, and the entire thing just kind of came to me. It’s my “Like A Rolling Stone” in that the whole thing just kind of came to me fully formed. (Yes, I am comparing myself to the greatest songwriter of all time.)
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Going to live shows. There isn’t a comedy special in the world that wouldn’t be better to see live.
Tell us a joke about your city.
I don’t have a joke yet about Calgary, so I’ll tell a very abbreviated version of my joke about Vancouver. People in Vancouver think that because Vancouver is progressive, all of BC is progressive. But I’ve done shows in the interior of BC, I know what makes them laugh. Vancouverites think that the Alberta border is this magical boundary that as soon as you cross the politics change. But that boundary is a lot closer than you think. That boundary is Boundary… road.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
You can check out my album Illuminati, released with 800 Pound Gorilla Records and streaming everywhere. I’m also about to release a podcast called Pseudo-Intellectual with Levi McCachen
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
