With a dry, deadpan delivery and a knack for turning everyday observations into sharp, self-aware humour, Anna Lin is steadily carving out her place in the Canadian comedy scene. Drawing from her experiences as a student, optometrist, and avid gamer, Lin’s material playfully dissects both the mundane and the meaningful—often finding humour in the tension between the two.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Observational, deadpan. I talk about my life and experiences, usually making light of serious situations and making a big deal out of the small things. Common topics include being a student, being an optometrist, gaming (StarCraft 2), current events, Asian parents, and other day-to-day topics.
Who are some of your influences?
I grew up watching Seinfeld and thought he was super cool, which got me interested in stand-up comedy. I went to school at McGill University, which is located in Montreal. Of course, Montreal being home of Just for Laughs, has an amazing comedy scene so that’s when I started performing stand-up comedy myself. This was back in 2014, and I joined a weekly show there, called Danger Dulgar ran by Kris Dulgar at Bar Biftek. I haven’t performed regularly since 2016 due to school taking forever, but now that I graduated as an optometrist in 2020 (was it fate?) and moved back to Calgary in 2024, I am finally getting back into it regularly since 2025.
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Growing up, I liked Seinfeld. Now I think he acted questionably. But that is how I got into stand-up comedy…
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Hard to narrow it down to just one, and it always changes. I think there are a few very underrated comedians that aren’t super well known: Myq Kaplan, Deanne Smith, and Jason Cheny are some examples.
What is your pre-show ritual?
I usually start preparing a few days before the show. I’ll gather some funny bits from my jokes master list, which is just a list of all the funny thoughts I’ve ever had and written down in one place. Some thoughts are fleshed out and formatted into jokes, but others are just ideas that need work. I’ll spend time refining them all into the form of jokes in an organized set list for the night, and write down the topics on a sheet of paper. Then I’ll practice saying it all out loud multiple times, and try my best to memorize it all. I’ll also record myself and watch the recording to try to refine it and memorize it at the same time. It’s a hard balance of making sure I don’t forget my lines, but also not being too rehearsed and stiff.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
I enjoyed performing at McMinnville, Oregon, when I was an optometry student. I met some amazing and hilarious comics and liked the competitive atmosphere and boisterous audience.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
Koreans aren’t that different from us (Chinese People). They’re just like us, except they have siblings.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Going to local shows is a great way to find new comedians and network, and also to take in the energy of the room, which is different than just watching at home. I also enjoy a good Netflix special or YouTube specials. Both have their different appeals; I just like how raw and real in-person open mics can be. Of course, sometimes they are just bad and a waste of time as well. It’s always the risk you take when leaving the house.
Tell us a joke about your city.
This is kind of a long one, so bear with me. It’s relevant though!
What’s up with all the pedestrian fatalities these days? The official sport of Calgary seems to be pedestrian bowling.
Walking on the sidewalk is an extreme sport now. I’m scared to walk to the grocery store a block away because I have to cross the street twice. It’s horrible. My parents moved us here from China when I was 5, so I could walk to No Frills without looking up from my phone.
Why is jaywalking a crime? At this point, if you’re brave enough to jaywalk in Calgary, you’re willing to risk it all. Why are we handing out fines? Just let natural selection do its thing.
When I was growing up and flying back to visit relatives in China, I noticed the traffic rules were different there, as in, they didn’t have any. I vividly remember my aunt driving us somewhere and couldn’t find parking, so she parked on the sidewalk. That’s… one solution to the problem.
When I returned to Canada, I would always think wow I’m finally back to an organized society with proper traffic rules. Those were the days.
Also, now that I’ve been to Japan recently, and I’m back driving In Calgary, I’m like who are these animals on the road? Nobody’s letting me in the lane, and people are speeding 20 km/h over the limit at 8 AM. And of course, pedestrian bowling like it’s an Olympic sport. I think it’s a North American problem. I mean look at New York, their trucks don’t even stop for airplanes.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
Just trying to get on as many shows as possible and get my name out there, and hopefully make something of a comedy career one day. I’ve been consistently performing since 2025 and working to constantly improve. That’s all you can really control, right?
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
