If laughter is the best medicine, Daniel Shaw might just be Canada’s very own prescription-strength cure. His journey from Elmvale kid to comedy kingpin isn’t your usual rags-to-riches tale; it’s more like a “giggles-to-greatness” saga – with a few splash pants moments thrown in for flair.
Born and raised in Allenwood Beach, Shaw credits those formative years in the small Ontario town of Elmvale for giving him the character—and characters—that fuel his comedy today. A graduate of Huronia Centennial Elementary and Elmvale District High School, he recalls using comedy as a kind of armour. “It’s my way of breaking uncomfortable situations. Maybe it’s a coping mechanism,” Shaw shared. And what a mechanism it turned out to be, as the awkward kid plagued by stage fright transformed into a stand-up sensation gracing comedy clubs and SiriusXM playlists alike.
Shaw’s comedic spark officially ignited in 2016 when he decided that being a comedy “nerd” wasn’t enough. He enrolled in a class at Toronto’s Second City, a renowned comedy institution. “Once I jumped in, I wished I had done it a lot earlier,” Shaw confesses. But what followed was nothing short of a comic marathon. Picture this: a then Collingwood resident driving three times a week to Toronto just to perform at open-mic nights. That’s not just dedication; that’s the kind of passion that caffeine itself tips its hat to.
His first show—a nerve-wracking graduation performance at Absolute Comedy in Toronto—set the stage for what would eventually become a flourishing career in stand-up. He started connecting with bigger comedians and booking paying gigs. From opening for Jeff Leeson on a cross-country tour to releasing the stand-up album “Parental Guidance” through Cottage Comedy, Shaw’s punchlines have found their way into national airwaves, even being featured on SiriusXM.
But the cherry on top of this humour sundae? Winning Corus Entertainment’s Funniest Canadian contest in 2022, which came with not just bragging rights but a $10,000 prize. Talk about literal laughs to the bank! The timing was impeccable, as Shaw was picking up the pieces after the closure of his previous workplace, Switch Video, in Collingwood. Shaw leveraged the contest winnings to build his own graphic design business, all while riding high on his comedy career’s momentum. It’s a lot to juggle, but as a dedicated father of a three-year-old, Shaw is no stranger to chaos—as any parent will tell you, if you can survive life with a toddler, you can survive anything.
And what about those Collingwood folk lucky enough to run into Shaw between gigs? “Give me a high five,” he says. Whether he’s hosting open-mic nights at Taps ‘N’ Tunes or cycling outdoors with his family (splash pants required), Shaw remains deeply rooted to his community, a testament to his affection for small-town life.
In a world that’s often too serious, Daniel Shaw reminds us: we don’t need to be the funny ones—he’s got that covered. By channelling personal quirks into universal punchlines, Shaw has become a beacon of laughter, proof that sometimes the kid who can’t hold a speech paper steady grows up to hold the mic steady… and bring down the house in the process.
References:
‘Funniest Canadian’ cut comedic chops in Elmvale, at Georgian College
