Tragedy plus time

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1984, comedian Ed Hill wasn’t exposed to much funny business growing up. But once he was introduced to the craft, his love for the art form rapidly grew into a truly unique tale.  

 “In my culture, comedy isn’t a medium where we do our art. It’s not even a profession, so this is kind of a rare occurrence,” recalled Hill, who performs  Thursday, Nov. 3, at The Robin Theatre.  “Stand-up comedy just wasn’t a thing in my culture. We had comedic movies and things like that, but during my second year of university, my friend dragged me into his dorm to watch a movie.”  

Serendipitously, the movie happened to be an envelope-pushing Chris Rock stand-up special. His mind was blown. 

“I didn’t know you could say these things on stage,” said Hill, whose family migrated to Vancouver when he was 10-years-old. “I didn’t know you could do this as a profession. It was eye-opening and completely mind-blowing. I was immediately drawn since that moment.” 

While attending graduate school at Simon Fraser University, Hill took the next step and signed up for stand-up classes. Fast forward to today, and Hill is the first comedian of Taiwanese-Canadian descent to drop a one-hour special following the release of his “Candy & Smiley” special. The conversational set, named after his parents, received a positive response and was named “Best of 2021” by NPR and one of the “Top 15 Comedy Specials of 2021” by Paste Magazine.   

As for The Robin Theatre show, Hill said attendees can expect to hear brutally honest deliveries throughout the 90-minute event, which also features Michigan comedians Mike Geeter and Richard Mathis. 

“I don’t hide much stuff in my life,” Hill said. “You’ll hear intimate details and aspects of my life that tap into who I am. Hopefully, that’s what resonates with the people. We all go through pretty similar things as human beings. That’s one thing I’m trying to capture: what it’s like to be a human being.” 

And while the emerging comedian still calls Canada home, he now spends ample time in airports. From the San Francisco Comedy Festival to the Hong Kong Comedy Festival, his craft is honed across the globe. Beyond that, he’s also appeared on TED Talks and his tweets have been featured on “The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon,” The Huffington Post and BuzzFeed.  

Of course, like most comics, it was a bumpy road to this success story. He slowly learned how to cater to any audience, no matter the location.  

“I bombed for 15 shows straight because I realized people don’t know what I’m talking about, like 10 miles past any direction of my city,” he said. “I was talking about local things, so I had to revamp all my material.” 

After some initial lackluster crowd responses, Hill experienced self-doubt, so he called his then-girlfriend (now-wife) and expressed his concern. She reassured him it was just growing pains, and this was the path he was meant for.  

“I kept doing it. It brings a sense of participation for me,” he said. “My dad always taught me that if you want to do something, do it all the way. If you’re going to participate, participate fully with all of your being. I think my all-the-way is through comedy. 

“It’s one way for me to tell my story,” he added. “Sometimes, the stories I’m telling are not easy to tell. There are some stories I don’t want to revisit, but it’s a way for me to challenge myself and face those things.” 

The new set Hill is bringing to REO Town features content predominantly around his relationships with the women in his life, such as his grandmother, mother and wife.  

“Obviously, there are also many intricacies in there as well, and there are many things about racism, too. Also, a big part is about heartbreak. Sometimes, things don’t turn out the way you want them to,” he said. “The theme is about self-acceptance and self-love. I do bring up love initially in the show as a romantic love between two people, but it moves into the deepest form of love — the one where you can love yourself.” 

Although the topics are heavy, Hill said the art of comedy is to be able to talk about profound subjects in a way that’s relatable and funny for everyone.

“My mother-in-law probably put this best with, ‘’How can somebody be so smart and so dumb at the same time?’ That’s sort of the approach I take,” Hill laughed. “It can be serious, but it’s also very juvenile at the same time. That’s where the house will digest these concepts and some incredibly sad things. That’s the thing — comedy is tragedy plus time. That’s the art of comedy and the fine line I walk on.” 

Despite not having any representation, or similar comic role models  growing up, Hill said he hopes his authenticity can serve as an inspiration to others just starting.  

“I hope I am a representation for my community. I hope I’m not a mark of shame,” he joked. “It’s not for me to decide, it’s for my community to decide. All I can do is be true to myself, and do what I can do best. Hopefully, that resonates with the people. Every time I try to do something that deviates from who I am, it comes out as non-authentic, not genuine and becomes a disaster.”