Kurtis Conner
With almost 300,000 followers on Vine, it's clear that 2015 grad Kurtis Conner has already made a name for himself in online comedy. We caught up with Kurtis and asked him a bit about making people laugh.
What made you get into comedy?
I’ve always tried to make people laugh, ever since I was in elementary school. Several people told me to try stand-up but I never took the idea seriously, until one day I tried it and it was the best thing ever. I love knowing that I was the reason someone smiled.
Life sucks for most people nowadays so if I’m the person that can make them laugh and forget about the awful stuff for a little bit, it’s the most incredible feeling.
You've become known for your Vines - how did you get into that?
I started creating vines because it just seemed like a fun thing to share what I was doing; I didn't even think to use it for comedy at first. Once I started, it became a great way to improve my comedy.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a web series for my YouTube channel. It’s still in its baby stage but I’m having a lot of fun seeing what it’s becoming. It’s really exciting thinking of new episode ideas and finding ways to incorporate my humour into important messages that I want to convey. I’m trying to include all of my friends in the series as well because I want it to be a spotlight for other people who deserve it.
What other things have you done since leaving Humber?
Since leaving Humber, I’ve travelled across the United States to meet some of my fans, and that was an amazing experience. I got to travel to New Jersey and perform stand up for 500 people. I was invited to perform at the TIFF ONEXONE charity event in Toronto. I was verified on Vine and Twitter and have visited the Vine HQ in NYC.
How did your time at Humber prepare you for what you’re doing now?
Humber prepared me in more ways than one. Humber taught me to always be professional and responsible, no matter what you’re doing. I learned to treat fellow comedians/managers/business partners with extreme kindness, because that goes a very long way. Humber taught me to be hardworking and driven, and it taught me to constantly challenge myself.
Any particular Humber memories you'd like to share?
I made so many memories during my time at Humber, it’s tough to choose just one! I remember one time; my friends Meg Mackay, Jacob Sharpe, and I were filming this web series called “Hawk Talk” in a bathroom. We were yelled at several times to not film in there but we did anyway because we thought it was really funny. I think that incident was a great testament to the people in the program; it’s literally a building full of people who would do anything to make people laugh.
Find out more about Kurtis Conner on his website, www.kurtisconner.com and you can (and should, if you like laughing) follow him on Twitter @kurtis_conner, Instagram @kurtisconner, Vine @KurtisConner, Youtube @kurtisconner and Snapchat @kurtisconner
