TOSketchFestBlog
Musical Comedy’s Chaotic, Absurd, and Relatable Maestro
If you’ve been anywhere near Toronto’s comedy scene in the last few years, you’ve probably caught wind of Anesti Danelis. Whether you’ve seen him wielding a guitar onstage, skewering the digital age in a viral video, or crooning sweet nothings to a tub of feta cheese, Anesti has carved out a space in the comedy world that’s entirely his own. We got to know him better and are sharing that insight with you in this Sketch Comedy Artist Profile.
From Flight of the Conchords to Fringe
Anesti’s journey into comedy was surprisingly relatable: “I always wanted to do comedy, but I never knew how to get started,” he said. It all began with an internet ad for Second City. “I actually contacted the office and said, ‘Be honest, is this a scam?’” Spoiler: it wasn’t.
After making his way through Second City’s classes, Anesti discovered solo musical sketch almost by accident. People kept asking him to perform a song from his conservatory grad show. Around the same time, he found Flight of the Conchords. “I didn’t even know you could do solo musical comedy until I saw them. And I was like—oh, that’s all you do?”
That revelation led to his first Fringe show, Songs for a New World Order, in 2017. “I missed the deadline to pull out and get a refund, so I just went for it,” he laughed. “It was a bunch of random songs. Not terrible.”
Since then, Anesti has brought multiple shows to Fringe stages across Canada and Edinburgh, including Six Frets Under (about grief and loss), and This Show Will Change Your Life, which is being released as a comedy special this year (!!!)
The AI Show That’s Always Outdated
His latest solo show, Artificially Intelligent, premiered at the 2024 Toronto Fringe and returns this July for two performances at Second City’s John Candy Box Theatre. It’s sharp, timely, and already evolving. “AI is expanding so fast that I feel like I have to update the show every month,” he said.
Despite its title, Anesti is no AI evangelist. “It kind of reinforced my belief that AI is not good,” he said bluntly. One of the show’s songs, Feta Cheese Boy, is a hilarious Frankenstein made from ChatGPT’s worst ideas. “They were so bad I had to turn them into a song.”
A Soundtrack of Family, Chaos, and Feta
Anesti’s musical background runs deep. “My grandpa is a professional Greek folk violinist. He taught me to play by ear.” Music was always around him, from bazoukis to beats. Eventually, it made sense to bring it into his comedy.
But make no mistake, this isn’t coffeehouse open mic material. His comedy is theatrical, sometimes absurd, and always disarmingly personal. His early sketches poked fun at family life (“Let’s play house!”… “Where were you?! Whose perfume is that?”), and those themes still echo through his work. “I guess family does play a big part in what I do,” he admitted.
A favourite sketch even featured his grandpa. “It ends with him saying to me in a thick Greek accent, ‘Nobody likes you.’ And now he says it all the time, like a catchphrase. He wants to make more videos.”
Online Fame Meets Live Stage
His songs travel easily from the internet to the stage with important adjustments for the format. “The social media versions are produced like pop songs, with synths and backing tracks,” he explained. “Live, I’ll strip it down to just guitar or sing it a cappella.”
While he used to stress about creating shows with perfect thematic arcs, he’s shifting. “I think people just want to have a good time. They want to see that one song from TikTok live.”
His pre-show ritual? A solo dance party. “I just dance to my favorite song. But I’m not telling you what it is.”
What’s Inspiring Anesti Right Now
Anesti’s creative fuel comes from both early influences and today’s rule-breakers. “Initially it was Flight of the Conchords, The Lonely Island, Mr. Bean, MadTV/SNL,” he shared. “But the more my own sense of style developed, I started being influenced by outliers, people who create unconventional comedy like: Patti Harrison, Meg Stalter, Marc Rebillet, Chris Flemming.”
When he’s in the audience instead of on stage, Anesti’s drawn to bold, off-the-wall work. “Patti Harrison’s My Huge Tits Huge Because They’re Infected NOT Fake! was one of the best comedy shows I’ve ever seen. Nothing can prepare you for that show. Everything was unexpected and chaotic in the best way.”
He also keeps an eye out for Toronto favourites. “Elephant Empire is a hilarious troupe I’d always see, and Cam Wylie always has unique shows at Sketchfest that are cool to check out.”
And if you’re browsing the Fringe brochure this summer, here’s Anesti’s watchlist: $20 Sandwich, Bitty Bat, Cheap Wine, David Lynch’s Seinfeld, A Play We Wrote Just Now, and People Suck: The Musical.
Looking ahead, Anesti’s focus is on the release of his comedy special This Show Will Change Your Life on YouTube, growing his podcast ya sure why not with Alia Rasul, and continuing to tour Artificially Intelligent. “And creating more fun content,” he added. Of course.
Who Should See Anesti Live?
“Any child of immigrants. Millennials, Gen Z. Basically anyone who can’t afford a home but can afford a comedy ticket.” That’s his sweet spot, he jokes. “People who want to laugh really hard and have a good time.”
Expect bold songs, surprise twists, and a performance style that combines polish with playful unpredictability.
Catch Artificially Intelligent Live in Toronto
Anesti Danelis returns to the stage in Toronto with Artificially Intelligent for two performances only:
🗓️ Saturday, July 5 & Sunday, July 6, 2025
📍 Second City – John Candy Box Theatre, Toronto
🎟️ Get your tickets here – use promo code torontosketchfest for a discount!
Whether you’re a Fringe convert or a TikTok fan, this is a rare chance to see his uniquely weird and wonderful live act.
