What’s Up Interview: Meet comedian Sophie Buddle, appearing March 29 at Lil Rhody Laugh Riot in Providence

Rising comedy star Sophie Buddle is headed to The Vets in Providence this weekend as part of the inaugural Lil Rhody Laugh Riot, a four-day comedy festival taking over the capital city.

The Ottawa native, who made her comedy debut at age 15, is widely known for her 2019 album A Lil Bit of Buddle, which won the Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year in 2020; making Buddle the first woman ever to win the award as a solo stand-up comedian.

I caught up with Buddle by phone last week as she was making her way to Los Angeles for a show. Known for her dry comedic approach, she laughed when I suggested there’s plenty of new material for her to use these days, particularly for a Canadian comic performing in the US.

“It’s an interesting time to be a Canadian living in the States,” she laughed. In fact, jokes about the U.S./Canadian relationship have been part of her routine for years, even before the latest political headlines. For those concerned about open conflict, she assured me that Americans have nothing to worry about.

“I had a gig once in Canada performing for the Canadian Navy, and honestly, they really didn’t seem very tough. And so I’ve been offering that up to Americans; they can just invade by sea,” joked Buddle. “It’s so ridiculous that Americans are siding with Canada, which, you know, you wouldn’t think would help.”

Buddle’s comedic style is in line with contemporary female comics like Nikki Glaser – edgy, unafraid, and unapologetic. It’s a style that female comedians have embraced in recent years, one that might have been taboo a generation ago. (Needless to say, this is not a family-friendly show.)

“I’ve always been really influenced by American comics,” continued Buddle. “I’m on the road with Taylor Tomlinson right now; she’s a big influence on me. Nikki Glaser, Beth Stelling, Sarah Silverman, tons of female comics, I’ve always looked up to them.” Fans can expect a mix of “political jokes, sex jokes, and family stuff” when they see her live. “I like a mix of politics and life stuff, balanced with everything that I care about.”

Buddle has seen the influence of female comedians grow over her 16-year career, recalling the days when there might be a token female comic as part of a show. These days, it’s nearly 50-50 at shows. “That has changed,” she noted. “It’s really interesting to watch the culture shift.”

One thing that I’ve heard people say is that “it’s the same number of men and women at the start.’” She noted that although there are just as many women as men who start out in comedy, many leave the business earlier than their male counterparts. “Women tend to quit the business sooner than men, so that’s how the numbers change in the long run.”

“But lately, the culture has changed for women in every field. It’s a very historic time to be a woman. So yeah, it’s definitely not surprising that women in comedy are kind of picking up the backlog.”

Sophie Buddle plays The Vets in Providence at 7PM on Saturday, March 29, alongside Ashley Gavin and Melissa Villaseñor as part of the Lil Rhody Laugh Riot. Click here for tickets.

Click here for the complete Lil Rhody Laugh Riot lineup.