Martin Amini on Going Viral, Storytelling & Just For Laughs Montreal

For Martin Amini, comedy is about finding the stories only he can tell, and he spent a decade grinding in clubs before things finally clicked. The Bolivian-Iranian comedian based in Washington, D.C. has filmed a special at the Kennedy Center and built a loyal following in his hometown, but it wasn't until his clips started exploding online that he realized there was an audience looking for something different: stories about immigrant families, identity, and modern life told through his specific perspective.

Now, after three years of nearly nonstop touring, Amini is bringing his I'm Not Toxic, I'm Healing tour to Just For Laughs Montreal, a city he says reminds him a lot of home.

Ahead of his return to the festival, we caught up with Amini to talk about storytelling, going viral, why comedy festivals still matter, and why he's finally embracing the idea that his own life is enough to build a career on.

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