Josh Poulain has built a comedy style that feels less like a performance and more like catching up with the funniest parent you know after a very long week. Drawing inspiration from storytellers like Mike Birbiglia, Shane Gillis, and John Mulaney, the Halifax comic blends sharp writing with grounded, deeply relatable stories about parenthood, growing up fast, and navigating everyday chaos. Whether he’s talking about raising two kids after becoming a father at 18 or roasting the Maritimes with lovingly specific local jokes, Poulain’s comedy lands because it feels honest. From performing internationally in Rotterdam to running Halifax Live Comedy Club, Josh has become one of the East Coast’s most recognizable voices in stand-up — conversational, quick-witted, and always authentic.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Conversational and natural, grounded in real-life experiences as a young parent of 2 and the chaos that comes from having kids at 18
Who are some of your influences?
Mike Birbiglia, Shane Gillis, John Mulaney
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Jon Dore
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Mike Birbiglia
What is your pre-show ritual?
I review my set and the order I think I want to do the jokes in, then throw it all out the window based on how I’m feeling once I’m on stage
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
Rotterdam, Netherlands. First time performing internationally, and it was a great feeling to know that my jokes worked for a crowd so culturally different than where I’d normally perform them. Also, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, because the crowds there are always extremely welcoming, extremely fun and up for anything.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
When the kids were little, we used to do this thing at bed time where I’d say “I love you to the moon and back”, and they’d say “I love you to mars and back”, I’d say, “I love you to pluto and back”, and they’d say “I love you to the end of the universe and back,” and I’d say “go the f*** to bed”. I tried doing that recently with my oldest, who just turned 17. I said I love you, he said I love you too, I said I love you more, and this time he just shrugged and goes “yeah, probably.”
This is one of the first jokes I wrote, and it has always gotten very big laughs. Writing it so early in my comedy journey helped build the confidence to continue writing and performing, and leaning into the authentic side of parenting and life with kids that is very relatable even to younger people who don’t have kids.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
The Working it Out podcast
Tell us a joke about your city.
A lot of people are upset about the new version of Monopoly, called Dartmouth-opoly, because they made it too accurate. Instead of the railroad, they have the homeless shelter, and you don’t pass to collect $200, you pass the ferry terminal and steal a kid’s bike.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
I manage Halifax’s only independent comedy club, Halifax Live Comedy Club. We have shows every Friday and Saturday night.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
