Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 19th annual WE’RE FUNNY THAT WAY festival with host Maggie Cassella is adapted from a live event into a virtual special. Every live event collects funds for various LGBT charities. There are clips from past events, and the new virtual one-hour show celebrates the LGBTQ2+ community and includes a lineup of comedy and music from the following individuals –

Brandon Ash-Mohammed – performs a skit from his new comedy album, the first for a black queer comedian

Martha Chaves – talks about previous pandemic-like experiences growing up in Nicaragua 

Gavin Crawford – portrays his grandmother during the pandemic

Lea DeLaria – who does some scat singing for Maggie…then Maggie gives it a go

Andrea Martin – Second City alumni makes a short cameo appearance, and it’s adorable

Colin Mochrie – organizes a Pride party with his wife Deb McGrath for their Trans lesbian daughter Kinley, who is indifferent about the whole thing

Kate Rigg – streams from her laundry room to get the best signal, before hanging out the window saluting first-responders

Carolyn Taylor – cuts her quarantine hair…for real

Shawnee – sings a new tune, and it’s fabulous

Karen Williams – first out African-American comic, who talks about lesbianism 

Lucas Silveira – performs a special request tune for Maggie

Miss Conception – The “Poutine Queen of Canada” performs her own version of I Will Survive

Click here for a list of bios, and here for a blog update on what everyone is up to.

WE’RE FUNNY THAT WAY: A VIRTUAL PRIDE SPECIAL(1X60), streaming on CBC Gem on Friday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.