Andrew Phung has something to admit ahead of his hosting gig this weekend at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival: he’s never been to Winnipeg, and he knows next to nothing about this city.

“I’m very excited to go because (pro wrestler) Chris Jericho would always say he was from the mean streets of Winnipeg,” says Phung, best known for playing the lovable Kimchi on the CBC hit Kim’s Convenience. “I want to say that I’ve been to the mean streets of Winnipeg, too.”

Mean isn’t a word one would associate with Phung, who’s become one of Canadian television’s most reliable providers of laughs and/or smiles. Phung was so beloved on Kim’s that he won five Canadian Screen Awards as best supporting actor in a comedy. He turned that success into Run the Burbs, his own hit show on CBC, soon to enter its third season.

Don’t take it as a slight that the comic actor knows nothing about Winnipeg, because rest assured, the avowed sneakerhead — he owns more than 500 pairs — is doing his research: he plans to hit up Livestock, a Main Street sneaker hub, and the Collab Shop, an up-and-coming vintage sports gear and streetwear consignment shop, to see what he can add to his closet.

He also plans to explore Chinatown and walk around downtown during his stay.

But of course, the reason he’s coming to town is to make people laugh. On Saturday night, Phung will play host at the Burton Cummings Theatre for the Spill It! standup showcase, featuring comedy fest veteran Nile Seguin (The Beaverton, CBC’s Still Standing), 2023 Juno-nominated comic Jackie Pirico, Just for Laughs regular Arthur Simeon, Michael Balazo (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Schitt’s Creek, Children Ruin Everything), frequent CBC comedy contributor Myles Anderson, and Lisa Baker, fresh off her second album, Super Newfie.

It’s not that Phung has been avoiding Winnipeg. “I’ve been trying to come (to the festival) for four years, but every time, something came up, whether it was COVID or my schedule,” he says. “So I’m incredibly happy it all lined up.”

As for his material, Phung — a two-time Canadian Screen Award winner for hosting — knows it’s his job to keep the crowd happy and get them laughing for the comics performing at the Burt Saturday night.

Still in Toronto, working on Run the Burbs, Phung finds reasons to laugh every day. On Wednesday, he had to laugh at his own foolishness.

“I ordered some Pringles off Amazon for my writers,” he says. “But when it came, I opened the jar and it was all broken chips. That’s what I get for ordering Pringles off Amazon.”

Why didn’t he simply head to his nearest 7-Eleven?

“They were Extreme Hot Sour Cream and Onion Pringles,” he explains. “Grocery stores usually only carry the essential flavours of Pringles. But when I opened it, only three chips remained.”

The comedian is informed that Old Dutch makes its chips in Winnipeg.

“I did not know that!” shouts Phung, a self-proclaimed ketchup or sour-cream-and-onion guy. “That’s dangerous information.”

ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.com

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