Glenn Wool
A gravel-voiced road comic hiding sharp arguments behind a rocker's drawl.
4 specials · 2017–2020
Start with Viva Forever, the breakout (2020 · 59 min · Vimeo)
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Glenn Wool looks like a holdover from a 1970s rock tour and paces the stage like a revival tent preacher. He leans into a laid-back Canadian drawl, setting the audience up to underestimate him. He drops his voice to a raspy whisper before roaring to emphasize a punchline. He will wander down a seemingly unrelated tangent, letting the room grow confused, only to snap the thread tight and connect it back to his opening premise.
Specials
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Glenn Wool battles his own worst impulses in Tallinn, Estonia.
Stand Up! Records · 61 min
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A boisterous audio set about travel mishaps, karma, and generational oversensitivity.
Stand Up! Records · Album
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The Comedians' Comedian's Comedians with Brendon Walsh, Morgan Murphy & 1 more
Doug Stanhope hosts an Austin showcase of underground comedy veterans.
Prime Video · 59 min
On stage
He is a permanent road dog who tours endlessly across the globe. He frequently collaborates with Doug Stanhope, sharing that anti-authoritarian streak but filtering it through a warmer, less venomous persona. He thrives in basements and massive tents alike, respected by other comics for his stamina and his willingness to work crowds that do not immediately know what to make of him.
His material relies on the bait-and-switch between his burly exterior and the actual subject matter. He builds bits around thorny topics—agnosticism, the beauty myth, historical atrocities—approaching them with the logic of a guy holding court at a late-night dive bar. He is willing to flirt with the edge of offense, pausing mid-set to defend a questionable line by dissecting the crowd’s hypocrisies. Occasionally he uses volume to muscle a thin premise across the finish line. But when the writing matches his momentum, the set becomes an unbroken wall of noise and logic. Relocating from Canada to the UK early on, his constant foreigner status sharpens his perspective on whatever culture he happens to roast.
Turning points
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Attempted World Record Stand-Up on Mount Everest
Wool joined an ensemble of comedians aiming to set a world record for the highest comedy show on Mount Everest before scheduling delays forced him to withdraw.
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Father Inspires Jeffrey Archer Novel Character
Wool's father, an Estonian refugee who became a Toronto police officer, led a fraud investigation involving Jeffrey Archer, who then based a character on him in his debut novel Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less.
At a glance
- Born
- , Vancouver, Canada
- On stage
- since 1995
- Style
- political, dark comedy, storytelling, observational
- Breakout
- Viva Forever
- Influences
- Bill Cosby
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Website, Wikipedia
Fans also like
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Doug StanhopeWool has toured extensively with Stanhope and co-starred on his collaborative comedy special and Billboard-charting album The Comedians' Comedian's Comedians.
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Frankie BoyleWool co-hosts the podcast Freestyle with Boyle and has worked as a recurring writer on Boyle's satirical series New World Order.
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Andrew MaxwellWool and Maxwell share an international festival circuit presence and co-hosted the podcast Eejits of the World together.
Podcasts
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Freestyle · co-host
Comedy podcast hosted by Glenn Wool and Frankie Boyle.
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Eejits of the World · co-host
Comedy podcast co-hosted by Glenn Wool and Andrew Maxwell.
Also on screen
- 2004–2005
- Comedy Lab
- Lottie Bearshout: Good as Goaled
- Before the Morning After
- Slug Riot
A clip to start with
GLENN WOOL Drowns Clowns - Set List: Stand-Up Without a Net - Comedy Week