Ismo Leikola first performed stand-up in his native Finland in 2002. He was named the country's best newcomer in 2003 and appeared in the TV series Act!One the following year. For three years running , he was voted best comedian of the Finnish festival Tomaatteja!Tomaatteja!
In 2006, he performed his first gigs in English and made his Edinburgh debut the following year with his show Rogue State Finland.
In 2014 he was named the Funniest Person in the World in a competition run US club chain The Laugh Factory.
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Mandy Muden signs up for major US talent show
With Harry & Chris, Randy Feltface and Ismo Leikola
Comedy magician Mandy Muden and rap-jazz duo Harry & Chris are to appear on a major new American talent show.
The Brits will be competing to win $250,000 in Bring The Funny when it launches in a primetime slot on the NBC network next month.
Also taking part in the show – which features variety, stand-up and sketch comedy strands – are 2016 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Randy Feltface, the purple puppet stand-up created by Australian Heath McIvor, and Finnish comedian Ismo Leikola, who was named ‘funniest person in the world’ by the Laugh Factory clubs in 2014.
It’s the second TV reality competition in two years for circuit veteran Muden, who was a semi-finalist on Britain's Got Talent last year; while Harry and Chris are World Poetry Slam Champion Harry Baker and his best friend, the jazz musician Chris Read. Both are taking part in the variety section.
Judges for Bring The Funny will be Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, model and Lip Sync Battle co-host Chrissy Teigen and ‘redneck’ comedian Jeff Foxworthy.
The show is being made with Just For Laughs, and the winner will also land a slot at the organisation’s festival in Montreal next year.
Hosted by comedian Amanda Seales, Bring The Funny launches on July 9 in a 10pm slot following America’s Got Talent and will run for ten weeks.
NBC previously aired the comedy reality show Last Comic Standing from 2003 to 2015, which featured Brits iMatt Kirshen,Gina Yashere, Paul Foot and Jim Tavare – as well as making stars out of the likes of Amy Schumer, Iliza Shlesinger, Alonzo Bodden and Kathleen Madigan.
Other acts taking part in the new series are:
VARIETY: Kristin Key, Jarred Fell, Drennon Davis, Morgan Jay, Lewberger, Mister Zed, Becca Brown, Regan and Watkins, Armando Anto, Lucas Bohn, Handsome Naked
STAND-UP: Orlando Leyba, Calvin Evans, Matt Rife, Michael Longfellow, Erica Rhodes, Tacarra Williams, Rocky Dale Davis, Leclerc Andre, Audrey Stewart, Daphnique Springs, Ali Kolbert, Ian Lara, Candice Thompson, Ali Siddiq, Jesus Trejo
SKETCH ACT: Frangela, JK! Studios, Willy Appleman, The Valleyfolk, Kids These Days, Room 28, Lost Moon Radio, The Chris & Paul Show, Andrea Lopez
We do not currently hold contact details for Ismo Leikola's agent. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear here, for a one-off fee of £59, email steve@chortle.co.uk.
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