This story is part of the Comox Valley Record鈥檚 summer edition of Trio Magazine, published quarterly and available throughout the Comox Valley. The summer edition is available at the Record office (407D Fifth St.) and at businesses throughout the Comox Valley.

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Comox Valley comedian Syd Bosel credits her family, but particularly her friends for her comedy career.

Within her friends group, she says she listens intently to the stories they share, which, for the most part, are extremely comical.

鈥淭hey are very, very funny. When they say they鈥檙e proud of me, I tell them I鈥檓 just the one who has the guts to go up on stage,鈥� she notes with a slight laugh.

Bosel, who was born and grew up in Vancouver, moved to the Comox Valley about three years ago. While she performed three to four nights a week in the city, she鈥檚 already made an impressionable mark for the Island鈥檚 comedy scene.

In April 2023, she performed on Canada鈥檚 Got Talent (CGT), which saw her career - despite it being relatively new - come full circle.

Bosel fell in love with comedy in the early 1980s, during one particular moment watching comedian Howie Mandel perform in Vancouver.

鈥淚t was like he was talking with friends and we were all part of the conversation,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淚 thought 鈥業 want to be friends with him and I can do that.鈥� 鈥�

Mandel is the host on CGT - and Bosel was able to have a brief conversation with the comedian who left a memorable impression on her at a young age.

Despite the accomplishment, Bosel鈥檚 comedy career has had its share of ups and downs. She began in the 1990s when her kids were little, but ultimately decided she couldn鈥檛 take on the challenges of the comedy scene with small children.

She eventually took classes, and meet different people and attended open mic nights, which led her to produce shows with friends.

In 2013, Bosel was diagnosed with breast cancer, and towards the end of treatment, decided it was the right time to do things she hadn鈥檛 previously accomplished, one being more stand up comedy.

Since moving to the Island, she has been working at making connections and performs at a variety of venues.

Her perspective on comedy is one she calls 鈥渁 humbling privilege.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a beautiful honour making people laugh. I鈥檝e honed the craft in my delivery and use my body a fair bit. All of my stuff is based on real life - I find these little nuggets that strikes my funny bone.鈥�

She credits a few other of her comedic heroes - Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball - with the physicality she brings on stage along with allowing time for a joke to land.

One of the reasons she wanted to apply to CGT was to gain even further exposure, although her primary motivation was to speak to family and caregivers, as her husband Ron is facing dementia.

She worked both his dementia challenges and her breast cancer diagnosis in the routine.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always been very private about it, (but) it鈥檚 an important message for families - to do as much as you can for yourself - that鈥檚 important for both of us.鈥�

As for the future of her career, Bosel has 鈥渂ig plans for the year - we鈥檒l do as much as we can.鈥�

She has a fall tour plan set for the Maritimes, with her husband set to join her.

Additionally, she is set to open for comedian Maria Bamford when she visits the Comox Valley June 28 at the Sid Williams Theatre.

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