You know, there would be a lot less violence in Toronto if people would just put down the guns, pick up a drink, and take in a comedy show every now and then--I honestly believe that. So leave the burner at home, open your heart, and let me walk you through This Week In Comedy...

TUES JULY 24 / MICK FOLEY AND BRENDON BURNS / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 8PM & 10PM / $20

That's right: Mick Foley aka Mankind aka Cactus Jack aka Dude Love is coming to Toronto. To be honest, I was extremely skeptical about Mick doing a stand-up comedy show, but after watching the above clip, I'm thoroughly impressed! The way that he calmly builds his Karate Kid premise shows that he's figured out how to transpose his confidence from the squared circle to the stage. You may not have heard of Brendon Burns on this side of the pond, but his TV career started alongside Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) and...Ricky Gervais? Wowzers. This is truly one of the most unique shows to hit Toronto this year.

WED JULY 24 - SAT JULY 28 / DYLAN GOTT / YUK YUK'S / 224 RICHMOND W / VARIOUS TIMES / $11-20

Dylan Gott is awesome. Why? Because his stage presence exudes honesty. Take a look at the above clip and you'll see exactly what I mean. Being sincere and acting naturally on stage may not seem that impressive to you, but for an amateur like me, it's a sight to behold. You see, the tendency that most people have when they get on stage is to try to seem confident by acting out and being overly expressive and loud. Dylan has done away with those additives and instead seems like he's truly being himself up there. His material is also crafted in such a way that it doesn't require him to include exaggerated movements that would seem foreign to someone of his proportions. But hey, maybe I'm just projecting my feelings onto him...but something tells me I'm not.

WED JULY 25 - SUN JULY 29 / TRENT McCLELLAN feat. LAMONT FERGUSON / ABSOLUTE COMEDY / 2335 YONGE / VARIOUS TIMES / $6-15

Your headliner, Trent McClellan, has done a clean sweep on the Canadian circuit, being featured on the bill of the Halifax Comedy Festival, Just For Laughs, CBC, CTV, and the Comedy Network. But whatever you do, don't sleep on his partner in crime, Lamont Ferguson. He's opened for Bill Cosby, Steve Harvey, Garry Shandling, and George Carlin. What?! Now that's what I call good company. I love Lamont because his stage presence is manicured and precise yet still hilarious, reflecting the over 20 years of experience he casually brings to the table.

THURS JULY 26 / LADYSTACHE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER / MONARCH TAVERN / 12 CLINTON / 8PM / $10

When two comedians are funny in their own right AND have great chemistry together, magic is created, and that's why I love Ladystache. To help them raise money as they prepare to travel across the Atlantic for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, they've put together a knockout line-up, featuring the likes of Scott Thompson, Kathleen Phillips, Chris Locke, and Hunter Collins. This is the show I'm most looking forward to this week.

FRI JULY 27 / KEVIN HART / SONY CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS / 1 FRONT E / 7PM & 10:30PM / $62

Kevin's name has been at the forefront of stand-up comedy for awhile now. His television and film credits also speak volumes about his presence in Hollywood, appearing in everything from Modern Family to Scary Movie 3, 4, and 5. If you're interested in attending, I'd act sooner rather than later, as Kevin has a very loyal following!

About the Author: This is Michael Jagdeo, and I refuse to write about myself in the third-person. My blog, Diary of a Stand-up Comedian, teaches you how to be - and how not to be - a comedian in Toronto.