There's a tight-knit gang in Toronto that's about to take over the comedy universe. You've seen them on CBC, The Comedy Network, and on MTV. Follow me as I uncover their conspiracy in This Week In Comedy...

TUES JUNE 4 / MARK DEBONIS / RIVOLI / 332 QUEEN W / 830PM / $10

A couple Wednesdays ago, I saw Mark kill an audience at 11:45pm by doing crowd work with a dog that was roaming around in the bar. In keeping with his DIY attitude, he's doing another USB Taping. I love DeBonis. He represents everything that's great about comedy in Toronto right now. He produces his own shows, started a comedy club with his bro, never stops writing material, and his cadence is out of this world. The first time I heard him, I didn't get his style. But now that I've seen him live, he's easily in my top ten. In my opinion, the clip above captures Mark to the T. He starts off talking, and to the uninitiated ear, you might think that the guy doesn't have jokes...but he does. You just have to wait a minute. I think YouTube has destroyed our patience for entertainment. See? Now he's got me ranting...

TUES JUNE 4 / CLASSY DRUNK / EMMET RAY / 924 COLLEGE / 730PM / FREE

Troy Stark has kept himself busy. Last year, he took part in the Tim Sim's comedy competition. Then, he went on a road trip of the US with some of his closest friends to see what it was like to do stand-up abroad. Now that he's planning to leave the city, he's decided to throw one final show featuring his favourite comics, namely Christopher Allin, Claire Stollery, Jess Beaulieu, David Heti, Joel Buxton, and Chris Locke. Word to the wise: if Joel starts explaining the term gentrification, put down your drinks.

THURS JUNE 7 / LAUGH SABBATH / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W/ 9PM / $5

Ever watch Mr. D? Mark Little's on there. Did you catch a guy called Nathan Fielder on The Comedy Network? No? MTV more your thing? Then you've had to have seen the sketches by Chris Locke and Tim Gilbert. All of these comics have one thing in common: they're part of a tight-knit gang that orbits around a weekly institution known as Laugh Sabbath. I truly believe that these guys and gals have the knowledge, skills, abilities, and resilience to take over the comedy world.

FRI JUNE 7 / JEN KIRKMAN / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 8PM & 930PM / $20

I'd like to have a resume like Jen's in the next five years. She's been on Conan and Ferguson, her comedy album debuted on Billboard at #13, major magazines have identified her as one of the best new comics to watch...you get the idea. I can almost guarantee that there are a ton of male and female comics that will attribute her success entirely to her good looks, but you don't get your essays published by having great hair.

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, walks you through the up's and down's (they're mostly down's, really) in my quest to become a killer comic in Toronto.