Canadian Screen Awards 2023 nominations for CBC Comedy shows and where to watch (hint: they're on CBC Gem)

The Canadian Screen Awards, which celebrates the best in film, TV and digital media in Canada, has unveiled their nominees for the 2023 awards show, so let's dig in! First off, let's start with the performance categories, which in a groundbreaking decision, the Canadian Screen Awards are no longer breaking down into gendered categories:

A hearty kudos to our stars of Workin' Moms, ​​Catherine Reitman and Dani Kind, who were both nominated for Best Lead Performer, Comedy, both deserving for their work for the entire run of the show, whose final season is now on air and available to stream online in Canada on CBC Gem. Both performers have a range of abilities that extend beyond clever comedic choices and into dramatic performances that demonstrate the range and depth of emotional storytelling on display in the show.

Bilal Baig, star and co-creator of Sort Of was also nominated for Best Lead Performer, as well as Run the Burbs stars Andrew Phung and Rakhee Morzaria, who are no strangers to Canadian Screen Award nominations either, and it's incredible to see them singled out in the Lead category. Adrienne C. Moore and Meredith MacNeill were also nominated for Pretty Hard Cases, and Meaghan Rath for CTV's Children Ruin Everything.

In the supporting performer category for comedy, we're very happy to see nominations for Workin' Moms MVPs Sarah McVie (check out our tribute reel!) & Enuka Okuma, Sort Of's Amanda Cordner, Son of a Critch's Malcolm McDowell, Pretty Hard Cases stars Karen Robinson (Schitt's Creek), Al Mukadam & Tricia Black, as well as Ennis Esmer, nominated for Children Ruin Everything.

For best guest performance, comedy, let's take a minute and celebrate the nomination for Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll in Son of a Critch ("Father Critch"), a Canadian talent that this country is only on the cusp of getting to know on a national level, and represents the best in our emerging talent, from both his hilarious on-screen performances like this one, but is also a natural behind the camera, and is far too incredible of a singer than he has any right in being, considering his comedic and technical skills alone. Kudos to you Rod, we're cheering from the back of the room for you!

We're also incredibly excited for Amanda Brugel for earning a nomination in the guest category for Sort Of ("Sort Of Amsterdam / Sort Of I Love You"), as well as Kardi B himself, Kardinal Offishall for throwing it down for Run the Burbs ("Blockbuster"), as well as Jonathan Torrens and Anna Hopkins for Letterkenny.

In the best performance category for sketch comedy (individual or ensemble), both TallBoyz (Guled Abdi, Tim Blair, Vance Banzo, Franco Nguyen) and This Hour Has 22 Minutes (Mark Critch, Trent McClellan, Aba Amuquandoh, Stacey McGunnigle) were nominated alongside the crew at Roast Battle Canada, and Crave's Pillow Talk. 22 Minutes and Tallboyz, alongside Abroad and Roast Battle Canada, were also nominated for Best Sketch Comedy Program. Tallboyz were also nominated for Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy for the episode "Don't swear in front of the song."

For the Best Comedy Series, no one should be surprised to see Sort Of at the top of this list, nor be shocked to hear the excellent Fakes, alongside Letterkenny, Children Ruin Everything and Astrid & Lilly Save the World.

And for Best Performing Arts Program, the Winnipeg Comedy Festival has been nominated for their 2021 show, which included galas hosted by Ryan Belleville (Workin' Moms), Aba Amuquandoh (22 Minutes), Aurora Brown (BVSS) and Kris Siddiqi, Priyanka & Michael Greyeyes.

Digging into the writing category, we continue to see some familiar faces:

Nominated for Best Writing, Comedy, Workin Moms creator and star Catherine Reitman for the episode "Grow If You Want," Bilal Baig & Fab Filippo for the Sort Of episode "Sort Of I Love You" as well as JP Larocque for "Sort Of Broke" appearing alongside Kurt Smeaton and Jessica Meya's nominations for Children Ruin Everything.

In the more behind-the-scenes and technical categories, we continue to see some of our CBC favourites:

• Fab Filippo, nominated for directing Sort Of "Sort Of Janazah"
• Aleysa Young, nominated for directing Run The Burbs "Blockbuster"
• Joyce Wong, nominated for directing Sort Of "Sort Of I Love You"
• Yael Staav, nominated for directing Workin' Moms "The Big One"
• Shelagh O'Brien, nominated for directing Comedy Night with Rick Mercer "Episode 105" (aka 201)
• Bruce McCulloch, nominated for directing TallBoyz "Don't swear in front of the song"
• Jocelyn Corkum & Allison Johnston nominated for directing This Hour Has 22 Minutes - "Comedy Convoy'
• Gayle Ye, nominated for photography for Detention Adventure "Singing in the Raign"
• Kristin Fieldhouse, nominated for photography for Pretty Hard Cases - "Pencil Skirts"
• Iris Ng, nominated for photography for Strays "House Sitting"
• Ben Lichty, nominated for photography for Workin' Moms "Grow If You Want"
• Marianna Khoury, nominated for editing for Sort Of "Sort Of 2gethr" and Workin' Moms "Grow If You Want"
• Hugh Elchuk, nominated for editing for Sort Of "Sort Of Amsterdam"
• Alan Doyle, Keith Power, nominated for music for Son Of A Critch "Old Soul, New School"
• Norma Richard and Zinka Tuminski nominations for Best Achievement in Hair, for Son of a Critch and Strays, respectively

Canadian megastar and funnyman Ryan Reynolds narrated Curb Your Carbon, which was nominated for the Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series, and speaking of documentaries, Comedy Punks: Kids in the Hall was nominated in Best Biography or Arts Documentary Program or Series, and Best Direction, Documentary series for Reginald Harkema.

And finally, a tip of the hat to Dave Merheje for his nomination for Dave Merheje: I Love You Habibi in Best Variety or Entertainment Special, a trailblazer in Canadian comedy and making waves internationally.

Samantha Bee is set to host the Canadian Screen Awards broadcast show on Sunday, April 16, 2023 on CBC and CBC Gem. An intimate look at Canadian storytelling excellence on screen, The Canadian Screen Awards with Samantha Bee will feature celebrity interviews, highlights from the Awards presentations throughout Canadian Screen Week 2023, and exclusive access to this year's illustrious slate of Special Award recipients, including: the Humanitarian Award, presented by Paramount+, honouree Ryan Reynolds; Academy Icon Award recipient Catherine O'Hara; and the recipient of the Radius Award, presented by MADE | NOUS, Simu Liu.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional media arts organization in Canada. With a membership of more than 4,000 emerging and established industry professionals, we are dedicated to developing, recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors.