Laugh & Learn: Live Lectures + Stand-Up Comedy in Toronto

WILL CHATGPT WRITE THE NEXT SHAKESPEARE?

(And Would We Even Care?)

The guy who literally wrote a book called Killing Shakespeare is about to answer that question - live.

Koom Kankesan is a Toronto writer, teacher, and arts journalist who has spent his career thinking about storytelling, creativity, and what makes human imagination actually worth preserving.

Now AI is trying to do it in 4 seconds.

On June 12th, he’s bringing that conversation to Laugh & Learn Toronto.

Here’s how the night works:

First → stand-up comedy to warm up the room (laughter is still human, fortunately)

Then → Koom takes over

No tech bro energy.

No “AI is going to save us” hype.

No “AI is going to destroy us” panic.

Just a writer who’s spent his life studying creativity - now watching a machine try to do it faster, cheaper, and without ever having felt a single thing.

What you’ll explore:

• Would Shakespeare use ChatGPT, or would it have killed his reason to write?

• Is AI expanding creativity or just making us better at faking it?

• What happens when the machine writes a better joke than the comedian?

• What does human creativity actually mean - if a computer can replicate it?

What you’ll experience:

• Live stand-up comedy

• Interactive talk by Koom Kankesan

• Audience discussion + debate (the good kind)

• Audience Q&A

• Drinks + bar vibes

with

This is for you if:

• You use ChatGPT and feel slightly weird about it

• You’ve wondered if AI is making you lazier or smarter

• You care about creativity, writing, and big ideas

• You want a fun night out that actually makes you think

• You’re bored with the same dinner + drinks routine

Details:

📍 Catacombs Cabaret (Rear Entrance), 474 Queen Street West, Toronto

🕖 Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

📅 Friday, June 12th

⚠️ Important:

This is a small, interactive room. We usually get close to full.

Once seats are gone, that’s it.

Book your spot before it fills up.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Siddesh Pai