After his stand-up comedy show in Reykjavík, Iceland, Ismo Leikola was on his way to the car when a local approached him, sharing that it was the first stand-up performance he had ever attended.
“He told me how much he had laughed and how incredibly funny he found the show,” recalls Leikola with a smile. “Then he added that the next time I perform in Iceland, he’ll probably come to see me again.”
Probably. The word still brings a chuckle to Leikola’s lips as he reflects on the conversation.
“You know, he can’t be certain. What if he gets sick? Maybe he has prior commitments?”
As a Finnish comedian living in the United States, encounters like these remind him of the subtle cultural nuances he navigates daily. In the Nordics, promises—no matter how small—are taken seriously, he points out.
“In the US, people are likely to say they will ‘definitely, 100 percent’ be there, often without a second thought.”
Regardless of the differences, Leikola doesn’t mind at all. On the contrary, these moments feed into his comedy, which often revolves around cultural quirks and language-related humor. And now, music has also joined the mix.
Winning the Comedy Lottery
Leikola believes that laughter is not just important—it’s essential to life itself. Telling someone not to laugh, he jokes, could almost be considered a crime. Photo: Jaakko Manninen
Leikola launched his comedy career in Finland during the early 2000s, quickly making a name for himself as a correspondent on a popular prime-time talk show from his hometown of Jyväskylä.
His big break came in 2014 when he won the coveted title of Funniest Person of the Year in a competition hosted by the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. A year later, he made the leap to the US, and soon after, he found himself performing on Conan O’Brien’s talk show.
“Winning that competition felt like hitting the jackpot,” he reflects a decade later. “It allowed me to move here without having to start from scratch at dingy open mic nights. I could step directly into proper gigs.”
Since that pivotal moment, Leikola—affectionately known on stage simply as Ismo—has been entertaining audiences with observations about speaking English as a second language and the distinct cultural dynamics between Finns and Americans. His touring extends well beyond Finland and the US as he adapts jokes to resonate with local audiences wherever he goes.
An Epiphany and a New Beginning
Incorporating music into his shows has added a fresh dimension to Leikola’s comedic repertoire. Photo: Eggert Óskar Ólafsson
Creating comedy in two languages doesn’t have to mean maintaining separate sets. While not every joke can seamlessly translate, Leikola believes this blend only enriches his material.
“Sometimes, when I translate a joke from Finnish to English, it actually becomes even funnier than the original. Other times, a joke may not translate at all, but that can lead to a completely new angle and a fresh punchline.”
This creative journey took a new turn earlier this year when, after a lively Super Bowl watch party, Leikola found himself in a music studio with friends. As he picked up a guitar and began to half-sing, half-recite one of his old jokes, it was a lightbulb moment.
“Something just clicked in my head. I realized I don’t have to force myself to write a song—I can write a joke and just sing it,” he shared, excitement evident in his voice.
After more than 20 years in stand-up, Leikola can hardly envision going on stage without a guitar now.
“This is taking me to a whole new level. I feel like this is just the beginning.”
An Oxymoron? Not So Much
Ismo Leikola hails from Jyväskylä, central Finland. Photo: Jaakko Manninen
As he travels the globe, Leikola has encountered the stereotype that a Finnish comedian is something of an oxymoron—that Finns, by nature, aren’t funny.
“That’s a hard pill for me to swallow because I think Finns are incredibly funny. But I do understand that sometimes our humor can be difficult to convey.”
While humor is often tied to cultural contexts, Leikola has discovered that the differences between individuals can outweigh regional distinctions. The same jokes can land well in Finland, Florida, or Canada; it’s much more about the audience in the room rather than its geographic location.
Being a bit of an outsider has its advantages. Many of Leikola’s fans are not native English speakers, and his thoughtful delivery, clear pronunciation, and unhurried pacing make it easier for them to follow his performances.
“Of course, I’m also really funny. But it helps when people understand everything I say.”
Watch Ismo Leikola cracking a joke:
Text by Anne Salomäki, September 2026