Robert Watson is a Canadian writer and comedian, originally from Victoria, British Columbia and currently based in Toronto, Ontario."Coming out: New and unsung LGBTQ+ voices in Canadian comedy you should know in 2021". CBC Comedy, June 11, 2021. He is most noted as the creator and writer of the comedy web series A Gay Victorian Affair, and as the organizer of Gay AF events for LGBTQ stand-up comedians.Peter Knegt, "Comedians Robert Watson and Al Val are taking their Gay AF Comedy show on the road". CBC Arts, March 28, 2024.
Background Watson began his career in Toronto theatre, with playwriting credits including Chasing Margaret Flatwood,Keith Bennie, "The top 15 shows at the 2014 Toronto Fringe Festival". BlogTO, July 1, 2014. Desperate Housepets, The Money TreeKelly Wilk, "Review: “The Money Tree” – A Fun Filled Family Production". PinkPlay, March 2016. and Birds of a Feather."Roseneath Theatre Announces 'Be True To You' 2017-18 Season". Broadway World, May 17, 2017.
He has been a two-time Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee for Outstanding New Play, Theatre for Young Audiences, for The Money Tree in 2015Lin Young, "2015 Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominees". Mooney on Theatre, June 1, 2015. and Birds of a Feather in 2017."Nomination Announcements: 38th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards". Intermission Magazine, May 30, 2017.
He has also had occasional film and television acting roles, including small parts in episodes of Queer as Folk and Billable Hours, and the short films Mindgames and Eye of the Veil.
A Gay Victorian Affair In 2018 Watson and his theatre colleague Andrew Lamb collaborated on the comedy web series A Gay Victorian Affair. Described as a cross between Downton Abbey and Queer as Folk, the series starred Adrian Proszowski and Amanda Barker as Lord Reginald and Lady Vanessa Favershum, a British noble couple in the Victorian era who enter a lavender marriage in order to hide their homosexuality from public view, while getting up to gay hijinks behind closed doors. In addition to writing and producing the series, Watson had a supporting role as Henry, the Favershums' butler.
The series was released to YouTube in 2018.
The series swept all four categories for web content at the Canadian Comedy Awards at the 19th Canadian Comedy Awards in 2019, winning Best Web Series, Best Performance in a Web Series (Barker), Best Writing in a Web Series (Watson) and Best Direction in a Web Series (Lamb).Bryen Dunn, "Toronto comedian Robert Watson is Gay AF. Find out why on his new album, 'Homo Say What?'". The Buzz, January 2023.
Stand-up comedy In 2021 he released the comedy special Out for Laughs on Amazon Prime Video and OutTV, and in 2023 he released his debut comedy album, Homo Say What?.
Watson launched Gay AF in 2019.Courtney Hardwick, "Robert Watson Is All About Queer Joy". IN Magazine, January 4, 2023. Initially a monthly showcase for local LGBTQ stand-up comedians at Comedy Bar, the show later expanded to present comedy performances at regional LGBTQ Pride festivals in Southern Ontario, an annual special show at Buddies in Bad Times for Pride Toronto,Drew Rowsome, "Gay AF Comedy: a new crop for Pride". My Gay Toronto, June 8, 2026. sold-out shows at Montreal's Zoofest in 2023 and 2024,"The Gay AF Comedy Tour". Cult MTL, April 21, 2024. and an 11-city national tour in 2024, which was hosted by Watson and headlined by Ava Val, but otherwise featured a different lineup of local comedians in each city.Jen Zoratti, "Toronto comedian Ava Val headlines Gay AF tour". Winnipeg Free Press, April 25, 2025.
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