Photo: Contributed - kevinbreel.com

For Kevin Breel, depression is a laughing matter.

But it is also something the 22-year-old comedian takes seriously and the Victoria native will be at Kelowna Community Theatre, 1435 Water St., March 15 to talk about mental illness.

Breel will present Confessions of a Depressed Comic starting at 6:30 p.m. The event is free, but those wanting to attend are asked to RSVP online.

UBCO's student union has partnered with Third Space Foundation, Student Care Insurance, the Canadian Mental Health Association and Class Media to bring the comedian and mental health activist to the Okanagan.

"Kevin's presentation is hands down one of the most influential experiences I have ever been a part of. He tells his story in a way that will make you happy, sad, confused and mad all at the same time. By offering this as a free event, we are able to remove any barriers that may prevent someone from being able to attend, as every single person in our community will eventually play a role in destroying the stigma around mental health,” said Layne Richardson UBCSUO vice-president.

As a writer, Breel has contributed to The Huffington Post and become one of the youngest Canadians ever to sign a book deal with a major publisher.

His debut memoir ‘Boy Meets Depression’ was published by Random House and has achieved critical acclaim. Forbes Magazine called it “a small book well worth reading” and NPR dubbed it “honest and compelling."
As a comedian, Breel began touring as a teenager and has presented at venues including the Colosseum in Vegas, Rogers Arena and the House of Blues.

As an activist for mental health, he’s spoken all over the world at different colleges and charity events. His TED talk, Confessions of a Depressed Comic became one of the most viral videos of all time with more than a million views in a matter of weeks.

Now, with more than three million views, it stands as one of the most watched TED talks ever; alongside the likes of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Sir Ken Robinson.

He is also one of the national spokespeople for the Bell Let's Talk Campaign; an initiative started by Bell Media which has raised over $70 million for mental health services and has been dubbed “the most influential social media campaign of all time.”