Gavin Crawford, one of Canada's most talented and sought-after comedians, is set to begin the second season of his self-titled show on the Comedy Network. He sat down with Canada AM's Lisa LaFlamme to talk about what makes Canadian comedy unique.

Crawford, 30, earned himself a role on a series called "Hype" on the U.S. network WB, has won a Gemini for his "Comedy Now!" special on CTV, and has appeared at a number of high-profile comedy festivals.

The Alberta-born performer is being compared to former Canadian Jim Carrey and Britain's Tracey Ullman, for his ability to transform into a multitude of oddball characters in his comedy work.

Crawford tells Canada AM he doesn't mind the comparisons.

"It's nice being compared to people and things you like, that are actually funny," Gavin laughs.

But while securing a break on U.S. TV is the dream of many Canadian actors, Crawford says what he really enjoys is writing and starring in his own show. He told The Globe and Mail this week that he didn't really enjoy the work on "Hype" and is relieved to be back home doing what he loves.

For The Gavin Crawford Show's second season, the comedian has created 12 new characters, to add to another dozen or so he had last season -- almost all of whom he will play himself, with the help of trick photography. He says that he and the other two writers on the show always have lots of new ideas for the sitcom-style show.

"There are always hilarious people you can base characters on so it's not like we ever run out of material," he says.

He says working with comedy shows and networks in the United States is vastly different from the way things work in Canada.

"It's a much bigger business down there," he says. "So they put a lock things that you can and cannot do. I find I have more freedom to do the kind of comedy that I want, in Canada. Things don't cost quite as much money so they leave us alone to kind of do the stuff we want."

"It makes, I think, for a better show because you can kind of layer stuff in. You don't have to be going, 'Here's the punch line!' with a little card underneath saying, 'That was the punch line!' and a huge laugh track of the audience. We can give the audience a little more credit."