Annamay Pierse is an Olympian turned comedian. She is a world record swimmer who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and won the silver medal during the 13th FINA World Championships. She is also a member of Highbräu, a comedy troupe that will perform Wednesday, March 11 as part of the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. Highbräu were the Candy Box Crunch Improv Tournament Champions last year at Second City.

SDTC: What spaces in Toronto do you go to escape your regular routine?
AP: I have recently joined a masters swim team and so am spending 3 times a week at the North Toronto Memorial Community center. It is a nice break and great way to clear my head and feel energized and relaxed. Other than that I love strolling through High Park on a beautiful sunny day.

What aisle do you spend the most time in at the grocery store?
I do not judge when it comes to aisles in the grocery store. I love grocery shopping, I love everything about it, especially when I am in Costco and there are free samples. I guess I have a slight preference for the cheese and the chocolate aisles, but really, they’re all amazing.

Which virtue do you try to cultivate within yourself?
Respect. I had a coach for the last 6 years of my swimming career and it was by far the most important lesson he ever taught me. Respect is earned and not demanded; to gain respect you must first show respect. It comes down to the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated.

The receipts in your wallet would indicate what?
I spend too much money on clothes, shoes and wine.

What did you think you were going to be when you were 8 years old?
I wanted to be an Olympic Gold medalist in swimming, or Cosette in Les Miserables.

anna
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
That’s a really tough call. I lived in Vancouver for 10 years before moving to Toronto, and I miss it everyday, but I think living in Manhattan or Paris would be just incredible.

What makes you happy?
I am happy most of the time and am pretty easy to please. I love when people go out of their way to make others smile. It doesn’t have to be me that they are doing it to, I love seeing others happy and in turn it makes me happy.

What makes you cringe?
Dirty ears and when sick people constantly sniff, totally makes me feel so ill.

What quality do you loathe most in others?
I absolutely loathe when people think they are better than you and they really have no idea who you are as a person.

What, in your opinion, is overrated?
People might not like me for this, but I think Beyoncé is totally overrated.

What frustrates you the most?
Double standards. This pairs with respect; you can’t treat me one way and then demand that you are treated differently.

What quality do you value most in a lover?
Someone who makes me laugh when I don’t think I can.

What is your favourite thing to do on a Saturday?
I love a great bottle of wine, some good food and a watching a movie.

What is your comfort food?
Maple baked beans on toast and cheese, with a fried egg on top.

What word or phrase should we all use more?
I love you. I think we forget to tell the people we love that we love them, we often assume that they know. There is nothing better than hearing that someone loves you.

Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival runs March 5-15. Get your tickets here.