craig robinson
#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO RETURNS
Celebrating its tenth anniversary after a two-year pandemic hiatus. JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO is back and on till October 1, 2022. The Comedy Festival has stepped it up this year, reaching a wider audience than ever with the addition of ComedyCon, a Street Festival with food and drink vendors, plus live musical and Comedy performances. plus so much more. But above this, the names in town for the Festival this year are bigger than ever with the likes of John Mulaney, Amy Schumer, Craig Robinson, Craig Ferguson, Marc Maron, Issa Rae, Trixie & Katya and several others, gracing the City at multiple venues around the City. Adapting to shifts in how we see and consume our Comedy, JUST FOR LAUGHS more than ever is placing its focus on an even more inclusie lineup of talent, expanding now to include TikTok personalities, Podcasters, Drag Queens, among others. There truly is something for everyone at the Festival this year.
We were so thrilled to get to see a number of shows at the Festival, back bigger than ever!
ATSUKO
If you’ve never before witnessed the magic that is Atsuko, you are in for a treat. Her Comedy is smart, giving us a unique lens, as an Asian female immigrant in an interracial relationship. Her observations are sharp, with the ability to be expressive also physically. A definite rising star who played multiple shows at the Festival this year, and has an HBO Special on the way.
TRIXIE & KATYA
These RuPaul’s Drag Race Alumni truly have built an empire of their own with their hilarious, playful banter and they treated fans to a full-on production at Meridian Hall lasting 2.5 hours with an intermission even! Fans got a couple chances to see them, including a taping of their Podcast THE BALD & THE BEAUTIFUL, where they got candid about everything from massages, to their thoughts on leaving Drag which you can hear on their upcoming Podcast. Fans even got a chance to buy autographs and photo ops after the taping! Drag stars Priyanka, Olivia Lux and Tynomi Banks even were in attendance!
MEGAN STALTER
This Funnywoman continues to bring the laughs, catching our attention with her hilarious improvised videos which gave gone viral. Remember her “Hi Gay!” Pride month celebration video? We still laugh about it to this day! Stalter also stars in Emmy-winning HACKS on HBO Max, and continues to be a huge star on the rise. Case in point, she was brunching with the likes of Amy Schumer, Trixie and Katya even! Her very interactive show was absolutely bonkers, and even without a clear structure, she still brought the laughs, playing three shows at The Royal.
MONÉT X CHANGE & BOB THE DRAG QUEEN
These RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favourites who have a Podcast together, SIBLING RIVALRY, teamed together again on the Beneva Stage for a free show along with up-and-coming Comedian PINK FOXX on the first Friday of the Festival. A huge turnout!
“BUSY PHILIPPS IS DOING HER BEST” PODCAST
This was a real joy! I’ve always loved Busy Philipps but getting to just hear her talk about her life and adventures in parenting was amazing. Joined by Podcast partner Caissie St. Onge, they brought Atusko out also for a quick chat. We learned all about Philipps’ struggles getting her daughter Harry Styles tickets and does she get to meet Harry? You need to listen to this upcoming Podcast episode and find out. So good!
CRAIG ROBINSON & THE NASTY DELICIOUS
When you think of this Funnyman, star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Killing It, Music probably doesn’t come first. But he’s here to deliver laughter, soul and funk with Band, The Nasty Delicious on the Beneva Stage. A free show for all! You must scroll along in the carousel above to see his amazing entrance.
CRAIG FERGUSON
We’ve missed Craig Ferguson and his amazing run on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He is taking his show on the road and Toronto was so lucky to have him at the Festival, which he actually drove to in his pick-up truck! Ferguson played two shows at Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
A Recap Reel:
There is still so much to see at JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO. Check here for tickets and schedules.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
*All captured on the Samsung S22*
#SUNDANCE18: SUNDANCE 2018 JANUARY 20, 2018 DAY THREE RECAP
By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
It’s day three at the Sundance Film Festival and the snow has come, hard. Roads were backlogged and the temperatures hit below zero but that didn’t stop anything from happening at the Festival. The Films were still playing, the stars were still out and most important fans were flocking to theatres.
Some of the Films having their premieres tonight in Park City are Colette, TYREL, Sorry To Bother You, Yardie and Wildlife. Colette is about a young woman, played by Keira Knightly, in Paris who writes novels and gets them published under her husbands name. TYREL is about a man who begins to panic when he realized he is the only black person at a birthday weekend party in a secluded cabin. It stars Jason Mitchell, Christopher Abbot, Ann Dowd, Michael Cera and Caleb Landry Jones. Sorry To Bother You follows a black Telemarketer who discovers a magical key to professional success which propels him into a macaber universe. It stars Tessa Thompson, Terry Crews, Armie Hammer and Keith Stanfield. Yardie is the directorial debut from Idris Elba about a young boy who witnesses his brother’s assassination and ten years later is sent on a mission to London. And Wildlife is the directorial debut of Paul Dano who co-wrote the script with Zoe Kazan, which is adapted from the Richard Ford Novel of the same name. Its described solely as a portrait of a family in crisis and stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan as husband and wife.
But the stars aren’t only attending premieres they are also walking along Main Street in Park City doing press or grabbing a bite to eat. There were plenty of stars sitting on that strip such as Jane Fonda, Craig Robinson, Common, Chloë Sevigny, Luke Wilson, Jim Parsons and much more. It’s only day three there is just over a week more to go but this Festival shows no signs of slowing down!
See some of our Snaps. Hover left and right to navigate slideshow:
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “TABLE 19”
Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will want to give Readers in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary a chance to attend an Advance Screening of TABLE 19! Screenings take place on Monday, February 27, 2017.
Synopsis:
Ex-maid of honor Eloise (Anna Kendrick) – having been relieved of her duties after being unceremoniously dumped by the best man via text – decides to hold her head up high and attend her oldest friend’s wedding anyway. She finds herself seated at the ‘random’ table in the back of the ballroom with a disparate group of strangers, most of whom should have known to just send regrets (but not before sending something nice off the registry).
As everyone’s secrets are revealed, Eloise learns a thing or two from the denizens of Table 19. Friendships – and even a little romance – can happen under the most unlikely circumstances.
Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and indicate your City. For an extra chance, “favourite” this Tweet on Twitter: @mrwillw.
Anna x Mr. Will
Fox Searchlight release TABLE 19 on Friday, March 3, 2017.
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
#SPOTTED: SETH ROGEN & EVAN GOLDBERG IN TORONTO FOR “THIS IS THE END”
They don’t come much more down-to-earth than these two Guys and Toronto gave two of its favourite Canadians a welcome return home at Scotiabank Theatre tonight. Writer/first-time Director Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Pineapple Express) and Funnyman Seth Rogen both hail originally from Vancouver but have found widespread success south of the Border.
The Duo who have long been Friends and Collaborators, are in-town to promote highly-touted Comedy This is The End, boasting an A-List Cast of Hollywood Heavyweights starring as themselves including: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, Michael Cera, Craig Robinson, Emma Watson, Channing Tatum, Rihanna and several, several more. Set around a wild Party at Franco‘s House, This is the End suddenly places these Celebrities amidst a sudden Apocalypse. Faced with the challenges of having to ration what limited supplies are left in his home, they find their Friendships tested to every possible limit. Tempers flare, daggers are thrown and the laughs are infinite.
Walking an intimate Red Carpet tonight with a few select Media Outlets, the order of the day was Work as both Rogen and Goldberg plowed through a series of Interviews, opting to stay-in for Dinner at the Theatre. They even treated Fans to a Q&A following the Advance Screening, fielding questions from Fans ranging from the Backstreet Boys’ surprise involvement in the Finale to the difficulties of shopping their Script originally. “I wish I could say it was really hard to get the Backstreet Boys, but it wasn’t that hard!”, laughs Rogen. “We released a scene in December and the Backstreet Boys had heard about the Movie and had seen a Trailer for it. Evidently, it was Movie they were excited for and we were all losing our minds!”.
On the challenges the Duo faced shopping their Script, Rogen told the Audience, “We do this thing every time we write a Script thinking we’ve re-invented the wheel, and then we put it out to sell and nobody wants to buy it!”. “We even had all six major Movie Stars attached to it and because the idea we all are playing ourselves, people were terrified”, he says. “I think it’s never been done before and Movie Studios hate to be the first one to do something. It’s happened enough times that whatever scares them, ultimately they will embrace and love in the end!”.
I captured some Clips of Rogen & Goldberg at tonight’s Screening. Watch below:
Rogen was nice enough to sign a Photo which one of my Readers will win! Simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook to enter. Share on Facebook with your Friends and double those chances! All are welcome to enter. Good luck.
Sony Pictures releases the hilarious This is the End on Friday, June 12, 2013.
Brace yourselves for one of this Summer’s funniest Surprises!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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