#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS REVEALS 2022 NEW FACES

In addition to bringing-out the heavyweights at JUST FOR LAUGHS MONTRÉAL, it also is about showcasing new talent! Just announced today are their 2022 NEW FACES! The Program is responsible for helping out names like Jo Koy, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Mike Birbiglia and more on the map! And did we see ALEXIA DOX, our fave “Tiny Dog” Video Creator on the list? Why, yes we did!

NEW FACES OF COMEDY hosted by Pete Holmes

Ali Kolbert was once an NBC Page at 30 Rock, where she worked on shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. Kolbert made her television debut in that very building, performing stand-up on The Tonight Show. She has performed on A Little Late with Lilly Singh, The TODAY Show, and even once impersonated Reese Witherspoon on The Howard Stern Show. Kolbert was also included in Variety Magazine’s July comedy issue and profiled in Forbes Under 30. She can be seen co-hosting AOL’s Build Brunch, a daily morning talk show featuring a roundtable of diverse, young and influential personalities speaking to breaking news, hot topics and the latest in entertainment. She can also be seen as a series regular on the truTV show, Top Secret Videos, and performed a comedy special for HBO MAX’s Queer Comedy Showcase for Pride 2021.

Ali Macofsky is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer who began her stand-up comedy career shortly after high school. She quickly established herself in the Los Angeles comedy scene where she became the first regular to perform on over 100 episodes of the Comedy Store’s weekly Kill Tony podcast. She most recently went on tour opening for rock musician, St. Vincent, across the US. Her stand up has been featured on Just For Laughs digital receiving over 3 million views. She has a popular series on Instagram, where she talks to strangers online and hosts a podcast called Resting Bitch.

Andrew Orolfo is a Filipino American comedian who is an established staple in the San Francisco comedy scene, and has been featured in SF Sketchfest, Limestone Comedy Festival and Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. He can be heard on SiriusXM Radio and seen on Comedy Central, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Jo Koy: In His Elements on Netflix, Comedy Central Stand Up & Comedy Dynamics’ Coming to the Stage.

Brandi Denise is a standup, actor, and writer, who just wrapped filming a series regular role on the BET show Games People Play, and can be seen recurring on Starz’ Power and Power Book II: Ghost. Boyd is an alumnus of Chicago Second City Improv Program and a Conservatory Student, Annoyance theatre alumni and the I.O. Writing for T.V. Program.

Brian Bahe is an Indigenous (Tohono O’odham, Hopi, Navajo), gay comedian and writer originally from Phoenix, Arizona, now based in New York City. He taped a standup set for Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring, headlined Caroline’s on Broadway, and his writing has been published in McSweeney’s. His animated comedy pilot Decolonize was selected for the 2022 Indigenous List, a collaboration between The Blacklist, the Sundance Institute, and IllumiNative.

Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian and writer currently based in Brooklyn, by way of Bloomington, Indiana. He recently served as a consulting producer on The Wendy Williams Show. He also made an appearance as a main focus on ViceTV’s docuseries Hunters.

Ethan Simmons-Patterson is a NY-based comedian from the suburbs of Chicago who just graduated from NYU’s nursing school. When he’s not working at a children’s hospital, Simmons-Patterson performs at the Comedy Cellar, Caroline’s, New York Comedy Club, The Bell House, Littlefield, and popular shows across Brooklyn and Manhattan. He’s been featured in the New York Comedy Festival, the Janelle James Festival, and Floodwater Festival. He was selected to perform for Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar.

Ever Mainard (they/them) is an incredibly talented Texas born comedian, actor, writer, and improviser. They are a three-time Award Winner for their role in The Feels, and appeared in the Duplass brothers’ Paddleton for Netflix. As an improviser and comedian, Mainard trained at The Second City Chicago, I.O., and Groundlings where they were quickly flagged as a stand-out. Their one-person show Let Me Be Your Main Man was picked as one of the best U.S. Imports at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Mainard has written content for The Huffington Post, E! Online, and AfterEllen. They recently appeared on Lance Bass’s series VERSUS for Roku. Mainard has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, OddBall Comedy Festival, and more.

Fabrizio Copano is one of the most well-known comedians in Latin America and is the first South American comedian to shoot an original comedy special for Netflix. Actor and writer of the hit Chilean comedy show El Club de la Comedia, Copano also lead his own late-night show El Late de Copano and was one of the hosts of the Comedy Central Latin America produced La Culpa es de Colon, a comedy super group with the top five comedians from 5 countries in Latin America. His 2016 film Prueba de Actitud (Attitude Test) which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in is still one of Chile’s highest grossing comedies of all time. When he is not touring and selling out theatres all over the US and Latin America, he co-hosts the hit iHeart Radio comedy podcast 4th From The South with Steve Hely, which explores political topics out of Latin America. Also, an author, in 2019, he released a memoir, “Mi Vida Como Dibujante”, (My Life As a Doodler) which delved into his life from a “distracted child” to a central figure of comedy in Latin America. Fabrizio is currently developing an original comedy series for Netflix Mexico.

Gianmarco Soresi is a stand-up comic, actor and writer based in New York City. He won critical acclaim for his stand-up special and documentary Shelf Life directed by Emmy Award winner Andy Buck, currently streaming on Amazon Prime, and is the host of the popular podcast The Downside. He appeared in the Billy Crystal/Tiffany Haddish film Here Today, and has appeared in roles on Bonding for Netflix, Deception, Blue Bloods, and in the feature film Hustlers opposite Jennifer Lopez. He has also been featured on Comedy Central, hosted programs for IBM and MTV and was the spokesperson for General Electric.

Hannah Berner was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up playing competitive tennis professionally, and for the University of Wisconsin. She emerged on the comedy scene by directing, editing, and acting in videos on Instagram and writing viral tweets. She has two hit podcasts, Giggly Squad and Berning In Hell,with over 20 million downloads. She was a co-host on Bravo’s Chat Room, as well as a member of Bravo’s Summer House for three seasons.

Jared Goldstein can most recently be seen on season 2 of Hulu’s Dollface for Hulu, Roku/Quibi’s NIKKI FRE$H starring as Nicole Richie’s trusty right hand and assistant, as well as CBS’ The Unicorn. Most recently, Goldstein hosted and co-wrote the 10-year anniversary live special for 5 Seconds of Summer. He recently taped a Comedy Central Featuring set that premiered this past November. In 2019, he was chosen as one of New York Comedy Festival Comics to Watch as well as Time Out’s Comedians to Watch. He participated in last year’s CBS Diversity Showcase. Previously, he has appeared on Comedy Dynamic’s Out on Stage, as well as ABC’s Modern Family, Starz’s Counterpart, and the feature film It’s Kind of A Funny Story. He’s additionally appeared in an SNL sketch written by Tina Fey featuring Jimmy Fallon as well as the Off-Broadway production of Spring Awakening and the Broadway production of A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden.

Lara Beitz is a fast-rising star in the Los Angeles comedy scene. She was selected as the first comedian to perform stand-up on Comedy Central’s Lights Out with David Spade, where she became a red-carpet correspondent and a regular panelist. She is a paid regular at every comedy club in Hollywood and her stand-up was featured in the Comedy Store documentary on Showtime in the fall of 2020. She just made her late-night debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden and is currently developing a semi-autobiographical series with Judd Apatow.

Laura Peek is one of the most promising young Los Angeles based standup comics to come out of Nashville’s bustling comedy scene. She was named one of the 50 Best Undiscovered Comics in the country by Thrillist, and has been featured in Comedy Central’s Roast Battle as well as many prominent festivals such as Laughing Skull, Limestone, and the Nashville Comedy Festival. You can catch Laura next in “Iliza’s Locals”, a comedy special produced by Iliza Shlesinger which will premiere next year.

Marcello Hernandez is a stand-up comic, writer, and actor based out of New York City and Miami. He has toured with acts such as Jim Breuer, Ashley Hesseltine, Mark Viera, Gilbert Gottfried, and more. He currently acts as creative director and host for @onlyindade, a Miami-based media company that delivers daily news, sports, and pop culture commentary to its massive online audience. He has appeared numerous times on Telemundo’s Acceso Total and NBC’s 6 in the Mix. Currently he is performing on select tour dates with Tim Dillon and in clubs across New York City.

Michael Rowland is a New York-based stand-up comedian and actor who’s been featured multiple times on This Week at the Comedy Cellar on Comedy Central, as well as Stupid Questions with Chris DiStefano and Pause with Sam Jay on HBOMax. He also has a feature set for Comedy Central Digital, and in 2019 he was a finalist in the “New York’s Funniest Stand Up” competition for New York Comedy Festival. He tours all over the country and currently co-hosts the monthly show Laughodills in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Pat Regan is a stand-up comedian in New York City, of all places. After three years as a house improviser at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, he has spent the past few years focusing exclusively on stand-up. Pat has performed at venues across the city with his stand-up shows “Unsuccessful by Choice” (FKA “Pat Regan: Unrepped and Loving It!”) and “Essgays”. Pat has performed at Outside Lands, NY Comedy Festival, the Michigan LGBT ComedyFest, NYTVF, Podfest NYC, Vulture Festival, and Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Pat has several projects in development and is currently in his second season writing for the Emmy Nominated and Critically Acclaimed HBO Max Original series, Hacks.

Pink Foxx has toured around the country with Deray Davis, opened for Dave Chappelle, Patton Oswalt, and Russell Peters. She’s performed at The World-Famous Comedy Store, Melrose Improv and The Laugh Factory in Hollywood, CA. She’s also made an appearance on Revolt Tv’s Blocked, and has written for shows like Here TV’s Slay Model search. No matter where or when you’ve seen her, one thing is certain, Foxx is funny and her perspective is one of a kind!

Sabrina Wu (they/them) is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and actor who can soon be seen starring as a lead in the upcoming untitled Adele Lim feature for Point Grey/Lionsgate. On the writing side, Sabrina is staffed on FX’s Dying for Sex, based on the hit Wondery podcast. They recently sold their pilot, It Gets Better to 20th and were previously staffed on Disney+’s Doogie Kamealoha M.D. On the stand-up front, they regularly perform all over New York City, at venues such as Union Hall and the Bell House. Their stand-up has been selected for the New York Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival, and Laughing Skull Comedy Festival.

Skyler Higley is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor who comes out of Chicago’s legendary comedy scene. His incisive and razor-sharp writing earned him a WGA Award while on staff at CONAN, and he is currently a staff writer for ‘The Onion.’ He has also contributed to ClickHole and the New Yorker. Skyler was named one of New York Comedy Festival’s ‘Comics To Watch’ and has been described by his former boss Conan O’Brien as ‘delightfully bizarre and undeniably hilarious.’

The New Faces of Comedy showcases will be taking place on Monument National: Ludger-Duvernay on Wednesday, July 27 2022 at 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM.

NEW FACES: CHARACTERS hosted by Pete Holmes

Allison Reese is an accomplished sketch comedian known for her online characters and Kamala Harris Impression (3.5M likes; Millions of Views on TikTok.) She is fresh off the heels of the 2022 CBS Sketch Comedy Showcase, and an alumnus of The Second City Touring company. Allison was also a staff writer for the famed comedy institution. Her most recent writing credit is for The Revolution Will be Improvised, which has a 2022 summer residency at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The CBS sketch written by and starring Allison, Belinda’s Mom, won Best Parody at both the Independent Shorts Awards and the Oniros Film Awards and is an Official Selection in the Houston Comedy Film Festival.

Andrew Farmer is a gay, disabled writer/comedian who has performed at The Museum of Modern Art, Joe’s Pub and all the finest basements in New York and LA. TV writing credits include TBS’ Miracle Workers, Freeform’s Praise Petey and Apple+’s Best Foot Forward. He’s developed projects with Universal, CBS and National Lampoon and is a recipient of The Jonathan Larson Grant for Musical Theater. With comedian Anna Drezen, he hosts the podcast” Scary Stories to Tell on the Pod”, described by Vulture as “hilarious, impressive & weird.”

Ceara Jane O’Sullivan is a character comedian, actor, and writer based in LA. She is an alum of the Improv Asylum mainstage and current director of the Improv Asylum mainstage revue, “Air Conditional Love.” These days, you can find Ceara studying at the Groundlings, posting little sketches on the internet, or on stage in her 2-person show, “The Regrets Club.” Ceara is currently developing a project with Powderkeg Media.

Inessa Frantowski got her start in sketch comedy with the Sketchersons in Toronto. She is a Canadian Screen Award winner and a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner. An alumnus of The Second City Mainstage in Toronto, she wrote and starred in four record breaking revues and also performed on UCB’s Maude Night for four years. She was a writer/performer on This Hour has 22 Minutes and stars in the International Emmy nominated series, The Amazing Gayl Pile on Amazon Prime, for which she won an Indie Series Award. Additional credits include: Cosmopolis, The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town, True Dating Stories, Match Game, Scare Tactics, American Princess, Greener Grass and the Avicii video I Could Be The One which has over 330 million views on YouTube.

Jordan Stafford attended Saginaw Valley State University, where he studied theatre and was introduced to improv. After graduating in 2015, he moved to Chicago and loves it. He is on the iO Harold team Lil’ Tooties and also does solo work all around Chicago. Stafford was recently selected and performed in the 2022 ViacomCBS Diversity Showcase.

Lisa Gilroy is upcoming in a recurring role for the Netflix series Glamorous with Kim Cattrall, as well as Hulu’s History Of The World, Part II and Amazon Freevee’s Jury Duty. Lisa has appeared on NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the NBC pilot Someone Out There. She is in the voice cast of Comedy Central’s Fairview and is featured as the voice of Ellen DeGeneres in the FOX sketch series from Robert Smigel, Let’s Be Real. Lisa is a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner and former Tour Company ensemble member from The Second City Toronto. She was a mainstage Harold (improv) and Maude (sketch) performer at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade in Los Angeles.

Luke Millington-Drake is an actor, writer and improviser with dual citizenship of the UK and US. Luke is a performer in the Groundlings Sunday Co and is LGBTQ+. He has trained with RADA, LAMDA, and performed with theatre companies in and outside of London, ranging in material from Shakespeare to musical theatre. Luke is upcoming in a recurring role in Steve Levitan’s Reboot on Hulu, Netflix’s That 90’s Show, and NBC’s Night Court. He can be seen in Apple+’s new Maya Rudolph series Loot, and is one of the lead voice roles on the Netflix animated series The Cuphead show. Luke took TikTok by storm with his remarkable Keira Knightley impressions, and has since garnered millions of views and followers for his brilliant portrayals of talent such as Hugh Grant, Gillian Anderson and Jude Law.

Nick Mestad is a New York City based writer and performer. An alumnus of iO and The Annoyance Theatres in Chicago, he can be seen all around NYC performing his highly physical style of comedy. He has recently appeared on The Tonight Show as well as NBC’s Chicago Fire and Seeso’s Shrink. He can next be seen on Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal and the upcoming independent feature Molli & Max In The Future opposite Zosia Mamet. His work has been featured in Vulture and Clickhole, and he has amassed millions of views online with his characters.

Shaan Baig is a comedian, actor, and writer based in Los Angeles. He is an alum of UCB’s Maude Night, Characters Welcome, and the theatre’s first all-South Asian team THE GET BROWN. His videos have been featured on Vulture, Funny or Die, and BuzzFeed. Baig co-hosted the Bollywood Boys Podcast with Saagar Shaikh, which was profiled on NPR. He recently appeared on A Little Late with Lilly Singh on NBC.

The New Faces of Comedy: Characters showcases will be taking place at Monument National: Ludger-Duvernay on Thursday, July 28 2022 at 7:00 PM.

NEW FACES: UNREPPED hosted by Pete Holmes

Adam Gilbert cut his teeth in the Midwest alternative comedy circuit, opening for touring comics such as Doug Stanhope, Robert Kelly, Todd Barry, and Brian Posehn. A Chicago transplant, he has performed at the Laugh Factory, Zanies, and Comedians You Should Know. Adam was a featured performer at the Limestone Comedy Festival and was featured in Pique Magazine.

Benny Feldman is a stand-up comedian based out of New York City, known for his one-liners and for performing with Tourette’s Syndrome. Most of his jokes are about dirt and birds and stuff.

Brendan Sagalow has deftly and defiantly owned the stage for over 10 years. Sagalow has written for MTV’s Joking Off, been a featured guest on many SiriusXM shows. He was the winner of the 2015 New York Comedy Club Comedy Competition, and a finalist in “New York’s Funniest” at Caroline’s comedy club. Sagalow’s album “Not Now More Than Ever” was #1 on the iTunes Charts. You can see him perform nightly at the world-famous Comedy Cellar, and listen to him every week on his podcast “Here’s The Scenario”.

Caitlin Peluffo is a stand-up comedian who recently made her network television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and has been seen on NBC Seeso’s “New York’s Funniest” as well as the Comcast Network as a finalist in the ‘Trial By Laughter Comedy Competition.’ She has performed in festivals across the country, and was runner up in the Big Sky, Finger Lakes, San Diego, and the Stand-Up NY Comedy Competitions. She recently performed in San Francisco’s Sketchiest in the Audible’s Fresh Voices Showcase, is featured on both Sirius XM’s “Raw Dog” and Audible’s “Punchlines,” and hosts her own weekly podcast, “Good Time Gal with Caitlin Peluffo.”

Dauood Mohammad Naimyar is an Afghan-American comedian, who learned the value of assimilating at a very young age. Once he embraced his eccentric point of view, he saw the humour all around him. Naimyar’s comedic perspective is shaped by the duality of his constant need to fit in and his relentless desire to be different. Naimyar has built a following of 150,000+ TikTok followers by showing the humour of his circumstances as an Afghan living in America, with multiple viral hits poking fun at politicians and world leaders. His debut comedy album, Pier 69: Junior Varsity, topped all the charts upon its release.

Kalea McNeill is an actor and stand-up comedian who has hosted many live shows and events, honing in on her quick wit and signature style. McNeill hit the standup scene hard performing in legendary clubs such as The Comedy Store. In 2017, McNeill booked her first television role as a co-star on TNT’s Animal Kingdom. Since then, she has booked a recurring role on CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and various guest/co-star spots on FX, CBS, TruTV and TNT. You can watch her standup on Amazon Prime Video’s Laugh After Dark and her upcoming for her comedy special Sma’am.

KC Shornima is a comedian who has performed at clubs and theatres across the country with national headliners like Nate Bargatze, Dave Attell, Ari Shaffir, Shane Gillis, Paul Virzi, Dusty Slay, John Crist, among others. KC has performed at comedy festivals around the country including Moontower Just for Laughs. She was named the Best Up-and-Coming Comedian in Nashville by the Nashville Scene Magazine, and was a semi-finalist for Stand-up NBC. She has also written and performed on Kevin Hart’s LOL Network.

Orion Levine is a stand-up comedian who was a finalist in the 2021 San Francisco International Comedy Competition. A regular performer at the San Francisco Punch Line and Cobb’s Comedy Club, he was recently featured in this year’s Big Pine Comedy Festival in San Diego.

Victoria Vincent is a rising star in the Chicago Comedy Scene. She is a healthcare worker who brings a wild card ‘Why is She Here?’ vibe to both medicine and comedy, attempting to be the blacker hairier Patch Adams someday. Vincent is a regular feature at Zanies and Laugh Factory Chicago. She is the host & producer of Don’t Tell Comedy Chicago, has opened for the likes of Cameron Esposito, Bobcat Goldthwait, and was featured in the Chicago Reader.

The New Faces of Comedy: Unrepped showcases will be taking place at Monument National: Ludger-Duvernay on Thursday, July 28 2022 at 9:30 PM.

NEW FACES: CREATORS hosted by Jake Hurwitz & Amir Blumenfeld

Adrian Bliss is a comedian, writer, and performer from London best known for his sketches on TikTok which explore everything from history to natural science to religion. Bliss’s sketches have found him 11 million followers across social media and have been featured in The Guardian, CNN and Vogue.

Alexia Dox is a French-American actress and writer, based in LA. After a few years as a sketch writer and performer at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, the pandemic quickly had her pivot into the digital-sphere of TikTok, where her off-beat and relatable sketches have garnered almost 150 million views and over 1 million followers. Her TV/streaming credits include starring as June in the YouTube Originals Series Overthinking with Kat and June, two seasons of Hulu’s improvised western comedy, Quick Draw, and writing for Nickelodeon and Lionsgate.

Grace Kuhlenschmidt is an NYC based stand-up comedian, actress and writer who was recognized by the New York Times as one of the top 7 Comedians to Watch. She recurred in the final season of Search Party which was recently released on HBO Max and also can be seen in the first season of Killing It which just finished airing on Peacock. She also appeared in the first season of Ziwe on Showtime. Kuhlenschmidt is a writer for the Audible Original series Hot White Heist to be directed by Alan Cumming and produced by Broadway Video.

Jordan Mendoza is an Asian-American TV writer, comedian, and filmmaker who will star in the upcoming Netflix series Jigsaw, a crime heist drama from Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and Eric Garcia, starring Giancarlo Esposito. He’s currently a writer for FX’s Dave, and has written for Netflix’s Big Mouth, Human Resources, Showtime’s Ziwe, and Comedy Central’s Beavis and Butt-head. He created and hosted Comedy Central’s Cry Battle—a game show where whoever cries the most wins.

Joshua Neal is an actor, writer and social media content creator. In 2 years, he has accumulated 1Million followers on TikTok, 179k followers on Instagram, and 76k on Twitter. His content has been featured on popular platforms including BuzzFeed, Shaderoom and Variety. Joshua recently booked a role on a SAG film directed by & starring Tristan ‘Mack’ Wilds & P-Valley’s Shannon Thorton. He wrote a short film of his own that has amassed over 110k views on Twitter. Neal is no novice to the industry, he has been Meisner trained, booked a national commercial and can also be seen in a feature film on Amazon.

Mary Elizabeth Kelly has taken the TikTok world by storm. Kelly is an alum of the prestigious UCBNY, UCBLA and Second City improv and sketch writing programs. With her unique ‘Mouth Acting’ impressions going viral during the pandemic, she has gathered over 26 million likes on TikTok and nearly 1.5 million followers across all her social media platforms. She’s also garnered the attention of several of the celebrities she has impersonated, including Drew Barrymore, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Ryan Reynolds. This past year, Kelly headlined a one-woman show, recently wrapped the indie film How to Make Her Cheat. Kelly will be taking her one-woman show Pretty Impressive on the road this fall.

The New Faces of Comedy: Creators showcases will be taking place at Grand Salon Opera on Thursday, July 28 2022 at 1:30 PM.

NEW FACES: CANADA hosted by DeAnne Smith

Ajahnis Charley (they/them) is a Black, Non-Binary comedian who has performed on CBC Gem’s New Wave of Standup. They are a cast member of the Second City Touring Company and star in the HBO miniseries Station Eleven and Bell Media sitcom Shelved. They’ve written punch-ups for upcoming comedy series Bria Mack Gets A Life, comedy-doc Stay Tooned, and they write for Canadian news satire platforms The Beaverton and Because News. They directed the short film I AM GAY, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, which screened in the 2021 Inside Out Film Festival, and won the Inspire Award at the 2021 Caribbean Tales Film Festival where it won the Inspire Award. Their solo show THOTS & PRAYERS won awards at Toronto and Montreal Sketch Comedy Festivals. Charley is a co-founder and co-producer of the Untitled Black Sketch Project, Canada’s first all-Black sketch ensemble.

Allie Pearse is a standup comedian and writer on the award-winning TV show Letterkenny. She is the winner of JFL’s 2021 Standup & Pitch competition and has performed for tapings at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, CBC’s New Wave Of Standup, and CBC’s The Debaters. She has performed at the Limestone Comedy Festival and Sled Island Comedy Festival. Pearse has been featured on SiriusXM radio, has recorded for JFL Originals and has appeared at OFF-JFL. In September of 2022 she will be co-headlining shows at Just For Laughs Toronto.

Ben Sosa Wright is a pretty, queer, and Latinx stand-up comedian, writer, and improviser from Toronto. Wright was named one of CBC’s 15 Canadian Comics To Watch in 2019. He performs in clubs all over the country and at festivals such as JFL42, Toronto’s Big City Improv Festival, Bruce McCulloch’s Young Stars Showcase, and The Museum of Comedy in London. Most recently, his podcast, Nostalgique was recently mentioned by Vulture as their comedy podcast of the week.

Clare Belford is a comedian who cut her teeth on the road all over her home province of Alberta, telling deeply personal jokes to crowds of drunk tradesmen from Fort McMurray to Red Deer. She quickly moved to the home of the nation’s largest and most competitive comedy scene, Toronto, where she spent five years honing her craft and establishing herself as a fixture in Canadian comedy. These days she continues to make waves, bringing her authentic delivery and unique brand of preposterous pragmatism to festivals including the Halifax Comedy Festival, JFL42, Field Trip Festival and North By Northeast. Her debut album, The Entire Cabbage was selected as one of the best of 2021 by NPR and can regularly be heard on SiriusXM.

Conner Christmas (he/they) was born in Calgary, and raised in High River, Alberta. They began their stand-up career while taking theatre at the University of Lethbridge, going to any open mic they could despite there not being many in the small city. After 3 years of producing shows and helping to build the comedy community in Lethbridge, Christmas moved to Calgary to get more stage time and focus on performing. You can find their face pop up in a variety of different TV series on multiple streaming services, as well as their directorial debut for Telus Storyhive premiering February 2023.

Laura Leibow has used her wit and laid-back comedic style to become an in-demand comic in the Toronto stand-up comedy scene. She has performed at festivals such as JFL42, She Devil, Icebreakers Comedy Festival, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Comedy Festival. Leibow is a dynamic performer who can expertly perform on the club circuit, in alternative rooms, and in theatres. She has impressed crowds from Toronto, to New York, to LA and has performed in legendary clubs like the Improv and Micky’s in LA and Gotham and Broadway Comedy Club in NYC. She is the editor of the comedy website “UNoriginal” and hosts two podcasts for the Canadian Jewish News. She can be heard frequently on SiriusXM and on 604 Records’ comedy compilation album “The Great Canadian Comedy Rumble.”

Malik Elassal is Lebanese Canadian stand up, writer, and actor from the streets of North East Calgary. In the past year, Elassal has won the Yuk Yuk’s top comic competition in his hometown of Calgary, recorded sets for the Winnipeg Comedy Festival and CBC’s The New Wave of Standup and performed the titular track of the JFL Originals album Yeehaw Hell Yeah.

Mike Green has told jokes for years on stages all across the country. He started in Winnipeg which he will always argue has one of the strongest comedy scenes in the country, and he began learning the rules of the road a decade ago with the Raise the Woof fundraiser shows which benefit animal shelters all across Canada. He’s gone on to boost his scene in Winnipeg by producing shows like the Secret Standup Series and Comedy At the Handsome Daughter which is one of the longest running weekly shows in the country, and also tour himself as a headliner and with the show format he created, the Comedy Battle Royale, which you can watch on FibeTv1.

Wassim El-Mounzer began his comedy career like most stand ups—while teaching ESL in South Korea. He enjoyed it so much that he quit his job at “U Can English Academy” and moved back to Canada to pursue comedy more seriously. In 2018, El-Mounzer was named by the Montreal Gazette as one of the artists to watch and was featured on the BBC Arts Hour and CBC’s Laughter at the Lion D’Or. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival three times and in 2019 was the opening act for Sugar Sammy on a Canada-wide theatre tour. In 2021, he was featured on a JFL Originals comedy album recording, which can be streamed on Sirius XM Canada.

The New Faces of Comedy: Canada showcases will be taking place at Monument National: Ludger-Duvernay on Friday, July 29 2022 at 9:30 PM.

NEW FACES: INTERNATIONAL hosted by Rhys Nicholson

Anirban Dasgupta is a Kolkata-born, Mumbai-based stand-up comedian and writer with a distinct comedic style. Since leaving behind his career as a corporate salesman, Dasgupta has headlined at major comedy clubs and festivals around India and abroad. After several popular YouTube videos, he released his first stand-up special Take It Easy, in black and white on Amazon Prime Video to overwhelming acclaim. Following that, he co-wrote and co-created Afsos, a first-of-its- kind black comedy thriller series on Amazon Prime Video that was released in 2020 to rave reviews.

Blake Freeman is one of Australia’s brightest new comedians, making a name for himself with his own brand of energetic and disarmingly honest comedy. Through his youthful energy and charismatic delivery, Freeman weaves charming stories, making the intensely personal relatable. Blake won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Catherine Bohart is an award-winning comedian, writer and actor. She has fast become one of the most sought-after comedians in the UK and Ireland after her debut solo show, Immaculate, premiered at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe. She returned to the festival in 2019 with her second hour-long show, Lemon, which sold out after a month-long run and received critical acclaim. Her new show, This Isn’t For You, is currently touring the UK & Ireland this year. She co-hosted BBC Sounds Podcast and Radio 4 show You’ll Do; and has appeared on multiple radio shows including The Now Show, The News Quiz, Museum of Curiosity and A Good Read. All the while, she found the time to record her stand-up special, Immaculate for Amazon Prime.

Geraldine Hickey’s deceptively effortless knack for turning low-key yarns about agapanthuses and bouncy-castles into high-stakes, endlessly funny narrative roller coasters, culminated in her receiving the Most Outstanding Show award at the 2021 Melbourne Comedy Festival. A firm favourite of and in the Australian comedy scene, Her 2019 show Things Are Going Well received a nomination for the Melbourne Comedy Festival Award for Most Outstanding Show, while she also took home the coveted comedians’ choice Piece of Wood Award. From 2016 to 2021, Hickey was a co-host on the much-revered breakfast radio show Breakfasters on RRR, and has made multiple appearances on ABC Radio, Triple M and the Hit Network. Her award-winning stand-up show What A Surprise is available to stream on Paramount Plus.

Jason Leong is one of Malaysia’s best and brightest stand-up comedians. His 2020 Netflix special Hashtag Blessed, diving into his transition from medical doctor to professional joke-teller, was a global success leading to extensive international touring. His latest live show Heaty completed a sold out run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Leong’s online stand-up clips have received tens of millions of views making him a dominant force in the Asian comedy scene. He has appeared on Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Asia and won the Hong Kong International Comedy Competition.

Michelle Brasier is a multiple award-winning actor, singer, writer and comedian. On the small screen, Brasier has featured on Network Ten’s Drunk History Australia and How To Stay Married, ABC’s Stories from Oz, Utopia, Whovians, Get Krackin’ and At Home Alone Together. She has voiced characters in Adult Swim’s YOLO: Crystal Fantasy. Brasier is widely known for her collaborations with absurdist comedy sketch group, Aunty Donna, including most recently on their smash-hit Netflix special, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun. Comedy fans will also recognise Brasier for her work in the comedy duo, Double Denim, alongside Laura Frew. In 2021, she toured her award-winning show, Average Bear, across the Australian comedy festival circuit. In the same year, Average Bear was awarded the Sydney Comedy Festival’s Director’s Choice Award and was nominated for Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Most Outstanding Show. Following this, Brasier toured her hilarious show, Reform, across Australia in 2022.

Rhys James’ sardonic wit combined with his playful style have made him a firm favourite on the British comedy scene. He’s showcased in his six critically acclaimed sell-out solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, along with his three award-nominated series for BBC Radio 4. His comedy special Rhys James: Forgives can be seen on Amazon Prime. He is best known as one of the regulars on BBC’s topical panel show Mock The Week. James will debut to US audiences as a regular panellist on The Great American Joke Off, soon to air on The CW Network.

Sophie Duker is a hysterical, intellectual new comedy voice. In 2021, she took home the Funny Women Best Comedy Writer Award, as voted by producers, head writers and industry executives. Her first stand-up hour, Venus, saw her nominated for the Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe. Duker is a regular guest on BBC2’s Frankie Boyle’s New World Order. She hosts the official companion podcasts to both Michaela Coel’s, I May Destroy You and Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love.

Suzi Ruffell is a comedian who has had five sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, racking up critical acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike. Ruffell is now on tour with her show Dance Like Everyone’s Watching, which has gained her a nomination for Best Stand-Up Show in the National Comedy Awards 2021. She continues to grace our screens with appearances on numerous TV shows such as Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Jonathan Ross Show, Dating No Filter, Channel Hopping with Jon Richardson, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, The Last Leg, and There’s Something About Movies to name but a few. The 2018 release of Ruffell’s stand-up show Keeping It Classy for Live From The BBC saw a clip gaining over 44 million views on Facebook, and she was nominated for Outstanding Female Comedy Entertainment Performance in the National Comedy Awards for her hosting duties on Comedy Central’s Yesterday, Today & The Day Before in 2021.

Wary Nichen is a comedian, writer and a filmmaker. His show Nomad has taken him to different cities on four continents. Performing in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish, Nichen uses his keen sense of observation and improv skills to highlight the differences between East and West – bringing people of different backgrounds together to laugh about themselves. Switching gears after a career in telecommunications, he now appears regularly on French TV, and his political satire is often featured on francophone radio. He also writes comedy series for French and Algerian TV. His news-based jokes have made the pages of Le Monde and the New York Times.

The New Faces of Comedy: International showcases will be taking place at Monument National: Ludger-Duvernay on Friday, July 29 2022 at 7:00 PM.

More at hahaha.com.

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN “DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA” ON BLU-RAY

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA on Blu-ray!

Synopsis:

From award-winning creator Julian Fellowes comes the motion picture event DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA. The much-anticipated cinematic return of the global phenomenon reunites the beloved cast as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.

Our Review here.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK.

Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for an extra chance to win!

Enter for a chance to #win a copy of DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA on Blu-ray!

How: https://t.co/wFcIf4UlL9 pic.twitter.com/647mkB8Of6

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) July 25, 2022

Rules and regulations here.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA digitally July 26, 2022 and in-stores August 9, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Focus Features/Universal Picture Home Entertainment)

#FIRSTLOOK: APPLE TV+ UPDATES FROM 2022 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

Some exciting new Apple TV+ updates coming out from 2022 San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, including announcements for SEVERANCE, MYTHIC QUEST, FOR ALL MANKIND and SEE!

For All Mankind – Season Four

Apple TV+ announced a season four renewal for “For All Mankind,” the hit critically acclaimed space drama series from Golden Globe nominee and Emmy Award-winner Ronald D. Moore and Emmy Award nominees Ben Nedivi & Matt Wolpert. The series is set to begin production on the new season of the alternate reality series next month. The news was announced during the show’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, featuring series stars Joel Kinnaman, Shantel VanSanten, Jodi Balfour, Sonya Walger, Krys Marshall, Cynthy Wu, Casey Johnson, Coral Peña, Wrenn Schmidt and Edi Gathegi, along with executive producers Moore, Nedivi, Wolpert, and Maril Davis.

Described by critics as “one of the best shows currently on TV,” “For All Mankind” explores what would have happened if the global space race had never ended. The series presents an aspirational world where NASA astronauts, engineers and their families find themselves in the center of extraordinary events seen through the prism of an alternate history timeline — a world in which the USSR beats the US to the moon.

“See” – Trailer Reveal for Third & Final Season

During the “Storytellers of Apple TV+” panel, “See” showrunner and executive producer Jonathan Tropper unveiled the trailer for the third and final season of the global hit, epic post-apocalyptic Apple Original series starring Jason Momoa. The eight-episode final season of “See” debuts on Friday, August 26.

“See” is set in a brutal and primitive future, hundreds of years after humankind has lost the ability to see. In season three, almost a year has passed since Baba Voss (Momoa) defeated his nemesis brother Edo and bid farewell to his family to live remotely in the forest. But when a Trivantian scientist develops a new and devastating form of sighted weaponry that threatens the future of humanity, Baba returns to Paya in order to protect his tribe once more.

Starring alongside Momoa in the third season of “See” are ensemble cast members Sylvia Hoeks, Hera Hilmar, Christian Camargo, Archie Madekwe, Nesta Cooper, Tom Mison, Olivia Cheng, Eden Epstein, Michael Raymond-James, David Hewlett and Trieste Kelly Dunn.

“See” Season 3 Trailer:

“Mythic Quest” – New Season Coming This Fall + Teaser First-Look

The cast and creators of “Mythic Quest” confirmed that the hit workplace comedy series, will return this fall and unveiled a first-look teaser at the highly anticipated third season. “Mythic Quest” co-creator, executive producer and star Rob McElhenney, co-creator and executive producer Megan Ganz, executive producer and star David Hornsby and stars Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, and Jessie Ennis came together for a panel moderated by Craig Mazin, and shared a glimpse into what fans can expect this upcoming season.

“Mythic Quest” follows a group of video game developers tasked with building worlds, molding heroes and creating legends, but the most hard-fought battles don’t occur in the game — they happen in the office. In season three, as Ian and Poppy navigate the gaming world and their partnership at the newly formed GrimPop Studios, Dana is forced to play mediator to her bosses’ incessant bickering. Back at Mythic Quest, David settles into his new role as the boss where he truly finds himself in charge for the first time with Jo returning as his assistant — more loyal and militant than ever; and Carol attempts to figure out where she fits in after a new promotion. At Berkeley, Rachel struggles to balance her morals with capitalism, while a post-prison Brad tries to return to society as a reformed man.

“Severance” – Immersive Lumon Industries Installation

“Severance” fans were given the opportunity – if they dared – to get “severed” as they immersed themselves in the world of Lumon Industries at an innovative installation at the Hard Rock Hotel. The experience took new Lumon employees through their first day on the severed floor where all of their senses were required if they hoped to be reunited with their ‘outtie.’ The experience was created in partnership with executive producer Ben Stiller and the show producers.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

#FIRSTLOOK: “LEGO® STAR WARS SUMMER VACATION” TRAILER

A new Trailer for LEGO® STAR WARS SUMEMR VACATION!

Synopsis:

Summer just got hotter with the arrival of a new clip and the poster for “LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation,” the all-new animated special from Lucasfilm and the LEGO Group premiering August 5, 2022, exclusively on Disney+. The clip, which debuted yesterday at LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, and the all-new poster, highlight the newest entry in the popular signature branded cross-saga storytelling series which is set shortly after the events of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and features the voices of “Weird Al” Yankovic, Yvette Nicole Brown, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and returning cast members from previous “LEGO Star Wars” specials. 

Looking for a much-needed break from stormtroopers and TIE fighters, Finn arranges a surprise vacation for his friends Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2, and C-3PO, aboard the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon. But Finn’s plan to have one last hurrah together quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group. While searching for his friends, he encounters three Force ghosts: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Leia Organa, who each share their own unexpected stories of vacations gone wrong, helping him to understand that holidays are about more than just having fun. “LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation” features the voices of: “Weird Al” Yankovic as Vic Vankoh; Yvette Nicole Brown as Colvett Valeria; Thomas Lennon as Wick Cooper; Paul F. Tompkins as Rad; Dee Bradley Baker as Boba Fett; Ashly Burch as the Tour Droid; Kyliegh Curran as Sidero; Anthony Daniels as C-3PO; Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine; Allie Feder as Sy Snootles; Jake Green as Poe Dameron; Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker; Ross Marquand as Han Solo; Omar Miller as Finn; Kevin Michael Richardson as Jabba the Hutt; Matt Sloan as Darth Vader; James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi; Kelly Marie Tran as Rose; Helen Sadler as Rey Skywalker; Billy Dee Williams as Lando (Holovid); Matthew Wood as Ben Solo; and Shelby Young as Leia Organa. 

David Shayne is writer and executive producer, and the director is Ken Cunningham. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, Keith Malone, and Jennifer Twiner Mccarron are executive producers. Produced in collaboration with Atomic Cartoons.

LEGO® STAR WARS SUMMER VACATION arrives AUGUST 5, 2022 on Disney+.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE MOST HATED MAN ON THE INTERNET”

By Mr. Will Wong

From Executive Producer Alex Marengo (Bad Sport, Killer Ratings) comes riveting three-part Docu-Series THE MOST HATED MAN ON THE INTERNET. The Series centers on self-proclaimed “Professional Life Ruiner” Hunter Moore, who found notoriety on the web with his now-defunct Revenge Porn site IS ANYONE UP?, launching in 2010. The Website became an overnight phenomenon allowing users to post sexually-explicit photos of others, whereby the photos would be subject to abusive comments from users. The photos were posted without the subjects’ permission, and despite efforts to have these photos taken-down by those seen in the photos, this failed to result in action as Moore continued to reap the rewards of his popularity monetarily and in fame, completing disregarding the pleas. And somehow all of this wasn’t technically illegal.

The boisterous and unapologetic Moore meets his match in Charlotte Laws, whom in a prior life authored a book about her adventures how she was able to crash ultra-exclusive events with celebrities. She finds herself telling another story here in this Limited Series after her daughter Kayla learns of her own intimate photos being hacked from her e-mail account. Despite many attempts to reach Moore, both mother and daughter are unsuccessful getting these photos taken-down. Instead, they are subject to scrutiny and bullying online. They are just one of many, as we meet men and women whose lives were destroyed after having their photos posted on IS ANYONE UP? against their will. We meet one subject who almost ended her own life. We also meet Moore‘s ex-girlfriend who now has clarity after being somewhat oblivious to the damage he caused to the lives of so many people.

The Series over three episodes, builds-up momentum on the back and forth between mother and daughter, and a Goliath in Moore who built a devout cult following, willing to do just about anything for their leader. We see Charlotte and Kayla begin to fear for their safety, the closer they get to exposing Moore for being involved in illegal activities to supply the content on his website, but they can’t be certain without the help of the FBI. Add to that notorious Hacker Group, Anonymous who get involved after being made aware of Charlotte and Kayla‘s struggles. And thus, we see the takedown of what seemed like someone untouchable.

We only vaguely recall the controversy the takedown of Hunter Moore, but this is a satisfying educational journey to justice, worthy of a watch. Admittedly, there is a degree of victim-blaming when it comes to those who take intimate photos of themselves in the first place, but where is that same judgment and scrutiny when it comes to those who post and share unconsented content? THE MOST HATED MAN ON THE INTERNET arrives July 27, 2022 on Netflix.

#TIFF22: LENA DUNHAM’S “CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY” TO PREMIERE AT 2022 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Lena Dunham, but how exciting is it that her latest effort, CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY is set to premiere at TIFF ’22? The Film adapted from Karen Cushman‘s Novel, arrives later this year on Prime Video.

Synopsis:

The year? 1290. In the Medieval English village of Stonebridge, Lady Catherine (known as Birdy) is the youngest child of Lord Rollo and Lady Aislinn. Her playground is Stonebridge Manor, a house that, like the family, has seen better days. Financially destitute and utterly greedy, Rollo sees his daughter as his path out of financial ruin by marrying her off to a wealthy man for money and land. But Birdy, like all the great teen heroines, is spirited, clever, and adventurous–and ready to put off any suitor that comes in increasingly ingenious ways. Her imagination, defiance and deep belief in her own right to independence put her on a collision course with her parents. When the most vile suitor of all arrives, they are presented with the ultimate test of love for their daughter.

From Prime Video, Catherine Called Birdy stars Bella Ramsey, Lesley Sharp, Sophie Okonedo, Joe Alwyn, Isis Hainsworth, Dean-Charles Chapman, Paul Kaye, with Billie Piper and Andrew Scott. It is directed by and screenplay written by Lena Dunham, based on the book by Karen Cushman. Producers are Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan, Dunham, and Jo Wallett. 

CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY arrives September 23, 2022 on Prime Video Canada.

(Photo credit: Prime Video)

#HORSERACING: MOIRA WINS THE 2022 WOODBINE OAKS

The picture for the upcoming 2022 Queen’s Plate – the 163rd running of North America’s most historic horse race – just got a little clearer. MOIRA scored an authoritative victory in the $500k Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, winning as the even-odds favourite by 10 3/4 lengths under Rafael Hernandez for Trainer Kevin Attard and Co-Owners Madaket Stables, X-Men Racing and SF Racing. She won in a rapid final time of 1:49.7 for 1 1/8 miles. This was just the second start in 2022 after the winter off for this talented filly by stallion Ghostzapper, from the Unbridled Song mare, Devine Aida. This definitely stamps Moira a leading contender in the Queen’s Plate, to be contested August 21, 2022 at Woodbine Racetrack where she would face males. Finishing second was Sister Seagull and American invader, the maiden Sahlabiya from famed Shadwell Stable and leading Trainer Chad Brown finished third. The high-strung Moira prior to the race had kicked her Blacksmith, though he appears to be fine, and also post-race almost unseated Hernandez after getting spooked by infield flags blowing in the wind. Despite her quirks, she is a consummate professional when racing.

Earlier on the Card was the $150k Plate Trial Stakes, the official prep race for the Queen’s Plate. That was taken by 21-to-1 longshot SIR FOR SURE under Declan Carroll who just joined the local jockey circuit this year, for Team Mark Casse and Owner Heste Sport, which is a force both on the Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred side in Ontario. This marks Carroll‘s first ever stake win at Woodbine. Second was stablemate Hall of Dreams, while U.S. invander Causin’ Mayhem held-on for third. The latter is owned by local outfit Chiefswood Stable and is based in the U.S. with top Trainer Todd Pletcher. The race was run about a full second slower than the fillies in the Woodbine Oaks.

Also on the Super-card today was the Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes, taken by another American invader, WAKANAKA. Going off as the post-time favourite at 6-to-5 odds, this Bill Mott Trainee owned by Film Producer Gary Barber and Team Valor, won by 1 1/4 lengths, finishing the 1 1/16 mile race on the turf in a brisk 1:39.4. Rafael Hernandez had a big day taking both the Oaks and this, surviving a claim of foul here.

HAZELBROOK scored a surprise upset in the $150k Hendrie Stakes at the top of the Card, winning at 26-to-1 odds for True North Stable and Trainer Lorne Richards. Jockey Jason Hoyte scored his first-ever stakes win at Woodbine here. The 6 1/2 furlong sprint was won in 1:15.6.

It was an eventful day which saw multiple claims of objection filed but none successful and one of those winners was two-year-old Ransom the Moon colt ONE FOR CHAP. He broke his maiden on the turf for Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson’s Spruce Stable, with Rafael Hernandez winning again. Mark Casse trains this colt who is a half-brother to champion filly Mrs. Barbara. We learned that Lawson used to call his dad “Chap”, hence inspiring the name. Perhaps we will be seeing him in September’s Grade I Summer Stakes, a win-and-you’re-in Breeders’ Cup race?

Veteran jockey SLADE CALLAGHAN also was named 2022 Avelino Gomez Award recipient, an honour given to a jockey who has made a signficicant contribution to the Sport locally. Callaghan was joined by his peers, past and present accepting the Award with his wife, Trainer Kelly Callaghan beside him.

It was a day of many faces. Some of the names here today.

Betting handles were phenomental today with the total reaching $10.1 million for this star-studded Card.

More on the upcoming Queen’s Plate including tickets here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FOOD: SMORGASBURG TORONTO

After having found massive popularity in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Jersey City, Los Angeles and Miami, SMORGASBURG finally makes its Toronto debut this weekend. And knowing Toronto’s diverse and discerning palates, all the reason more this would thrive in our City.

The open-air Food Market, which by the way is free admission, runs every Saturday from now through September 10, 2022 at 7 Queen’s Quay East. The Market, curated by Toronto Culinary Authority Suresh Doss, contains a handpicked list of 40 local food and drink vendors. Following in the spirit of its predecessors, this Toronto branch is really giving small business owners without the capital or a storefront, a chance to build a customer base or even try out new menus which they might not normally be able to do. The idea was simple. These are all things that Doss would eat himself.

So thrilled to be among the few who got to preview this wonderful experience, with Doss guiding us through his own handpicked list of vendors. We also got free reign to to check-out the Market and discover our own new favourites!

On the south-end of the Market, towards the water, is the Smorgasbar, curated by Evelyn Chick and what a pleasure it was to try her Espresso Martini, just one of a few exclusive cocktails available at Smorgasburg Toronto. But even if you don’t drink, there’s plenty of alternatives including refreshing non-alcoholic GRUVI Dry Secco, plus a breakout hit in DRINK FROM A FRUIT, allowing guests to drink fresh juice from a Coconut, Watermelon or Pineapple… with refill options!

See some our favourites from Smorgasburg Toronto. Note portions might not align with actual on-site serving sizes as these were sample versions for Media.

See a Video Recap of the Smorgasburg Toronto experience:

Note that this current roster of Vendors will be here for four weeks only. A completely new list of Vendors will be up thereafter and we can’t wait to see who! Smorgasburg Toronto will be here only till September 10, 2022!

Reminder to stay hydrated if visiting.

For full schedule and list of Vendors for SMORGASBURG TORONTO, click here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: 2022 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON UPDATES FROM MARVEL PANEL

Several exciting revelations coming out of San Diego Comic-Con today from the Marvel Panel including both MCU Phase Four, Five and even Six updates!

MULTIVERSE SAGA: Two Avengers Films to Culminate the Saga

Fans were the first to learn that Phases 4, 5 and 6 are officially part of the Multiverse Saga, which will conclude with two all-new Avengers films, including “AVENGERS: THE KANG DYNASTY,” releasing May 2, 2025, and “AVENGERS: SECRET WARS,” which is slated for Nov. 7, 2025. 

PHASE 4: Trailers and Talent Introduced, Plus Stunning Performance

Fans won’t have to wait long for the next Phase 4 title with “SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW” debuting exclusively on Disney+ August 17, 2022. Directors Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, and head writer Jessica Gao, were joined by cast members Tatiana Maslany, Ginger Gonzaga and Jameela Jamil for a lively Q&A about the new series. The audience saw a new trailer, which is also available to download and share now.   

In Marvel Studios’ “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany)—an attorney specializing in superhuman-oriented legal cases—must navigate the complicated life of a single, 30-something who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. 

The nine-episode comedy series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong, as well as Jameela Jamil, Ginger Gonzaga, Josh Segarra, Jon Bass and Renée Elise Goldsberry. 

“BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER” capped the Hall H presentation to thunderous roars and applause, beginning with a live performance by Baaba Maal (vocals), Massamba Diop (tama) and dancers and drummers. Feige was joined on stage by director Ryan Coogler and cast members Mabel Cadena, Michaela Cole, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Florence Kasumba, Alex Livinalli, Lupita Nyong’o, Dominique Thorne and Letitia Wright for a Q&A and first look at the film’s first trailer, which is now available to download and share.   

In Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta as Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livanalli. 

Feige also shared that the film is the final title in Phase 4. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in theatres across Canada on Nov. 11, 2022.

PHASE 5: Talent Takes the Stage, Plus New Titles and Dates Revealed

Feige revealed that Phase 5 kicks off in 2023 with “ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA,” opening Feb. 17, 2023. Director Peyton Reed and stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors and Kathryn Newton engaged in a spirited Q&A with the host. Epic in scale and tone, “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” is a sci-fi adventure that is decidedly unique to the franchise. Fans in the room were given a special look at the upcoming film.

Super Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and The Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. 

Next up, the thrilling new series “SECRET INVASION” launches on Disney+ in Spring 2023. Cobie Smulders, who reprises her role of Maria Hill—a decorated spy and Nick Fury’s loyal #2—was on hand to talk about the new show. To the audience’s delight, a clip was shown to give a glimpse of what’s in store.

Marvel Studios’ “Secret Invasion” stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos—characters who first met in “Captain Marvel.” They are joined by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman and Regé-Jean Page.

The crossover event series showcases a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.

“GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3” heads to theatres on May 5, 2023. There were a lot of Guardians on hand to dish about the highly anticipated third installment of “Guardians of the Galaxy.” With director James Gunn taking the lead, cast members Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter and Maria Bakalova took part in an engaging discussion. Chukwudi Iwuji arrived on stage in costume, revealing to excited fans that he’ll be portraying High Evolutionary in the film. The audience was treated to a special look at the upcoming feature film. 

In Marvel Studios “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

New details emerged regarding a host of previously announced titles in Phase 5. Streaming exclusively on Disney+ in 2023 are highly anticipated series currently in production, including “ECHO,” which is slated for Summer 2023; “LOKI SEASON 2,” also debuting Summer 2023; and “IRONHEART,” streaming Fall 2023. “AGATHA: COVEN OF CHAOS” begins filming later this year with a debut date in Winter 2023.

Phase 5 theatrical releases include “THE MARVELS,” directed by Nia DaCosta, which hits theatres July 28, 2023; and “BLADE,” which begins shooting this October and opens in theatres Nov. 3, 2023. 

Feige revealed for the first time today a trio of captivating projects debuting in 2024 that garnered a huge response from fans.

·         “CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER” opens in theatres on May 3, 2024. 

·         “DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN,” an 18-episode season with Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio returning, streams on Disney+ in Spring 2024.

·         “THUNDERBOLTS,” featuring an exciting new group of heroes, is slated for theatres on July 26, 2024. 

PHASE 6: “Fantastic Four” Precedes New Avengers Titles

Looking ahead, Phase 6 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe promises compelling storytelling and Marvel Studios’ signature style of adventure.

·         “FANTASTIC FOUR” hits theatres on Nov. 8, 2024. Production kicks off next year for the feature film that introduces Marvel’s most iconic family.

·         “AVENGERS: THE KANG DYNASTY” opens in theatres May 2, 2025. 

·         “AVENGERS: SECRET WARS” is slated for release on Nov. 7, 2025. 

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “BLACK ADAM” FROM SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

Dwayne Johnson stars in BLACK ADAM which just got. new Trailer unveil at San Diego Comic-Con!

Synopsis:

The world needed a hero, it got #BlackAdam.

From New Line Cinema, Dwayne Johnson stars in the action adventure “Black Adam.” The first-ever feature film to explore the story of the DC Super Hero comes to the big screen under the direction of Jaume Collet-Serra (“Jungle Cruise”).

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Johnson stars alongside Aldis Hodge (“City on a Hill,” “One Night in Miami”) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (“Sex/Life,” “Rush Hour 3”) as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Mummy”) as Ishmael, Quintessa Swindell (“Voyagers,” “Trinkets”) as Cyclone, Bodhi Sabongui (“A Million Little Things”) as Amon, and Pierce Brosnan (the “Mamma Mia!” and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate.

Collet-Serra directed from a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, screen story by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC. Black Adam was created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. The film’s producers were Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia, with Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Eric McLeod, Geoff Johns and Scott Sheldon.

“Black Adam” smashes into theatres and IMAX internationally beginning 19 October 2022 and in North America on October 21, 2022. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.