#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO 2022 LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Mindblowing! The lineup for the 2022 Just for Laughs Toronto Festival have just been announced! The Festival brought to us by Beneva and SiriusXM, fully returns in-person after a brief hiatus and runs September 22 to October 1, 2022. You won’t believe the names this year! Headliners like Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Issa Rae, Trixie & Katya, and several more! It isn’t just Comedy Shows though. There will be Panels, Podcasts, Autograph and Photo Sessions too! Toronto deserves this!

Headliners:

Trevor Noah: Back to Abnormal World Tour – Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1, 2022 | Scotiabank Arena | 8:00 PM & 7:30 PM

John Mulaney: From Scratch – Thursday, September, 22 2022 | Scotiabank Arena | 8:00 PM

Amy Schumer: Whore Tour – Friday, September, 23 2022 | Coca-Cola Coliseum| 7:00 PM

Trixie & Katya Live – Friday, September 23, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Iliza Shlesinger: Back in Action – Saturday, October 1, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Ben Schwartz & Friends – Sunday, September 25, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool – Thursday, September 29, 2022 – Saturday, October 1, 2022 I Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM

Tim Dillon – Friday, September 30, 2022 | Meridian Hall | 7:00 PM

Deon Cole – Saturday, September 24, 2022 | Meridian Hall | 7:00 PM

ComedyCon Headliners:

In Conversation with Issa Rae – Saturday, September 24, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 1:00 PM

In Conversation with Pete Davidson – Sunday, September 25, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 3:30 PM

Lineup:

*performance dates vary for Artists below

Vir Das

Marc Maron

Amanda Seales

Maria Bamford

Neal Brennan

Not Another D&D Podcast

ALOK

Catherine Cohen

Rhys Nicholson

Melissa Villaseñor

Joel Kim Booster

Beth Stelling

Atsuko Okatsuka

Kurt Braunohler

Ivan Decker

Got Land?

Sophie Buddle

Randy Feltface

Ali Hassan

Mark Little

Emmy Blotnick

Laurie Kilmartin

Matt Richards

Marito Lopez

Dino Archie

Dakota Ray Hebert

Mike Rita

Al Val & Allie Pearse

Courtney Gilmour & Hisham Kelati

Moe Ismail & Juliana Rodrigues

Ola Dada & Ben Sosa Wright

Absolute Comedy

Yuk Yuk’s

The Second City

Nothing Fancy

ComedyCON 2022 Lineup

With 50+ more acts to be announced in August!

For full show details, artist bios and photos, visit the official Just For Laughs TORONTO website here.

Additional programming for the upcoming Just For Laughs TORONTO Festival will be revealed in the coming weeks.

TICKET DETAILS:

Passes will be available starting Friday, June 10, 2022 as of 10:00 AM at www.toronto.hahaha.com

Tickets will be available to the public as of Friday, June 17, 2022 as of 10:00 AM at www.toronto.hahaha.com

Festival passes range from $69 to $209 CDN (excluding service charges). Single tickets range from $29.50 to $69.50 CDN (excluding service charges)

Lineup subject to change.

#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS 40 BACK IN-PERSON THIS YEAR!

Running July 13-31, 2022, JUST FOR LAUGHS MONTREAL is back again this year and they’re doing it BIG! This is the 40th edition of the Festival.

Complete programming line-up for the World’s premiere Comedy Festival has just been announced. Artists like Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Hasan Minhaj, Chelsea Handler, Ronny Chieng, Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron, Amy Schumer, Jimmy O. Yang, and several more will take the stage as the Festival welcomes back it’s traditional in-person format!

GALAS

The 40th Anniversary Gala- Saturday, July 30 2022 | Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts | 9:45 PM

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL, a brand-new gala is coming to the festival this year. Expect special surprise guests that will include festival favourites for a night of guaranteed laughs not to be missed!

CONCERT SHOWS

Amy Schumer: Whore Tour – Saturday, July 30 2022 | Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place Des Arts | 7:00 PM

Amy Schumer is an Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated standup comedian, actress, writer, producer and director. Schumer is the creator, star, writer and executive producer of the wildly popular “Inside Amy Schumer,” the multi award-winning TV series that ran for four seasons on Comedy Central. Schumer’s successful film career was propelled with Universal Pictures film Trainwreck (2015), which dominated the worldwide box office as the hit summer comedy. She went on to win the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy; and was nominated for a Writers’ Guild Award in the category of Original Screenplay. That same year, the BAFTAs honoured Schumer with The Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy. Schumer’s one-hour Netflix Comedy special titled “The Leather Special” earned her a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Variety Special. Her one-hour HBO comedy special, “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo” directed by Chris Rock, premiered on October 17, 2015, and was HBO’s most watched Saturday night comedy special debut since December 2009. Schumer’s first book, The New York Times bestseller “The Girl with The Lower Back Tattoo” earned her a 2017 Grammy Award nomination for Best Spoken Word Album, and was released in paperback in August 2017. In July 2020, Schumer’s three-part documentary series, “Expecting Amy” premiered on HBO Max. Most recently, Schumer co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards alongside Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall. She also wrote, executive produced, directed and starred in her critically-acclaimed 10-episode comedy series “LIFE & BETH”, now streaming on Hulu and Disney+. Often touring theatres and arenas all over the world, Schumer returns to Montreal this summer!

Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny 2.0 – Wednesday, July 27 2022 | Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place Des Arts | 8:00 PM

Award-winning comedian, writer and television host, Jimmy Carr is one of the biggest-selling comedy acts in the world. His last tour, Best Of Ultimate Gold Greatest Hits, sold over 480,000 tickets globally with current show, Terribly Funny, set to exceed that figure by the end of 2022. Jimmy is a household name in UK television, well known for hosting Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, in addition to presenting Comedy Central’s Roast Battle UK and Your Face Or Mine. He is a regular on all the top panel shows, has performed as part of The Royal Variety Performance three times, is a judge on hit BBC1 entertainment series I Can See Your Voice and the host of brand-new Channel 4 gameshow I Literally Just Told You. As the first UK comedian to sign a stand-up deal with Netflix in 2015, Carr has released two specials on the platform, and has presented and exec-produced an original panel show format The Fix. Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny 2.0 is Jimmy’s brand-new show that contains jokes about all kinds of terrible things. Terrible things that might have affected you or people you know and love. But they’re just jokes – they are not terrible things. Having political correctness at a comedy show is like having health and safety at a rodeo.  Now you’ve been warned, buy a ticket.

Jimmy O. Yang – Wednesday, July 27 2022 | L’Olympia | 7:00 PM

Jimmy O. Yang is an actor, stand-up comedian, and writer best known for his role on HBO’s Emmy-nominated series Silicon Valley. In 2017, he made a dramatic turn in his theatrical debut starring opposite Mark Wahlberg in the highly acclaimed Patriots Day. Shortly after, he joined the ensemble of the international phenomenon in Warner Bros. hit film, Crazy Rich Asians. Yang wrote a memoir, How To American: An Immigrant’s Guide to Disappointing Your Parents, and his hour-long comedy special Good Deal, pulls stories from his life as mentioned in his book. Yang stars and writes Netflix’s Space Force and stars in the holiday romcom Love Hard on Netflix. Yang makes up one-third of the production company Crab Club Inc., which wrapped their first feature film Easter Sunday starring comedian Jo Koy.

Comedy Night in Canada – Friday, July 29 2022 | L’Olympia | 7:00 PM

Just For Laughs is excited to announce Comedy Night in Canada hosted by the one and only, Rick Mercer will be coming to Montreal! Following a very successful coast-to-coast sold-out tour across Canada this past Spring, the festival brings Canadian comedy legend Rick Mercer back to Montreal as he returns to lead a stellar line-up of the country’s most hilarious and diverse comedians. Stay tuned for the full lineup of artists who will join Mercer for this one night only Canadian celebration. 

Dara Ó Briain – Friday, July 29 2022 | Maison Théâtre | 9:30 PM

Stand-up comedian and television presenter Dara Ó Briain is best known in the UK for hosting BBC’s Mock the Week, BlockBusters, Robot Wars, Stargazing Live, Dara and Ed’s Great Big Adventure and Dara O Briain’s Go 8Bit and most recently Channel 4 quiz One and Six Zero’s.

Dara’s latest show Voice of Reason has been performed across the globe, touring in UK and Ireland, Scandinavia, mainland Europe, Australia and the Middle East. It was filmed and released as a BBC special in 2019. In September 2017, Dara released his first children’s book Beyond the Stars (Scholastic), a hilarious journey through the solar system and our galaxy; it has been nominated for the Blue Peter Book Award for Best Non-Fiction. In 2018 the follow up Secret Science – The Amazing World Beyond your Eyes was released to great critical acclaim. His third children’s book Is There Anybody Out There was released in 2020. Dara has also released five best-selling DVDs with Universal Pictures. He will be on a world tour in 2022 and 2023 with his new show, So Where Were We?

James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome – Thursday, July 28 & Saturday, July 30 2022 | Maison Théâtre | 9:30 PM

James Acaster is a whimsical master, and has received acclaim from around the world, including a record breaking five consecutive nominations for ‘Best Comedy Show’ at the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. In 2017, he toured the country with a staggering three show Trelogy, performing Recognise, Represent and Reset consecutively over three nights in each venue. These three shows and Recap form his Netflix four-part series, Repertoire. It was the first of its kind, a standup mini-series with an overarching narrative, and James is the first UK comic to shoot more than one Netflix Original special. In 2017 James released his debut book Classic Scrapes which made the Sunday Times bestseller list. James’ second book Perfect Sound Whatever also made the Sunday Times bestseller list in 2019. This summer will see the publication of James’ latest book, James Acaster’s Guide to Quitting Social Media. In 2019 James completed a mammoth long tour of his hugely successful show Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 around the UK, Australia and America, the show is now available to watch on Vimeo. James also has two hit podcasts Off Menu which he hosts with Ed Gamble, and Perfect Sounds both of which are regulars on the iTunes top 10 List.

Debra DiGiovanni – Wednesday, July 27 2022 | Maison Théâtre | 9:30 PM

Debra DiGiovanni is a multiple award-winning comedian originally from Toronto, who is now dominating the Los Angeles comedy scene. She tours the world constantly and can be seen on Comedy Central in her digital web series Steph & Deb as well as a part of their Stand-Up Series. Debra performed on Conan, was a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and has specials on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Crave. Her album Lady Jazz earned her Top Ten Comedy Albums of the Year in 2019, and a Juno nomination. In 2020, she taped a special for Unprotected Sets on the Epix network.

Jacqueline Novak: Get On Your Knees – Wednesday, July 27 & Thursday, July 28 2022 | Maison Théâtre | 7:00 PM

A New York Times “Critics’ Pick,” and Drama Desk-nominated performance, Get On Your Knees is a high-brow show about the blow job, unexpectedly philosophical and joke-packed, part feminist outcry, part coming-of-age tale of triumph. The show extended six times in New York City in 2019 and 2020 and then reopened in 2021 for another sold-out, extended run. Since 2021, Jacqueline Novak has been touring “GOYK” across the US, Canada, and the UK, and found a regular home for the show in LA, where it sold the most total tickets of any show at Largo at the Coronet in 2021. Her sold-out five-night run at London’s SOHO Theatre this April GOYK garnered glittering reviews, prompting her to return to the UK for limited runs at Leicester Square Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe. She co-hosts POOG, a Time Magazine Top Ten Podcast of the Year 2021, with Kate Berlant.  Jacqueline’s memoir How to Weep in Public: Feeble Offerings on Depression from One Who Knows was published by Crown in 2016.

Katherine Ryan – Friday, July 29 & Saturday, July 30 2022 | Maison Théâtre | 7:00 PM

Creator, Writer, Star & EP of Netflix Original hit series The Duchess (along with two global Netflix comedy specials: In Trouble and Glitter Room) comedian and TV’s Katherine Ryanmakes a hugely welcome return to the stage with her brand-new live show, Missus. Having previously denounced partnership, Katherine has since married her first love, accidentally. A lot has changed for everyone and we can look forward to hearing Katherine Ryan’s hilarious new perspectives on life, love, and what it means to be Missus.

Maria Bamford – Wednesday, July 27 2022 | Club Soda | 7:00 PM

Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She starred in the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown, and is the star of three unconventional hour-long stand-up specials: Weakness is the Brand, Old Baby and Maria Bamford, the special, special, special! Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show. Maria is often recognized for her prolific voiceover work, including characters on Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, Summer Camp Island, Adventure Time, Talking Tom and Friends, Bob’s Burgers, Legend of Korra, Puss in Boots, CatDog and PBS’s Emmy-winning series Word Girl. She also stars as Tilly Mulch in Team Coco’s scripted podcast Frontier Tween.

Fortune Feimster – Saturday, July 30 2022 | Club Soda | 7:00 PM

You can catch stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, Fortune Feimster, on the radio, on screens both big and small, and touring her stand-up across the nation. Fortune Feimster’s first one-hour special, Sweet & Salty, is currently streaming on Netflix and was nominated for Best Comedy Special for the Critics’ Choice Awards. Prior to her one-hour special, Netflix released Feimster’s half-hour special in 2018 as part of The Standups, which received rave reviews. Fortune Feimster first became known nationally as a writer and panelist on E’s hit show Chelsea Lately before starring as a series regular on Hulu’s The Mindy Project NBC’s Champions. Fortune can currently be heard every morning with Tom Papa on Sirius XM’s channel 93 on their show, What a Joke with Papa and Fortune. She also hosts a weekly podcast with her partner, Jax, called Sincerely Fortune. Fortune is currently starring opposite David Spade on the new Netflix series, The Netflix Afterparty. Along with co-writing and selling two comedy pilots to ABC, the latter of which is produced by Tina Fey, Fortune co-wrote and is attached to star in two features, Bad Cop Bad Cop and Field Trip, both of which were acquired by Spielberg’s Amblin Pictures.

CLUB SHOWS

The Nasty Show- Wednesday, July 20 through Sunday, July 24 and Tuesday, July 26 through Thursday, July 28 2022 | MTELUS

The Nasty Show is back! Promising to be the filthiest and most shocking show at the festival, this raw comedy series constantly pushes the boundaries, encouraging audiences to check their political correctness at the door… let go, and laugh!  Hosted by the one and only Big Jay Oakerson, this year’s lineup will also feature Liza Treyger, Robert Kelly, Sophie Buddle, Josh Adam Meyers, and Yamaneika Saunders.

Brit(ish)- Wednesday, July 27 through Saturday, July 30 2022 | Le Studio TD

We’re absolutely chuffed to reveal the full lineup for the 2022 Brit(ish) show, hosted by Tom Allen! This year’s series will feature special guest Dara Ó Briain and a wickedly funny lineup including Fern Brady, Nish Kumar, Phil Wang and Sindhu Vee.

PODCASTS

Girls Gotta Eat – Thursday, July 28 2022 | Club Soda | 7:00 PM

Why do guys just want to f*ck you once then watch your Instagram stories until the end of time? How do you get over a breakup when you feel like you’re gonna die? When should you give it up? My boyfriend takes morning baths: IS THIS WEIRD? These are all questions answered on Girls Gotta Eat — a hilarious and uncensored podcast from comedic duo Ashley Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg. GGE is a top comedy podcast on iTunes, has been reviewed as “life-changing” by thousands of listeners, and the live shows have had record-breaking sellouts in cities all across the US. At this show, Ashley, Rayna, and special guests will answer all those burning questions about sex, dating, and relationships in a one-of-a-kind, interactive experience. No one leaves without a fresh outlook on dating and at least one new ab from laughing.

COMEDYPRO

JFL ComedyPRO returns this year, promising to unite today’s industry trailblazers and die-hard comedy fans for an unforgettable four-day event. While more programming will be released in the coming weeks, the festival is elated to reveal that the coveted discovery showcase, New Faces, has expanded its reach this year… and is going global!

Entering its 26th year, this internationally recognized series has launched the careers of so many of today’s A-list stars. Now, for the first time ever, joining the previously established New Faces, New Faces: Characters, New Faces: Unrepped, and New Faces: Canada, is New Faces: International! We cannot wait to welcome some of comedy’s freshest names from across the world, offering them an international stage to perform some of their best material for comedy’s most influential trendsetters.

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned for more details regarding this year’s cohort for all 2022 showcases, as they will be revealed in the coming months!

Variety 10 Comics To Watch Showcase – Saturday, July 30 2022 | Monument National – Ludger-Duvernay | 9:30 PM

One of the biggest events in the comedy world each year is Variety’s unveiling of their annual “10 Comics To Watch” feature. Catch the best and brightest from “10 Comics To Watch” and let them show you why they made the 2022 list.

OFF-JFL

OFF-JFL has been described as the festival’s edgy sibling, and that couldn’t be truer! Each year, festival goers flock to the unique programming only OFF-JFL has to offer, hoping to discover their new favorite artist, show formats, and material that spans comedy, theatre and music. With over 100 shows, OFF-JFL delivers some of the most memorable comedy content of the fest, combining improv, sketch and stand up from a perfect blend of rising stars and established names.

Rhys Nicholson RHYS! RHYS! RHYS! – Thursday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 27 & Friday, July 29 2022 | Theatre St- Catherine | 10:00 PM & 10:30 PM

Rhys Nicholson is a multi-award-winning Australian stand-up, writer, actor and collager. With an enormous passion for live performing, his work continues to receive awards and accolades around the world. As well as numerous televised stand-up performances in Australia, the UK and Canada, in early 2019 he was hand-picked to open for comedy legend Conan O’Brien as he toured Australia. A few months later, Nicholson’ made his USA television debut as a stand-up guest on TBS’ Conan. In 2019, he recorded his third stand up special, this one for Netflix, making him one of only three Australians with a solo show on the streaming giant. Rhys is a series regular in the Netflix Sci-Fi comedy The Imperfects to be released this year.

Randy Feltface: Alien of Extraordinary Ability – Thursday, July 21 through Thursday, July 28 2022 | Theatre St-Catherine | 8:30 PM & 9:00 PM

Randy Feltface has spent over fifteen years carving out a unique niche on the international comedy circuit. He was nominated for best comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, sold out in London and New York, and featured several times at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. He has released five comedy specials and made his US television debut as a crowd favourite on NBC’s Bring The Funny. His live show is a high energy existential crisis full of the kind of amusing anecdotes and biting observations that have earned him the title of World’s Most Entertaining Non-Human Comedian.

Matteo Lane – Thursday, July 28 & Friday, July 29 2022 | Cafe Cleopatra | 10:30 PM

Matteo Lane is a New York-based comedian whose stand-up special can be seen on Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup. He’s also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, HBO’s Crashing and Will & Grace. Matteo is currently developing an animated series Kickass Drag Queen, together with Bob the Drag Queen, Gary Sanchez and Unicorn Island Productions, and co-hosts the podcast “Inside the Closet” together with Emma Willmann. Not limited to just stand up, Matteo also performs a live cabaret, Streisand at the Bon Soir, to great critical acclaim.

Atsuko Okatsuka presents The Intruder – Thursday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 27 & Friday, July 29 2022 | Theatre St-Catherine | 7:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Atsuko Okatsuka is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer based in LA. Atsuko made her late-night stand-up debut on The Late Show with James Corden. Atsuko is starring in the new Comedy Central animated series, Fairview and the Paramount+ feature film, Washingtonia, from EP Stephen Colbert. She’s written for Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show and Soft Focus with Jena Friedman. Atsuko’s on-screen credits include, season 3 of the HBO series, Room 104, The Show Nextdoor with Randall Park on ROKU+, and HULU’s latest project with ATTN: Mom & Pop. Atsuko was named a ‘Comedian To Watch’ by Vulture & ‘Top 10 Comedians to Watch’ for TimeOut LA. She is also fluent in Japanese and Mandarin.

Mark Forward: A Very Mark Forward… – Tuesday, July 26, Thursday, July 28, & Saturday, July 30 2022 | Diving Bell Social Club | 9:00 PM

Mark Forward has done stand-up on Comedy Central’s John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, CBS’ The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, HBO’s Funny As Hell and The Comedy Network’s Just For Laughs: All Access. His TV work includes Crave’s Letterkenny and FX’s Fargo. Mark also has 2 one-hour comedy specials on Crave, titled Mark Forward presents Mark Forward and Mark Forward Wins All The Awards.

Rosebud Baker – Tuesday, July 26 through Saturday, July 30 2022 | Cafe Cleopatra |

9:00 PM

Rosebud Baker is a New York based comedian, writer and actress, who is currently on the writing staff for the award-winning sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in its 47th season. Her debut hour stand up special Whiskey Fists, produced by Bill Burr’s All Things Comedy, premiered on Comedy Central Digital in 2021. The special was a hit with fans and critics alike, as Vulture featured Rosebud in “Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2022.” The New Yorker included her in their annual list of “Best Jokes of 2021” and Rolling Stone gushed that her humor “ranges from merciless self-excavation to slashing social satire graced by intelligence and nuance.” She can be seen in the recurring role in the new Hulu series Life & Beth alongside Amy Schumer and Michael Cera, and she is a writer and performer on HBO Max’s WGA Award nominated sketch series That Damn Michael Che. Baker also co-hosts the popular weekly podcast Find Your Beach with her husband and fellow comic Andy Haynes.

Best of the Fest – Tuesday, July 26 & Wednesday, July 27 2022 | MainLine Theatre |

7:30 PM & 9:45 PM

Here’s what you need to know: the title really says it all.

Fest @ The Nest – Tuesday, July 26 through Saturday, July 30 2022 | Comedy Nest |

8:00 PM & 10:30 PM

The world’s most prestigious comedy festival lands in Montreal’s premiere comedy club for 10 mix-and-match, multi-stand-up, full-of-surprises shows.

Midnight Surprise – Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24 & Tuesday, July 26 2022 | Theatre St-Catherine | 11:59 PM

The show is at midnight… the rest is a surprise!

The Alternative Show – Tuesday July 26 through Saturday, July 30 2022 | MainLine Theatre | 11:59 PM

The quintessential comic’s comic takes you off the beaten path of mainstream comedy and into the chaotic wilderness.

DeAnne Smith – Tuesday, July 26 through Thursday, July 28 & Saturday, July 30 2022 | Diving Bell Social Club | 7:30 PM & 10:30 PM

Canadian Comedy Award winner, DeAnne Smith is coming to Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL OFF-JFL this summer! Fresh from taping their second special at the Just for Laughs Festival in July 2021 for Crave, DeAnne Smith is back at the festival with a brand new and hilarious set.

Pre-sale tickets will be available starting tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, 2022 as of 10:00am ET at www.hahaha.com

Tickets will be available to the public on Friday, May 27, 2022 at 10:00am ET at www.hahaha.com

#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS MONTRÉAL GOES HYBRID IN 2021

JUST FOR LAUGHS MONTRÉAL is back! Pivoting to adapt to the current travel restrictions, the world’s top Comedy Festival runs this year July 26-31, 2021! Appearing at the Festival, which will be in a hybrid format this year, are the likes of Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo, Jason Sudeikis, Bowen Yang, Patton Oswalt and so many more! Hart will be sitting down with Neal Brennan as part of LOL’s Comedy Gold Minds with Kevin Hart!

Just announced also is that Jean Smart, star of HBO Max‘s acclaimed HACKS will be honoured with COMEDY PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD at the 2021 JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW, to be hosted by Amber Ruffin.

For the first time ever this year, fans will be able to tune in online from anywhere in the world to watch the JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW. Being honoured this year are Dave Chapelle with the Comedy Person of the Year Award; Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo as Comedy Writers of the Year for their hilarious film BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR; the Writers and Cast of TED LASSO, including star Jason Sudeikis for Comedy Series of the Year Award; and SNL‘s Bowen Yang receiving Breakout Comedy Star of the Year Award. The JFL Awards Show will air online for free at hahaha.com as of July 28, 2021.

Kevin Hart will be front and center at the Festival this year with his Comedy Gold Minds with Kevin Hart. The show dives into the minds of some of the world’s funniest people with Kevin Hart in his show, Comedy Gold Minds. From rising stars to comedy legends, Kevin pairs with comedic tastemakers for “ear-opening” dialogue that takes listeners on a wild and crazy ride through some of the world’s top comedic minds. From chronicling their comedy club experiences to a sneak peek of their latest material, each episode is packed with punchlines, anecdotes, and inside jokes. Previous guests include Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Steve Harvey, Amy Schumer, Nick Kroll, Hasan Minhaj, and more. This show will air online for free at hahaha.com.

For a complete list of programming at the Festival this year and tickets, visit hahaha.com. More announcements to come.

#FIRSTLOOK: WHAT THE WATCH – JANUARY 2021 VOL. II: “HUMOUR RESOURCES”,”THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS”, “WANDAVISION”, “TIGER”, “BLING EMPIRE”, “NIGHT STALKER”, “LOCKED DOWN”

January 2021 is so loaded with content to watch, we had to create a second volume of recommendations! See our thoughts on some things you might find interesting to stream!

HUMOUR RESOURCES (CBC)

I first got my introduction to charismatic Jon Dore when he was a correspondent on Canadian Idol. We’re going wayyyy back. Since then, he’s continued to tour, had a show on The Comedy Network and appeared on Sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother.

He’s back with a new Just for Laughs-produced Series, HUMOUR RESOURCES, which has him taking on the role of the Human Resources Manager of Comedy where he interviews fellow Comedians under the context of a virtual chat to discuss their “performance”, effectively doubling the Series as a mock talk show. This, while he navigates fictional situations in his life with his stepdaughter Emma and partner Christina at home. Interestingly, this was created just recently amidst the pandemic.

The talent featured is actually quite impressive including chats with the likes of Sarah Silverman, Tom Green, Nikki Glaser, Scott Thompson, Ronny Chieng, Debra DiGiovanni and several more. Episodes are 30 minutes and there are six for you to enjoy.

We felt he could’ve played-up the deadpan HR Manager bit even more, as the subjects sometimes feel unsure of the context. It might’ve been even funnier that these Comedians get grilled with more sternness. Regardless, Dore has a good idea and this is a quick, fun watch. You can stream now on CBC Gem here.

THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS (NETFLIX)

We can’t get enough Nicolas Cage! The History of Swear Words is a six-episode Docu-Series hosted by the Oscar winner, tracing the etymology of curse words like “fuck”, “shit”, “pussy”, “dick” , “bitch” and “damn”. With the help of a panel of Comedians including Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser, London Hughes and more, we get a briefing of how these words have evolved over time. In some instances taking on negative connotations, but in some instances we see how words like “bitch” and “shit” have been reclaimed as terms with positive connotations. While we feel the deep dive could’ve been even deeper, this is entertaining enough a watch and insightful enough as a conversation piece. The History of Swear Words streams now on Netflix.

WANDAVISION (DISNEY+)

We haven’t been so excited for a new Series in quite some time! This nine-episode Series transports Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) in the world of classic television Sitcoms as we explore their chemistry over their course of the Series as they try to be a normal American family. Olsen particularly is a standout just absolutely nailing the diction, tone and speech of the eras she’s placed in. While we struggled to understand how exactly this all ties in with Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it all becomes clearer piece by piece with small connections scattered. We’ve never seen anything quite like this and we’re certain this will be back for more! Can’t wait for you to discover it. First two episodes stream on Disney+ Friday, January 15, 2021.

COBRA KAI (NETFLIX)

If you’re like me, you adored The Karate Kid franchise as a kid, but I’m not sure why I was so reluctant to give Cobra Kai a try. In fact, I let three seasons pass by before finally giving it a shot. The Series reunites rivals Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) whom 30+ years later find their feud ignited as adults. Daniel is a successful car dealership owner with a great home and family. Johnny has a bit of a drinking problem, coming out of a failed marriage with a strained relationship with his son Robby (Tanner Buchanan). He is hoping to revive Cobra Kai, but is struggling financially and winds up mentoring a bullied and frail teen named Miguel (Xolo Maridueña). Johnny hasn’t forgotten how Daniel got in the way of his dream girl Ali (Elisabeth Shue) and he is out to avenge his loss in their last match back in 1984. Daniel also hasn’t forgotten some of the ill philosophies that Cobra Kai stands for and this awakens his passion again for Martial Arts. Things get complicated when Daniel’s daughter Samantha (Mary Mouser) and Miguel fall for one another, but then Robby seeks Daniel’s guidance as a fighting mentor. And this is enough to fuel three seasons worth of ass-kicking drama.

While the dialogue is shockingly a slap in the face at progressiveness at times, its Writers are fully aware what they are doing and it is little wonder why Cobra Kai is connecting with audiences right now in need of catharsis and a release of aggression during this pandemic. Aside from this, it feels nostalgic and its Soundtrack which often nods to the original era of the franchise help take us back there. Its decision to see this from the side of Johnny Lawrence is an inspired and ballsy move which has paid dividends. All three seasons of COBRA KAI are available now on Netflix.

TIGER (HBO)

This two-part Documentary by Co-Directors Matthew Hamachek and Matthew Heineman about golf icon Tiger Woods, documents his rise from a very age under the guidance of his father Earl. Though archived footage we see first-hand how his father had prophesied his son’s greatness into existence. The Film isn’t afraid to examine their estrangement from one another as Woods‘ star rose and also some of the problems in their family life. Following the death of his father, the second-half of the Documentary details Woods‘ public downfall around 2009 when he found himself at the center of a scandal where it was exposed he had been involved in multiple extra-marital affairs, losing his wife and several sponsorship deals. One of the women he had been involved with, Rachel Uchitel who had felt her side of the story on the matter had yet to be told, agrees to sign-on to speak in the Documentary. From here we witness his rise again. TIGER examines cause and consequence in Wood’s life and also the relationships that came to define him. The first half is available now on Crave with the HBO add-on, with the second half arriving January 18, 2021.

BLING EMPIRE (NETFLIX)

If you loved Crazy Rich Asians, these characters are actually the real deal! Set in glamorous L.A., we follow the lives of a circle of friends. This eight-episode series is none short of juicy as we see dueling Queen Bees Christine (founder of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc and wife of Dr. Gabriel Chu) and the mysterious Anna (heiress to an arms empire) fire friendly shots at one another. Kevin (a model) is our eyes into this world as he tries to grapple with his wealthy friends’ excess, while at once trying to make sense of his own Korean-American identity. He was adopted by an American family at a young age, not knowing his biological parents and their story. He is best friends with the flamboyant Singaporean fashionista Kane, who sits in the chair of the judgy onlooker who also helps give us insight into this world. Kelly is in a bit of a toxic relationship which her friends disapprove of, though sometimes she doesn’t know what’s best for her. Kim is a world-renowned DJ on a search for her estranged father. Cherie is expecting a second child, but her partner is stalling on the marriage proposal still. There’s a bit of betrayal that keeps the show moving along, but none detrimental that these characters sever ties – just the way we want it. We’re thrilled for you to discover this fun escape which never loses sight beneath the gloss of its deeper meaning about finding one’s identity.

There has to be a Season Two!

BLING EMPIRE arrives Friday, January 15, 2021 on Netflix.

NIGHT STALKER: THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER (NETFLIX)

This honestly was so horrifying I had to take breaks and turn on the lights. This four-part Series documenting a serial killer who tormented Los Angeles one summer in the mid-80s. He was random about who he preyed on – neither children nor the elderly were safe from this sinister predator who sent detectives on a restless chase before he ultimately was captured. We learn about the roadblocks and obstacles the two lead detectives faced trying to keep clues classified, as media threatened to destroy their case divulging too much information to the public.
This is outstanding storytelling which gave me major anxiety, but also beneath this is a story about how the investigation tore one detective apart from his family as the Night Stalker‘s crimes circled closer and closer to their home. We also get first-hand accounts from some victims and family who made the grizzly discovery of his victim’s bodies. We felt an overwhelming feeling of grief for these victims and their families, whose lives were altered forever after the summer of ’85. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if true crime is your thing, this was done very well.

LOCKED DOWN (HBO MAX/CRAVE)

While originally intended to be a much larger production when it was announced September 2020, the ongoing Pandemic had forced this to alter its course and we wonder what would’ve came of it otherwise. This Heist-Comedy from Director Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Edge of Tomorrow) clocks-in at two hours but truly could’ve been told in a fraction of that as it spends much of its time exploring the work lives and romantic falling-out between its two central characters Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor). The couple are on the verge of separation but the lockdown forces them to remain together longer and they devise a plan to steal a jewel valued at £6 million at Harrod‘s. Only in its Final Act do things pick-up outside of what feels like a lot of video conference calls and time spent within the confines of their shared flat, and they venture to Harrod’s to carry out the heist. And this is where LOCKED DOWN goes from okay to great, with Hathaway shining yet again, this time taking a bit more of an active role in a crime than her posh prima donna in Ocean’s Eight. This is smart and witty, but admittedly feels a bit long. If you’re willing to sit through it, you’ll be rewarded. LOCKED DOWN streams now on Crave with HBO add-on.

In case you missed our last volume of recommendations, you can catch them here.

(Photo credit: Netflix/CBC/Disney/HBO)

#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS VIRTUAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2021 WILL AIR ON SIRIUSXM

The show must go on! Just for Laughs are gifting those of us missing-out on the in-person component of the 2021 Festival. You’ll be pleased to know those of you with SiriusXM will have access to the Just for Laughs Virtual Comedy Festival.

The virtual line-up is as follows. From July 20-25, the two one-hour shows will air each day on SiriusXM’s comedy channels:

Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio Channel 96: 2pm & 6pm ET

Raw Dog Comedy Channel 99: 12pm & 9pm ET

Laugh USA Channel 98: 1pm & 7pm ET

Jeff & Larry’s Comedy Roundup Channel 97: 3pm & 8pm ET

Comedy Greats Channel 94: 4pm & 5pm ET

Just For Laughs Canada Channel 168: 24 hours a day

Just for Laughs also have confirmed today that their Festival and their sister Festival Juste pour rire, both will entirely be digital this Fall. Just for Laughs will take place October 9-10, 2020 and the latter will be a hybrid of in-person, pre-recorded and virtual performances taking place September 29-October 10, 2020.

More details available at hahaha.com

(Photo credit: Just for Laughs)

#SPOTTED: MICHAEL RAPAPORT, DEAN COLLINS + ESTHER POVITSKY IN TORONTO FOR “JUST FOR LAUGHS”

Just for Laughs is in high gear and that star sightings continue to build! The premier Comedy Festival runs till September 29, 2019 with Toronto hosting a hotbed of comedic talent. Today we spotted Michael Rapaport out and about and with him were some familiar faces including Logan Lerman and Dean Collins in his entourage. We spotted them heading to Gabby’s on King Street for a bite.

We also spotted Esther Povitsky (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) after her gig at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

 

See our Snaps. Hover cursor right to navigate:

 

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#JFL42 is in high gear! Cool spotting #MichaelRapaport, #EstherPovitsky + #DeanCollins out and about! Rapaport was spotted having drinks at Gabby’s on King Street with Collins and #LoganLerman. #HuaweiP30Pro

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 22, 2019 at 5:15am PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: JONATHAN VAN NESS IN TORONTO FOR JUST FOR LAUGHS

The delightfully-funny Jonathan Van Ness is among the fantastic lineup of comedians in Toronto for the JUST FOR LAUGHS Comedy Festival. The Grooming Expert and star of Netflix’s revival of QUEER EYE venturing into Stand-Up Comedy delivered a spirited set with additional support from others including Naomi Ekperegin, who was a joy.  While he showed room for potential,  he came sharp with observations about Toronto including U.S. Open victress Bianca Andreescu and even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s blackface scandal. Regardless, the audience was forgiving and were able to be won by his personality, dancing and gymnastics even. He jokes he fired his agent for booking him the same night as Lizzo in Toronto, the Singer appearing tonight at Budweiser Stage.

We had the pleasure of meeting him afterwards and he was high on getting everyone to watch what he considered an epic moment in history, the U.S. Women’s Gymnastic Team – The Magnificent Seven’s victory in the 1996 Olympics.

 

See our Snap:

 

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Yassss Queen! A delight seeing #QueerEye’s #JonathanVanNess, who makes his foray into Stand-Up at #JFL42. Such a joy to be around and so much energy. We bonded over #Lizzo and I even got a hug! 💙 #JustforLaughs is on till 9.29.19.

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 20, 2019 at 4:37am PDT

#JFL42 runs through September 29, 2019. More here.

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/JFL42)

 

#FIRSTLOOK: TORONTO’S JFL42 2019 FESTIVAL LINEUP

Running September 19 through 29, 2019, the right annual JFL42 Festival presented by SiriusXM is about to come to Toronto to lift us from those post-TIFF blues! This year is better than ever with a roster of talent that’s fresh and now including the likes of John Mulaney and Pete Davidson, Jonathan Van Ness, Gabrial Iglesias, Nick Kroll, Marc Maron, Eric Andre, How Did This Get Made and icon Carol Burnett all making their way to the City. The latter, just received earlier this year the inaugural Carol Burnett Award for Achievement in Television at the Golden Globe Awards. Her special event will be known as CAROL BURNETT: AN EVENING OF LAUGHTER AND REFLECTION.

The Festival also will feature In Conversations with the likes of Nick Kroll, Michael Rapaport, Steve-O and Cristela Alonzo, as part of the the Festival’s ComedyCon.

Passes go on sale Friday, June 7, 2019 10 AM and single tickets go on sale June 14 at 10:00 AM at www.jfl42.com.

 

(Photo credit: JFL42)

#SPOTTED: T.J. MILLER IN TORONTO FOR THE ALTERNATIVE COMEDY TOUR

Funnyman T.J. Miller finally is seeing the fruits of his labour being front and center where he belongs. After cutting his teeth several years on the stand-up circuit, he headlines his own show tomorrow night as part of his Alternative Comedy Tour which hits Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. He appears tonight in Ottawa.

Making the most of his time here, he has had a whirlwind past couple days doing lots of radio and television including CP24 Breakfast, Your Morning, Q, The Morning Show and The Roz and Mocha Show.  Miller gathered the energy for a radio appearance before the break of dawn, donning a Remembrance Day poppy, soda and Starbucks in his hand. All the caffeines, please. ✔ Don’t act like you haven’t been there!

The star of She’s Out of My League, Silicon Valley, Deadpool and The Emoji Movie filmed a quick cameo here for GOON 2: LAST OF THE ENFORCERS in the City too last year. While he’s known for his signature humour, Miller actually tells The Roz and Mocha Show that his acting roots are more rooted in Horror. He can be seen next alongside Kristen Stewart in Thriller Underwater.

 

See our Snap:

With this funny guy! #TJMiller brings his #AlternativeComedyTour to Sony Centre tomorrow night! #JustforLaughs

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🎅 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 3, 2017 at 4:34am PDT

Click here for tickets to tomorrow night’s show.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/HBO)

#SPOTTED: ALI WONG IN TORONTO HEADLINING JUST FOR LAUGHS

Fame came fast and furious for Ali Wong, the Funnywoman in Toronto to headline the Just for Laughs Festival, selling-out four shows at both Wintergarden Theatre and Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

After honing her craft for many years as an Actress (credits include Oliver Stone‘s Savages and Inside Amy Schumer), a Stand-Up Comedian cutting her teeth before the tough-to-please New York crowd and a Writer (she has penned three seasons of ABC’s Fresh Off The Boat), San Francisco-born Wong gained much popularity through her 2015 Netflix Special, Ali Wong: Baby Cobra.  Almost unheard-of she taped the Special covering several provocative topics, while seven months pregnant.

Wong at Wintergarden Theatre just recorded an upcoming special for Netflix, footage to be taken from two back-to-back shows debuting new material including her new-found perspective as a mom.  She appeared tonight at Sony Centre, her final of four sold-out appearances with hilarious opener Kevin Camia. More here.

While airing her grievances about giving childbirth, she heard the cries of a baby in the audience and a fan with her six-month-old baby came forward to the stage. Wong joked that the point of the Show was to escape babies and questioned whether she was really hearing a baby or if it was actually PTSD!

Not apologizing for taking a pic of this! Amidst sharing her grueling experience as a new mom at #JFL42, a baby starts crying! Someone literally brought their six-month-old to see #AliWong tonight. Brilliant, gut-busting jokes!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 24, 2017 at 6:04pm PDT

 

Despite a really long day, her husband Justin by her side carrying her flowers and bags, Wong made a quick minute for a Selfie.  To clarify, we’re not related… but we could be!!

See our Snap:

Love this girl, who sold-out an impressive four shows headlining #JFL42! Funnywoman #AliWong is Comedy’s new sensation and after her first hit special on Netflix in 2015, she taped her next one tonight here at Winter Garden Theatre. Wong also is the Series Writer on ABC’s #FreshOffTheBoat. Two Wongs truly make a right! #JustForLaughs

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 23, 2017 at 10:07pm PDT

 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)