By Nicholas Porteous and Mr. Will Wong

Just For Laughs Toronto 2026 officially is back, taking place across multiple venues across the City, running from September 24 to October 3, 2026. After a brief hiatus, the beloved comedy festival is stronger than ever. The 10-day event this year features an incredibly studded lineup of headliners (Pete Davidson, Tiffany Haddish, John Cleese), local stand-up showcases (Jacob Balshin), podcasts (Tracy & Martina, The Evil Men Podcast) and live recordings with rising stars.

Nicholas Porteous and Mr. Will check out some of this year’s most-anticipated shows at JFL Toronto and here are your highlights!

TIFFANY HADDISH

Funnywoman Tiffany Haddish brought her fierce confidence to the Elgin Theatre on September 26th, recounting her life story—all the way from her Track & Field days, to finding her father, and next her plans for the future, which include shooting Girls Trip 2 next year, publishing seven books over the next five years, opening multiple grocery stores, and seducing Mark Carney to heal the US-Canada relationship!

She’s also running for President under the slogan “Mind your own damn business” and recruiting a cabinet of people who ‘actually work in government’. Haddish opened the floor to the audience for an extended Q&A following her show, and made plans with a group of rowdy teachers in the back of the audience before taking a bow in the spirited show.

THE SKLAR BROTHERS

Nicholas Porteous had the best time ever at this, his favourite show of the Festival this year! The Sklar Brothers brought their signature synchronistic Twin Comedy stylings to the Comedy Bar Main Stage on September 25th, painting a tragic and hilarious portrait of parenthood. They likened themselves to a North Korean news outlet for their children, and described the lose/lose scenario of showing them (and subsequently ruining) all their favourite movies. They made the case that Obama’s real legacy was actually raising two teenage girls in the White House, playing out a horrific call to dinner. They also pitched their ‘Young Daddy’ app, for when your kids ask for the impossible: intentionally rolling down a hill with them. Before the set was over, they clarified that they do actually enjoy having kids—just in case you weren’t sure! The Sklar Brothers gave Festival Goers a second chance to see them the following night – not that it was easy getting tickets to see this hot act.

PETE DAVIDSON

Almost three years to the last date he played in Toronto, much-talked-about Funnyman Pete Davidson makes a big return to the City, with JFL! The show being sold-out entirely gave fans a chance to preview new material from him after a lengthy absence. While we couldn’t nab a ticket to this, we are thrilled that the reviews are in, and the funnyman is indeed back! Fans in attendance, couldn’t stop raving about his set on the 26th at Meridian Hall:

We caught up with Davidson quickly after the show and he was in great spirits, placing dental hygiene first with toothpaste in-hand!

STEF DAG

Stef Dag confronted Toronto with a tangled web of relationship histories, including a neverending situationship with her dad, a long-distance open relationship with Brad Pitt (and anybody else who doesn’t live nearby!), and a recurring lineup of six “ugly” dudes from Hinge. She celebrated the cosmic joke of Stephen Hawking’s visits to Epstein Island, and spread her conspiracy theory that there are wayyyy fewer than 8 billion people on the planet. If you’re worried about whether she’ll find her soulmate, she knows he’s statistically somewhere in Shanghai. In the meantime, she’s invested in what she jokes is a military-grade vibrator, which she believes is deeply unfair to all men! Dag played two full houses at Comedy Bar Bloor on September 26th and 27th.

JOHN CLEESE

Comedy icon John Cleese regaled (and re-grailed) the Winter Garden Theatre with a screening of timeless classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail, followed by a very silly Q&A. He was delighted by an audience that left their homes to sit in ‘slightly uncomfortable chairs’ to watch a 51 year-old movie, telling them, “You could all be at home enjoying yourselves!”. He shed light on the Film’s unlikely production, including a first draft that was almost completely thrown out, and a quest for £240,000 ($453k CDN) that was mostly successful due to a tax loophole for rock bands supporting the Arts—Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin among the donors.

Cleese emerged after the screening (wearing official killer bunny rabbit slippers) to take the temperature on his classic. “‘”You still like it, do you? I think it’s overrated. It’s very good for about 70 minutes. Then Terry Gilliam took over.”. He described the struggle between the two director Terrys—engaged in a constant back-and-forth throughout production. One Terry re-editing the movie while the other Terry slept. He playfully questioned the audience’s sanity more than once, and reflected on turning down a knighthood in light of his mortality and the whole idea feeling “a bit silly”. If anyone would know, it’s him.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a childhood dream-come-true for Nicholas!

RAY LAU

This Seattle-based Funnyman who went viral for sharing his Steakhouse Date anecdote, plays his biggest show yet at Just for Laughs Toronto, with sold-out shows at Comedy Bar and Bluma Appel Theatre October 2nd and 3rd. Lau delighted the crowd, getting their buy-in from the get-go, having them partake in increasingly-chaotic wave formations. He brought the laughs with a fun dash of relatability and physical comedy, including stories with his girlfriend driving crazy yet being forced to side with her, and also the time he was the lone guy at a Belly Dancing class. He tested the waters with some new material, including the time he put himself in a scary situation, getting offered J Cole tickets via Instagram. The audience loved it up! The buzz is warranted and Ray Lau has the makings of Comedy’s next big breakout star.

LAUREN LAPKUS & MARY HOLLAND

Lauren Lapkus and Mary Holland brought their fantastic, friendship-fuelled improv to the Randolph Theatre October 3rd in The Lauren & Mary Show. They set their sights on air travel and surveyed the audience for stories before delivering a hysterical longform set revolving around mismatched strangers on a plane, fighting over the arm rest and personal space. They branched off into a dream-within-a-dream about botched fox surgery, and a pair of kids trying to impress each other with their non-existent girlfriends before boarding. Several rounds of truth or dare, bathroom breaks, and futile attempts to sleep later, the audience was gasping for air. Hopefully their return trips won’t bear any resemblance to what unfolded on stage.

JOEL KIM BOOSTER

Joel Kim Booster brought a newly-married comedic fire to Randolph Theatre on October 3rd. He described the persistent pleasure of uttering the word “husband” no matter the context, and how he found himself married to a white guy. He also shared his reasoning behind why Jesus was ABSOLUTELY “an annoying gay guy”, how NASA is the biggest waste of resources when we have an unexplored ocean at home, and the reasons Lady Gaga might want to reconsider the bridge lyrics to “Born This Way”. He pointed his biting-but-playful energy at the audience throughout, poking at the line between monogamy and open relationships, who else was part of the “dead dad club”, and how many straight men were in the audience—unaccompanied by a girlfriend, gay friend, or wife. Yours truly was part of that supposedly next-to-nonexistent demo, so JKB’s profile must be—rightfully—on the rise!

Some highlights so far:

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That’s a Wrap! What a comeback for JFL TORONTO! Learn more about the Festival here!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Nicholas Porteous)

Chris pemberton Conor Janda JFL Joel Kim Booster John Cleese Just for Laughs Lauren Lapkus Mary Holland Pete Davidson ray lau Stef Dag the sklar brothers tiffany haddish

Look alive, foolish mortals! We’re dying for you to view our teaser trailer and poster for Disney’s comically creepy adventure “Haunted Mansion,” which will appear in theatres on July 28, 2023.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Justin Simien, the film features an all-star ensemble cast including LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon and Dan Levy, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.

Director Simien says, “As a lifelong fan of the Haunted Mansion attraction, I’m beyond excited to share the teaser trailer for our new film adaptation featuring an incredible cast. Our team has worked tirelessly to create a scary, funny and cinematic otherworldly adventure for both new and die-hard fans to enjoy! I can’t wait for audiences to experience this big screen version of the iconic Disney attraction.”

Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, “Haunted Mansion” is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. The film’s producers are Dan Lin andJonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Screening Passes to see EASTER SUNDAY!

Advance screenings will be held Wednesday, August 3, 2022 in:

Toronto: Cineplex Yonge & Dundas at 7 PM
Vancouver: Cineplex International Village at 7 pm

Synopsis:

Stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy (Jo Koy: In His Elements, Jo Koy: Comin’ in Hot) stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family, in this love letter to his Filipino-American community.

Easter Sunday features an all-star comedic cast that includes Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley series), Tia Carrere (True Lies, Wayne’s World films), Brandon Wardell (Curb Your Enthusiasm series), Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Broadway’s Hadestown), Lydia Gaston (Broadway’s The King and I), Asif Ali (WandaVision), Rodney To (Parks and Recreation series), Eugene Cordero (The Good Place series), Jay Chandrasekhar (I Love You, Man), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) and Lou Diamond Phillips (Courage Under Fire).

Easter Sunday, from DreamWorks Pictures, is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers, The Dukes of Hazzard, I Love You, Man), from a script by Ken Cheng (Sin City Saints series) and Kate Angelo (Sex Tape) based on a story by Ken Cheng.

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!

Rules and regulations here.

Universal Pictures Canada release EASTER SUNDAY August 5, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

JO KOY stars in EASTER SUNDAY! Here’s a first look at the Trailer.

Synopsis:

Stand-up comedy sensation Jo Koy (Jo Koy: In His Elements, Jo Koy: Comin’ in Hot) stars as a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family, in this love letter to his Filipino-American community.

Easter Sunday features an all-star comedic cast that includes Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley series), Tia Carrere (True Lies, Wayne’s World films), Brandon Wardell (Curb Your Enthusiasm series), Tony nominee Eva Noblezada (Broadway’s Hadestown), Lydia Gaston (Broadway’s The King and I), Asif Ali (WandaVision), Rodney To (Parks and Recreation series), Eugene Cordero (The Good Place series), Jay Chandrasekhar (I Love You, Man), Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip) and Lou Diamond Phillips (Courage Under Fire).

Easter Sunday, from DreamWorks Pictures, is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Super Troopers, The Dukes of Hazzard, I Love You, Man), from a script by Ken Cheng (Sin City Saints series) and Kate Angelo (Sex Tape) based on a story by Ken Cheng.

The film is produced by Rideback’s blockbuster producers Dan Lin (The Lego Movie franchise, It franchise) and Jonathan Eirich (Aladdin, The Two Popes), and is executive produced by Nick Reynolds, Joe Meloche, Jo Koy, Jessica Gao, Jimmy O. Yang, Ken Cheng and Seth William Meier.

EASTER SUNDAY arrives in theatres August 5, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

Great news for those of us who loved whodunit series THE AFTERPARTY on Apple TV+! The Series from Oscar winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord will be back for a second season with some exciting new cast additions.

With Tiffany Haddish’s ‘Detective Danner’ back to solve a new case, season two will revolve around a murder at a wedding. Sam Richardson and Zoë Chao will lead the cast alongside Haddish, and will reprise their respective roles as ‘Aniq’ and ‘Zoe.’.

New stars and characters joining the 10-episode second season include:

• Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley,” “The Office”) as ‘Edgar.’
• Elizabeth Perkins (“Sharp Objects,” “Weeds”) as ‘Isabel.’
• Poppy Liu (“Dead Ringers,” “Hacks,” “Better Call Saul”) as ‘Grace.’
• Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird,” “Cruella”) as ’Travis.’ 
• Anna Konkle (“Pen15”) as ‘Hannah.’
• Jack Whitehall (“Travels With My Father,” “Jungle Cruise”) as ‘Sebastian.’
• Vivian Wu (“Away,” “Dead Pigs”) as ‘Vivian.’

(Photo credit: Apple TV+)

Mongrel Media x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT. This is a must-see for Nicolas Cage fans!

Screenings are as follows on Wednesday, April 20, 2022:

• Toronto: Scotiabank Toronto at 7:00 PM
• Montreal (English Version): Cineplex Forum at 7:00 PM 
• Ottawa: Cineplex Cinemas Lansdowne at 7:00 PM 
• Vancouver: Scotiabank Vancouver at 7:00 PM
• Calgary: Scotiabank Chinook at 7:00 PM
• Edmonton: Scotiabank Edmonton at 7:00 PM
• Winnipeg: SilverCity St. Vital at 7:00 PM
• Halifax: Scotiabank Halifax at 7:00 PM

Synopsis:

Nicolas Cage stars as… Nick Cage in the action-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, the fictionalized version of Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal). Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Cage is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and forced to live up to his own legend, channeling his most iconic and beloved on-screen characters in order to save himself and his loved ones. With a career built for this very moment, the seminal award-winning actor must take on the role of a lifetime: Nick Cage.

Directed by: Tom Gormican 

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Lily Sheen, with Neil Patrick Harris, and Tiffany Haddish 

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City of choice. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for an extra chance!

Rules and regulations here.

Mongrel Media release THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT April 22, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media) 

By Justin Waldman

From one of the masterminds between The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, and both 21 & 22 Jump Street, comes a new Crime Thriller to AppleTV+ and it is an absolute delight from start to finish. The entire Series is incredible, with each character getting their moment to shine and share their version of events, all while trying to figure out who committed the ultimate crime – murder. Think if Clue were modern and a TV show, this would be it. Chris Miller knows exactly what he is doing as the Showrunner on this hilarious murderous Thriller, that fans will be heeled over laughing about.

A high school reunion afterparty ends in tragedy, although to be fair who ends up enjoying their high school reunions? Not all of them end in death though, investigated by police about what truly did happen at this afterparty? Everyone is a suspect and Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) has to figure out what happened as her career is practically on the line. The entire show focuses on Xavier (Dave Franco), Brett (Ike Barinholtz), Yasper (Ben Schwartz), Aniq (Sam Richardson), Chelsea (Ilana Glazer), Zoe (Zoe Chao) and Jennifer #1 (Tiya Sircar). The first three episodes focus on Aniq, Brett, and Yasper’s accounts of what happened that night, with each episode telling different accounts that has to be pieced together to find who the real killer is.

The way the show shows the different character arcs and the stories that they each show and how each character has different tales of what happened, truly shows the bigger picture and how it all pieces together. However, what we appreciate most about The Afterparty is the way each character’s story gets its own due moment and room to develop. These Cast truly get the proper opportunity to deliver their best and this is palpable as a viewer.

With comedic powerhouses such Tiffany Haddish, Ilana Glazer, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz and Ben Schwartz, you bet the laughs are plentiful, and the payoff even better. The Afterparty needs to be seen to be believed.

The first three episodes of THE AFTERPARTY are streaming now on Apple TV+, with the new episodes arriving every Friday.

Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “The Lego Movie,” “21 Jump Street”) team together in upcoming Apple TV+ Series THE AFTERPARTY. Here’s a glance at the Trailer.

Synopsis:

“The Afterparty” features a stellar ensemble cast including Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip,” “Like a Boss”), Sam Richardson (“Tomorrow War,” “Veep”), Zoë Chao (“Love Life,” “Downhill”), Ben Schwartz (“Space Force,” “House of Lies”), Ike Barinholtz (“The Mindy Project,” “Neighbors”), Ilana Glazer (“Broad City”), Jamie Demetriou (“Fleabag,” “Stath Lets Flats”) and Dave Franco (“The Rental,” “The Disaster Artist”).Created and directed by Miller, “The Afterparty” is a genre-defying series centered on a murder mystery at a high school reunion. Each episode explores a different character’s account of the fateful evening in question, all through the lens of popular film genres and unique visuals to match the storyteller’s perspective. 

AFTERPARTY arrives January 28, 2022 on Apple TV+.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Best friends Val (Jerrod Carmichael) and Kevin (Christopher Abbott) are having a tough go of it. Val is feeling out of control in his life being stuck at a job he hates and the fear of becoming a father. Kevin tried to kill himself three days ago and now sits in a psychiatric hospital attempting to convince the doctors he’s fine. When Val visits Kevin he decides to break him out. This leads to the two make a pact to end their lives by days end.

This darkly comedic debut feature from Director Jerrod Carmichael is about mental illness, a failed mental health system, the right to bear arms and a love letter to friendship. There are tonal shifts that happen within the script, written by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, but they work. These shifts happen while examining the past traumas of Kevin and Val and pivoting to their binding friendship. There is a brutal honesty that happens between best friends that’s often humorous. Additionally, there’s the ability to trust and confide your darkest truths in a best friend that’s impossible with anyone else. Katcher and Welch incorporate the reality of this relationship within the script and Carmichael controls the shifts on screen.

Not only does Carmichael steers this complex, layered film he also gives a strong performance. Of the two, Val is more level-headed and analytical. His decision to end his life comes from a place of recent depression and loss of control. Carmichael shows this in calculated doses, slowly exposing one layer of his character at a time. On the other hand, Kevin has had horrific trauma happen to him since childhood. A doctor who was supposed to help him, assaulted him. Whenever he has tried to get help, it hasn’t worked. This has made him feel that suicide is the only option. Abbott does a tremendous job of embodying the anguish Kevin carries and the weight of his choice. Further, he has impressive control of switching between a state of calm and unleashed anger.

Throughout, we are left wondering if the two will actually follow through with their pact. Without giving anything away, the ending leaves room for the suicide debate to be discussed. The same goes for the right to bear arms. Throughout this day-in-the-life story, Kevin references the negatives and positives of guns, which they intend to use for their pact. At moments within the script, we see the argument for guns when in a controlled setting, as in the scene at the shooting range. But we also witness the heartbreaking reality of what happens when a gun is in the hands of someone in an uncontrolled setting, this is shown multiple times throughout.

Carmichael makes an assured feature debut that tackles many controversial topics. Overall, On The Count of Three is a poignant look at mental health and the beautiful bond of friendship. It has genuine chemistry between Carmichael and Abbott. And Tiffany Haddish makes an impact with only one scene.

On The Count of Three screens at Sundance:

Live Premiere: January 29 at 9 PM (EST)

On-Demand (available for 24 hours): January 31 at 10 AM (EST)

Paramount Home Entertainment x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a Digital Download of LIKE A BOSS!

SYNOPSIS:
Best friends, Mia and Mel (Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne) are living their best lives, running their own cosmetics company until a villainous beauty mogul (Salma Hayek) conspires to steal it from under them. When her devious plan drives the besties apart, Mia and Mel learn that sticking together is the only way to turn the tables and take their company back. The beauty business is about to get ugly. The film also stars Jennifer Coolidge and Billy Porter.

See the Trailer:

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Rules and regulations here.

Paramount Home Entertainment release LIKE A BOSS on Digital, out now, and on Blu-ray Combo Pack Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)