Montreal Aspires to Reclaim its Title as the Comedy Capital
C'mon Over to the Laughing City! Montreal's Just For Laughs Fest Resurrects from July 16 to 27
Get ready to crack up, laughter lovers! Montreal's Just For Laughs festival is back after taking a much-awaited break, and it's pulling out all the stops for a grand comeback.
On a sunny morning at the Lion d'or, Sylvain Parent-Bédard, head honcho of our very own organization, shared some exciting news. He took the leap from founding the Grand Rire de Québec (which eventually became ComediHa! Fest) to leading Just For Laughs, a 25-year-old comedy titan.
His newly formed team recently unveiled their jaw-dropping lineup post taking over several assets of the comedy giant in March 2024. But unlike their attempt in July 2024, this edition of Just For Laughs won't be a faint echo of its former glory.
Last time around, the much-anticipated ComediHa! Fest in Montreal was lacking the splendor of a true Just For Laughs festival, and its English counterpart was reduced to a mere shadow of itself. But this time, it's a whole new ballgame!
The upcoming Montreal edition of Just For Laughs, now known as the Just For Laughs Quebec Festival (yes, it can get a tad confusing), is aiming high. Their mission? To bring laughter-makers from all corners of the French-speaking world under one roof—especially during a star-studded “World Humor” gala hosted by Mehdi Bousaidan.
Mark your calendars for July 19, because the Theatré Maisonneuve is going to be sizzling with performances from French comedians Jarry, Elena Nagapetyan, Waly Dia, Caroline Vigneaux, Nordine Ganso, Laurie Perret, Belgian Sarah Lelé, Franco-Ontarian Katherine Levac, and Quebecers Laurent Paquin, Rachid Badouri, and Anas Hassouna.
It's no coincidence that a montage of the festival's amazing moments showed a clip of American comedian Steve Martin exclaiming that "every summer, Montreal becomes the Mecca of humor."
A Comedy Mecca Reborn
Sylvain Parent-Bédard believes that reincarnating Just For Laughs was a no-brainer. He claims that the rise of comedy hubs like Los Angeles' Netflix Is A Joke doesn't diminish Montreal's unique charm. After all, it's the only bilingual summer camp where the laughs never stop!
Out of the 130 employees of Just For Laughs, 20–30 have been brought back, primarily on the English side. New programming director of Just For Laughs, Nick Brazao, who's been with the company for 15 years, is also back on board.
On April 23rd, the identities of the hosts for the upcoming August edition in Quebec were revealed. For Montreal, the popular gala format won't be revived—but some shows bear a striking resemblance, like the “Best of the Decades” series at Duceppe from July 16th to 20th.
Each edition will feature six to eight comedians associated with the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, or 2020s. The event aims to cater to a broad audience to sell as many tickets as possible.
Just For Laughs programming director Josée Charland revealed about 80% of the indoor schedule on Thursday. The rest, along with the outdoor events, will be announced later. And for those aspiring comedians—never fear! Charland promises a parallel, off-the-radar event featuring rising stars at this year's festival. "The important thing," she summarizes, "is diversity."
So put on your jester hats and comedian caps, because Montreal's Just For Laughs festival is ready to make you laugh your socks off from July 16 to 27! Check out the insane lineup and join in the festivities!
- The Just For Laughs Quebec Festival, formerly known as the Just For Laughs festival, aims to bring comedians from various French-speaking regions across the world to Montreal for a grand comedy event.
- On July 19, prominent French comedians like Jarry, Elena Nagapetyan, Waly Dia, and Caroline Vigneaux will be performing at the Theatré Maisonneuve, alongside Belgian Sarah Lelé, Franco-Ontarian Katherine Levac, and Quebecers Laurent Paquin, Rachid Badouri, and Anas Hassouna.
- Sylvain Parent-Bédard, the head of Just For Laughs, believes that Montreal's comedy festival maintains its unique charm despite the rise of comedy hubs like Los Angeles' Netflix Is A Joke.
- Nick Brazao, the new programming director of Just For Laughs and a 15-year veteran of the company, is also back on board for the festival's July edition.
