JFL Vancouver excited to return as Western Canada's largest comedy festival in 2023!
JUST FOR LAUGHS VANCOUVER
EXCITEDLY RETURNS WITH A STAR-STUDDED LINE UP AS WESTERN CANADA’S BIGGEST COMEDY FESTIVAL TAKES OVER VANCOUVER FEBRUARY 16-25, 2023
THE FESTIVAL REVEALS THE FIRST ROSTER OF ARTISTS CONFIRMED WITH PERFORMANCES BY:
OFFICE LADIES - SARAH SILVERMAN - JONATHAN VAN NESS
BAD FRIENDS - PATTON OSWALT - TIM DILLON - JACK WHITEHALL
SUGAR SAMMY - CHRIS DISTEFANO - MARGARET CHO
PETE HOLMES - BENITO SKINNER & MARY BETH BARONE
ARI SHAFFIR - DARCY & JER
AND THAT'S WHY WE DRINK PODCAST - DAN SODER
JOE PERA - RYAN HAMILTON - SARAH SHERMAN - JARED FREID
BASSEM YOUSSEF - MATT RIFE - NICK THUNE - BECKY ROBINSON ADAM PALLY - HANNAH BERNER - STEVE RANNAZZISI - DAVE MERHEJE PAT REGAN- THAT’S MESSED UP: AN SVU PODCAST - JOE DEROSA STEPH TOLEV - BARON VAUGHN - PODCAST BUT OUTSIDE
JORDAN CARLOS - ALI MACOFSKY - GIANMARCO SORESI - GIRL GOD
Presented in association with Creative B.C., the festival is thrilled to reintroduce their Creator Series, with the first guest confirmed surely to be an entertaining afternoon,
A Conversation with Phil Rosenthal!
Presented in association with SiriusXM, the festival is excited to welcome back Best of the West, our series highlighting B.C.’s local talent.
VANCOUVER December 6, 2022 - Back with the best in comedy, Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM, returns with the festival bringing many of today's biggest names in comedy to venues around Vancouver, running from February 16- 25, 2023. The already impressive line-up offers something for everyone with even more names to be announced in the new year!
From your favourite stand-up comedians, to top ranking comedy podcasts, and of course TikTok’s latest sensations, this year’s festival is one not to miss. To get in on all the action, single tickets and 3 Show+ Passes for JFL VANCOUVER will go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 9, 2022 at 10:00am PST at JFLVancouver.com
Performing at the 7th edition of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM,
An Evening with the Office Ladies | Friday, February 24, 2023 | Virgin Plus Series at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 7:00 PM
Despite portraying Dunder Mifflin frenemies Pam Beesly and Angela Martin on the global hit television show, The Office, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey have been best friends for over eighteen years. Since 2019 they have also been co-hosts of the hit weekly podcast Office Ladies sharing behind the scenes stories of their time on the set of The Office and tales of their best friendship. Join them live as they gab with you about The Office, Office Ladies, navigating their early days in Hollywood while becoming best friends, their adventures as Mom Detectives, their mutual love of Keanu and deep dives on everything from the Icelandic Penis Museum to Clacky Balls. This will be an evening of fun, laughter and friendship.
Sarah Silverman: Grow Some Lips | Thursday, February 23, 2023 | Virgin Plus Series at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 7:00 PM
Sarah Silverman is a two-time Emmy Award winning comedian, actress, writer, and producer. She currently hosts her weekly podcast, the critically acclaimed The Sarah Silverman Podcast, available on iTunes and wherever podcasts are available. She can next be seen as the host of TBS’ Stupid Pet Tricks, an expansion of the famous David Letterman late night segment. Silverman previously hosted the Emmy and Writers Guild-nominated Hulu series, I Love You, America. She recently wrapped production on Netflix’s Maestro, a biopic on the life of composer Leonard Bernstein, where she will star opposite Bradley Cooper. She continues to as well lend her voice to several animated series, including Bob’s Burgers. Other upcoming projects include the indie psychological thriller Viral, starring alongside Blair Underwood. This past Spring, Silverman’s off-Broadway musical adaptation of her 2010 memoir The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee had a sold out run with the Atlantic Theater Company.
Fun & Slutty, A Night with Jonathan Van Ness | Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Virgin Plus Series at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 9:30 PM
Jonathan Van Ness is an Emmy-nominated television personality, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, and hairstylist to the stars. He stars on Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning reboot series Queer Eye, where he shines as the hair guru and self-care advocate. He was a 2020 Primetime Emmy nominee for 'Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program' along with his Queer Eye cast mates. Jonathan was also a 2020 People's Choice Award nominee for 'Favorite Reality TV Star' for the second year in a row. He also continues to work on his passion project, his podcast Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. The podcast was named one of the Top Podcasts of 2018 by Time Magazine, and won the iHeart Radio Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast.
Bad Friends with Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino | Thursday, February 16, 2023 | Orpheum Theatre | 8:00 PM
Comedians and friends, Bobby Lee and Andrew Santino present BAD FRIENDS, a weekly comedy podcast with new episodes every Monday. Join them in person for a live recording of the podcast at JFL VANCOUVER!
Patton Oswalt | Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Virgin Plus Series at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 7:00 PM
Patton Oswalt is a multi-hyphenate talented actor, writer, comedian, and award-winning performer. From his comedy specials to more than 200 film and television roles including Parks and Recreation, for which he received a TV Critics Choice Award, Oswalt chooses work that inspires him and entertains audiences. As a comedian, Oswalt has shot eight TV specials and released seven critically acclaimed albums -- in 2009, Oswalt received his first of six Grammy nominations for his album My Weakness Is Strong (Warner Brothers Records). His latest Grammy nomination in 2020 for his comedy album I Love Everything was widely applauded upon release. He recently co-created M.O.D.O.K., a Marvel stop-motion animated adult comedy series for Hulu, and currently co-stars as Principal Durbin on the NBC Universal comedy A.P. Bio.
Tim Dillon | Friday, February 24, 2023 | Virgin Plus Series at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 9:30 PM
Tim Dillon is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He was named one of the “New Faces of Comedy” at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montréal Comedy in 2016. In the same year, he won the title of New York's Funniest at Carolines NY Comedy Festival. In 2017, he was named one of the Top Ten Comics You Need to Know by Rolling Stone Magazine. He had two specials premiere in 2018, a Comedy Central Half Hour and a Netflix Quarter hour. He created and hosts Tim Dillon's Real NY Tour which takes the audience on a double decker bus through Manhattan. He has performed at the Oddball Comedy Festival, the Glasgow Comedy Festival, SXSW, among other festivals. He has been on the Chris Gethard Show on Fusion, Gotham Comedy Live on AXS TV, Fox's Red Eye, Trutv Comedy Knockout, and season two of WYFD with Big Jay Oakerson on Seeso. He hosts a very popular podcast, The Tim Dillon Show.
Jack Whitehall | Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Vogue | 7:00 PM
Jack Whitehall is an award-winning actor, comedian, presenter and writer. Widely celebrated for his hit Netflix show Travels With My Father, his starring role in the BBC’s adaptation of Decline & Fall and Bad Education, he can also be seen in Disney’s The Nutcracker And The Four Realms, Amazon’s Good Omens and Clifford The Big Red Dog. In late 2021, Whitehall starred in Disney’s blockbuster adventure, Jungle Cruise, opposite Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. An acclaimed comedian who loves the stage, his 2019 arena tour, Jack Whitehall: Stood Up, was his biggest-ever stand-up show ever — playing to sold-out arenas across the UK. He then took the tour to Australia, New Zealand and Dubai. He played to packed arenas across the UK on two tours: Jack Whitehall Gets Around and Jack Whitehall: At Large. In early 2021, Netflix filmed his final tour date at Wembley Arena. Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking, now streaming.
Sugar Sammy: Canadian Tour 2023 | Friday, February 17, 2023 | Bell Performing Arts Centre | 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 18, 2023 | The Playhouse | 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM
An international phenomenon, Sugar Sammy has conquered the world of television in Canada and in France. He currently stars in the French version of America’s Got Talent as one of the celebrity judges, reaching 4.2 million viewers per week. Sammy is also a growing force online. His popular Improv Moments clips are YouTube gold, with 200 million views combined across all social media platforms. He’s performed over 1,900 shows in 32 countries, in English, French, Hindi, and Punjabi. His ground-breaking bilingual show, performed in both English and French, sold out 421 performances and 372,000 tickets, making it the best-selling debut one-man show in Québec’s history. He isn’t afraid to offend with his honest assessment of the state of the world. Politically incorrect? Maybe. He leaps right into the cultural divide to hit social and political themes with a combination of charm and finesse that allows him to push the envelope a little further than most. His shows never disappoint and always provoke discussion. You can agree with him or disagree with him, but his natural instinct for comedy and what the New York Times called his “talent for provoking both laughter and outrage” will win you over every time.
Chris Distefano | Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 7:00 PM
Chris Distefano is one of today's biggest and most beloved names in comedy. He quickly rose to success after being named the funniest person on MTV for his show-stopping performances on the Guy Code/Girl Code series. He released his Comedy Central special 38 Waist, which perfectly encompassed both his Brooklyn-born edge and nice-guy charm. When he isn’t on stage delivering his gut-busting jokes, you can catch him in his element on his wildly successful podcasts, Chrissy Chaos and Hey Babe, alongside Impractical Jokers' Sal Vulcano. His second full-length special, Speshy Weshy, premiered on Netflix this past May. Since selling out the world-famous Beacon Theater in New York City, he continues to travel the country on a sold-out comedy tour.
Margaret Cho: Live and LIVID! | Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 7:00 PM
Comedian. Actor. Musician. Advocate. Entrepreneur. Five-time Grammy and Emmy nominee Margaret Cho has been a strong voice in comedy for many years. Vogue Magazine named one of the 9 best female comedians of all time alongside Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner and Wanda Sykes, and she appreciates where she finds herself right now. Cho staunchly supports the causes that are important to her: anti-racism, anti-bullying, gay rights, all while fulfilling her successful creative side with a legendary stand-up career that has yielded 10-plus comedy tours. Her recent television appearances include a guest starring role on Season 2 of HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, guest starring role on Season 2 of HBO Max’s Hacks, and two Netflix is a Joke comedy specials: Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration and Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live – which have expanded her already wide-ranging career, and her role as the ‘mother hen’ in the well-reviewed movie Fire Island which again solidifies why we all love Margaret in the first place.
A Conversation with Phil Rosenthal | Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 5:00 PM
Phil Rosenthal is the award-winning creator, executive producer, and host of Netflix’s hit, Somebody Feel Phil, as well as a New York Times best-selling author. This Emmy-nominated unscripted documentary series combines his love of food and travel with his unique brand of humour. He recently won a 2022 Critics Choice Real TV Award for Best Travel/Adventure Show on behalf of the series, and he also garnered a 2022 James Beard Award nomination. He also recently released Somebody Feed Phil the Book in October 2022, which instantly landed on the New York Times best seller list. He has expanded his love of humour, food, and human connection by launching his first podcast Naked Lunch, in May 2022. Co-hosted with his friend and long-time Rolling Stone journalist David Wild, each episode of this weekly talk-show podcast features a special, world-renowned guest to discuss what’s going on in their lives – “an informal meeting of wits, minds and hearts” – while eating lunch from some of his favourite local LA eateries.
Pete Holmes | Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 8:00 PM
Pete Holmes is the creator and star of HBO's Crashing, produced by Judd Apatow; and TBS' The Pete Holmes Show, produced by Conan O'Brien. He's also the star of CBS' How We Roll as well as two HBO stand-up comedy specials. Holmes is also the voice of the e*trade baby and was a guest writer/star on multiple episodes of The Simpsons. He's proud to be the dumbest Batman on the YouTube series, Badman. He hosts of the wildly popular You Made It Weird podcast and is the author of Comedy Sex God. He wrote this bio in third person. He napped shortly thereafter.
Benito Skinner & Mary Beth Barone | Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Vogue Theatre |
9:30 PMBenito Skinner is an American comedian, actor and writer. With his internet persona Benny Drama, he has garnered widespread success and recognition for his celebrity impressions and original characters. Skinner was featured in Variety’s 2021 Comics to Watch and was also nominated for an MTV Movie & TV Award. He has collaborated with an impressive list of talent including Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Kourtney Kardashian to name a few. Skinner’s stand-up show, Overcompensating, became an international sell-out success with milestone shows at the New York Comedy Festival and Just For Laughs Montreal where he was the only member of JFL Montreal, New Faces of Comedy prestigious cohort to also have a one-hour show. Skinner recently completed production on FOX’s MarVista and Amy Poehler’s film First Time Female Director. Skinner can most recently be seen recurring in Peacock’s remake of the 1999 hit series, Queer as Folk, as Jack Cole Jordan. He also appeared in the fourth season of the HBO Max original series Search Party.
Mary Beth Barone is a comedian, writer, and actor. She made her late-night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in March 2021. Barone headlined a sold-out show at The Gramercy Theatre as a part of New York Comedy Festival 2021. Her stand-up has been (accurately) described as dark post-modernism and ingeniously self-aware. She was named one of Time Out New York's Women of the Year as well as one of Vulture's Comedians You Should Know in 2020. She is also the co-host of the popular Spotify podcast, Obsessed, with Benito Skinner. Barone is also the host of Drag His Ass: A F*ckboy Treatment Program, which was adapted from the live show for Comedy Central. Drag His Ass recently had a sold out run at London's Soho Theatre.
Ari Shaffir | Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 9:30 PM
Ari Shaffir is best known for the storytelling show he created and hosted on Comedy Central called This Is Not Happening. His last Netflix special, Double Negative won a Grammy for best comedy special before the award committee realised it was too filthy and didn't represent the high standards that the Grammy's has long since stood for so the honour was stripped from him. Ari has had numerous appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, as well as WTF with Marc Maron, The Adam Carolla Show, Your Mom's House. His own podcast, Ari Shaffir's Skeptic Tank is a chart topper that comes out every week wherever you watch or listen to podcasts. He is the reigning president of the LOS podcast to which he has no affiliation. The deal is, this is a dirty show. It's not all offensive but definitely some parts are offensive. So don't bring that one friend in your friend group who makes that tsk noise a lot. Just tell them you're doing something else or your grandmother died, or your grandmother killed somebody and you’ve got to be a character witness. Whatever. Just don't bring them. But everybody else can for sure come.
Darcy and Jer IRL (that means in real life, please don’t touch us!) | Friday, February 17, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 7:00 PM
Jumping off your phone and into your hearts in real life, join comedian and accidental TikTok stars Darcy Michael & his husband Jeremy Baer live on stage for an evening of comedy, gossip and more. Darcy, alongside his husband Jer, are TikTok Stars (@thedarcymichael) having amassed over 3 million followers, and 100 million likes, in the last year of being on the platform. Darcy is also a successful actor for his stand-up comedy with a Crave special Darcy Michael Goes to Church.
And That’s Why We Drink: On The Rocks Tour | Friday, February 24, 2023 | Vogue Theatre | 9:30 PM
Hosted by Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer, And That's Why We Drink is an award-winning comedy podcast, where the paranormal and true crime meet. Launched in February 2017, each new episode is a deep dive into whatever paranormal and true crime stories the hosts are obsessing over that week. The podcast has over 124 million lifetime downloads, and is consistently ranked in the top 20 on the comedy podcast charts. The podcast is the winner of the multiple People’s Voice “Webby” award for Best Comedy Podcast. In May 2022, they released their first book together called A Haunted Road Atlas -- which debuted on the New York Times bestsellers list. They have been touring the show since 2018 -- with their latest live tour, Here for the Boos, selling out across North America.
Dan Soder | Friday, February 24, 2023 at 9:30 PM, and Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Rio Theatre
Dan Soder is a New York City based comedian and actor best known as Mafee on the hit series Billions on Showtime. His first HBO comedy special, Son of a Gary, premiered in December 2019 and is streaming now. His previous special, The Standups premiered on Netflix in 2017 and his first hour-long stand-up special, Not Special, premiered on Comedy Central in 2016. Other credits include: Comedy Central’s Half Hour, Conan, Inside Amy Schumer, and @midnight. Soder also hosts Sirius XM’s The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson, every Monday through Thursday at 6PM ET on Comedy Central Radio.
Joe Pera | Tuesday, February 21, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM
Joe Pera is a standup comedian, writer, and filmmaker living in New York, NY. Pera is best known for his current Adult Swim series, Joe Pera Talks With You, which The L.A. Times refers to as ‘TV’s quietest, most artful comedy’. He has performed his subdued standup on Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Comedy Central. After his animated special Joe Pera Talks You To Sleep, he followed up with other projects for Adult Swim including Joe Pera Helps You Find the Perfect Christmas Tree and Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera. Season 3 of Joe Pera Talks With You is now available to stream on HBO Max; and Joe can also be seen appearing on season 5 of HBO Max’s Search Party. Joe has also directed a number of film and TV projects including Conner O'Malley's Truthhunters, a pilot for Comedy Central. Pera’s new book A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping or Peeing But Using the Bathroom as an Escape is out now, and on the USA TODAY best seller list.
Ryan Hamilton | Saturday, February 18 & Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 7:00 PM
Ryan Hamilton is a stand-up comedian with countless credits to his name. His one-hour Netflix stand-up special, Happy Face, has been reviewed as “the special you can’t watch enough times.” This has been followed by a wealth of television appearances and a nonstop headlining tour. Armed with the unique perspective of growing up in rural Idaho to become a favourite in the New York stand-up comedy scene, he’s one-of-a-kind. He’s been named one of Rolling Stone’s Five Comics to Watch; and his recent TV appearances include The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Conan, as well as performing opening spots for Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan.
Sarah Sherman | Thursday, February 16 at 9:30 PM & Friday, February 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Biltmore Cabaret
Sarah Sherman aka Sarah Squirm is currently a featured player on Saturday Night Live. Outside of the show, she is known for her unconventional and popular live show, Helltrap Nightmare. She was chosen as one of the 2021 Just For Laughs’ Montreal’s New Faces of Comedy. She was also named one of Vulture's Comics to Watch for 2018 and one of Time Out Magazine’s Five Comics to Watch for 2017. She has opened for Eric Andre’s national tour and wrote on The Eric Andre Show; and she was staffed on the Adult Swim series Three Busy Debras and Netflix’s Magic for Humans. Sherman also wrote, directed, and starred in Sarah Vaccine, a short film that Paper Magazine described as a “maniacal, gross-out and overwhelming response to [our] lockdown hell”.
Jared Freid | Wednesday, February 22 at 9:30 PM & Thursday February 23, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Rio Theatre
Jared Freid is a stand-up comedian based out of New York City, with a strong focus on dating and relationships. His comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if you know a lot of millennials that are obsessing over dating apps, trying to be real adults, and worrying about their bodies. He has performed on The Tonight Show and was named a 2017 New Faces of Comedy at Montréal’s Just For Laughs festival. He co-hosts two podcasts U Up? with Jordana Abraham, where they discuss their takes on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hook-ups to relationships. Additionally, Jared’s JTrain podcast boasts over 450,000 listeners weekly. He recently launched his new show Dating Makeover, a podcast presented by Spotify. Every Sunday night, fans can join in on the conversation and get advice directly from Freid. In 2019, he released his first full-length comedy album Always a Momma Bear through Virtual Comedy Network. In 2021, his special Socially Distanced… Of Course, premiered on YouTube to critical acclaim and rave reviews.
Bassem Youssef | Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00PM & Thursday, February 23 2023 at 9:30 PM | Rio Theatre
Dubbed the “Jon Stewart of the Arab World”, cardiac surgeon, Bassem Youssef was the host of popular TV show, Al Bernameg – the first political satire shows in the Middle East which quickly became the most-watched show across the Middle East with 30 million viewers every week, and over a million subscribers to its YouTube channel. Throughout its three seasons, it was controversial through its humorous yet bold criticism of the region’s ruling powers, which led to multiple lawsuits filed against the show and its host. In June 2014, Youssef announced the termination of the show due to overwhelming pressures on both the show and the broadcaster. Shortly after, Youssef moved to the U.S. and has appeared as a Senior Middle East Correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, plus hosted a digital series, The Democracy Handbook. Youssef released a book about his experience: Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring. He was named among the Time Magazine most influential list for 2013; and was awarded the International Press Freedom Award by the CPJ. He was chosen by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the global thinkers during the same year. Youssef currently performs his one-man show, LATE FOR DEMOCRACY around the globe.
Matt Rife | Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 9:30 PM | Biltmore Cabaret
Matt Rife is one of the hottest up-and-coming comedians in the industry. His style is refreshingly genuine and quick witted. Performing since the age of 15 in Columbus, Ohio, he started his career opening for comedians such as Dane Cook, Ralphie May, and DeRay Davis. Rife made his television debut when he became the youngest cast member in history on MTV’s Wild N Out. He performed on the show for 4 seasons before moving on to hosting MTV’s reboot of TRL. He also appeared on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fresh Off The Boat, MTV’s The Challenge, and BET’s North Of The 10. Rife competed in NBC’s comedy competition show Bring The Funny and self-produced his first 1- Hour Comedy Special Only Fans. He is now based in Los Angeles and headlining his own tour across the country.
Nick Thune | Thursday, February 23 at 7:00 PM & Friday, February 24, 2023 at 9:30 PM | Biltmore Cabaret
Nick Thune, comedian / actor, hails from the Great Northwest (Seattle), where he spent his early years growing up. His absurdist view and deadpan wit have distinguished his unique style of storytelling mixed with one-liners. Thune has appeared on The Tonight Show 10 times, Conan twice, and Late Night once. On each occasion, he won. He performs comedy to sold out crowds across the country and around the world, and has performed at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montréal, as well as SXSW, Bonnaroo, The JFL Moontower Comedy Festival, The Dublin Comedy Festival, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and many others.
Becky Robinson | Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 9:30 PM
Becky Robinson is an LGBTQ+ LA-based comedian, writer, actor and voice-over star. You may also know her as the “Entitled Housewife”, the outspoken viral golf character. Robinson created and co-starred in the two virtual comedy variety specials she self-produced. Her explosively unique characters and viral videos have racked up millions of views on social media. Her new original song Mama Needs a Claw was the anthem of the summer. In addition to touring internationally as a stand-up comedian, Robinson was named a 2022 “New Faces of Comedy” at JFL Montréal where her stand out multi-character performance landed her a development deal and a number of voiceover jobs with DreamWorks, Nickelodeon and Netflix. In 2016, she was cast on MTV’s Wild ’N Out with Nick Cannon where she also put out a Wild ’N Out Stand Up Special. Currently, Robinson voices ``Parker J. Cloud ''in Nickelodeon’s all-new animated series Middlemost Post.
An Intimate Evening with Adam Pally | Friday, February 17, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 7:00 PM
Songs, Stories and Jokes come together just like momma used to make it. Enjoy the stories, sing along to the songs, hopefully think the jokes are in fact jokes and the price of the ticket and commute and being around a bunch of strangers was worth it. I, uh, I mean whoever is writing this, definitely not Adam Pally, is so thankful for the opportunity to entertain you.
Hannah Berner | Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 9:30 PM
Hannah Berner was born in Brooklyn, New York and played competitive tennis 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 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, and has over 1.4 million followers across her social media platforms. She currently performs standup in NYC and at clubs and theatres around the country. In 2022, she was part of the prestigious cohort of JFL Montreal, New Faces of Comedy. Berner is an advocate for mental health, animals, and napping.
Steve Rannazzisi | Friday, February 24, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 7:00 PM
For over 13 years, from the stage to the silver screen, Steve Rannazzisi has made audiences laugh. Currently, Rannazzisi stars and writes alongside Katie Aselton, Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Jonathan Lajoie, and Paul Scheer on the critically acclaimed FX Network comedy series, The League, which is produced by Jeff and Jackie Schaffer. Rannazzisi recently filmed his second, one-hour comedy special, Breaking Dad, at the historic Wilbur Theatre in Boston. The special premiered on Comedy Central this past fall, and follows Rannazzisi’s 2013 critically acclaimed Comedy Central special Steve Rannazzisi: Manchild. Earlier this year, Rannazzisi wrapped up his national Strawberry Blonde Ambition comedy tour, and he is currently the spokesman for the sports restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings.
Dave Merheje: MY DEAR ANXIETY | Thursday, February 16, 2023 | Rio Theatre | 9:30 PM
Dave Merheje is considered to be one of the most original standup voices on the comedy scene today. His multiple award-winning act has gained a loyal following across North America with his “no fear” approach on stage and a comedy style best described as aggressive in-your-face funny. His first comedy special aired in Australia on ABC2. His second special Good Friend Bad Grammar won the 2019 Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year. His third special Beautifully Manic, can be seen on Netflix as part of Comedians of the World, and his fourth special titled I Love You Habibi recently premiered on Crave this past summer. Dave is a regular at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montréal, and has made multiple appearances at JFL TORONTO, Winnipeg Comedy Festival, the Halifax Comedy Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in Australia, and tours clubs and theatres regularly. Merheje was a regular contributor on MTV Live, he played Mr. Bechara on CBC’s Mr. D, and he currently co-stars in the critically-acclaimed comedy series Ramy on Hulu and Crave.
Pat Regan | Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
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 spent the past few years focusing exclusively on stand-up. He has performed at venues across the city, including Caroline’s on Broadway, Ars Nova, Littlefield, Union Hall, Knitting Factory, The Bell House, and The Duplex with his stand up shows Unsuccessful by Choice (FKA “Pat Regan: Unrepped and Loving It!”) and Essgay. He has performed at numerous festivals including Outside Lands, NY Comedy Festival, the Michigan LGBT ComedyFest, NYTVF, Podfest NYC, Vulture Festival, and Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Regan has been featured in publications such as New York Times, Out, Vulture, and most recently Paper Magazine. He 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.
That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast|Monday, February 20, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
Comedians and amateur detectives Liza Treyger and Kara Klenk host a live episode of their hit podcast That’s Messed Up where they break down a classic episode of Law & Order: SVU. There will be games, gossip and more! These are their stories! Dun Dun! A special episode of the That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, will be recorded live at this year's JFL Vancouver festival!
Joe DeRosa | Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Biltmore Theatre | 9:30 PM
Joe DeRosa has made a name for himself in comedy and entertainment with six top-ten charting stand-up albums and a multitude of performances on television, radio, and in comedy clubs across the country and around the world. His one-hour special titled You Let Me Down premiered on Comedy Central in 2017, which he wrote, performed and directed. He had a recurring role on AMC’s Better Call Saul as crooked veterinarian Dr. Caldera; and he hosts two successful podcasts, We’ll See You In Hell with Patrick Walsh, where the two review genre movies, and Taste Buds—a food debate show with Impractical Jokers’ Sal Vulcano. Additionally, his writing has been featured on HBO’s Crashing, Comedy Central’s Jeff and Some Aliens and Netflix’s Wet Hot American Summer, as well as The Pete Holmes Show.
Steph Tolev: Canadian Darling | Friday, February 24, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
Steph Tolev can be seen on Netflix’s Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill and Netflix’s The Best of the Netflix is a Joke Fest special. She was featured on Comedy Central’s The Ringers stand up series, as well as the second season of Unprotected Sets on Epix. She was named one of Comedy Central’s Up Next Comics to Watch, and a Comedian You Should and Will Know by Vulture Magazine. Steph appeared in HBO’s Corporate, and starred in an episode of the Sarah Silverman-produced Please Understand Me. Her most recent album I’m Not Well garnered her a Juno nomination for Comedy Album of the Year.
Baron Vaughn | Friday, February 17, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 9:30 PM
Best known as Bud in Netflix’s hit series, Grace & Frankie, Baron Vaughn has been a comedian this entire time! He's been featured on 2 Dope Queens, Conan, and co-created The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn & Open Mike Eagle for Comedy Central. You can also hear his silky voice as "Tom Servo" in Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Podcast but Outside|Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
What up players! After interviewing their dream guest Jon Hamm on their 100th episode, Podcast But Outside has now set its sights on an even juicier white whale: doing live indoor shows! Hosts Cole Hersch and Andrew Michaan are bringing their “interview strangers on the street” podcast to the stage, and it’s totally legal and there’s nothing you can do to stop them. Will they interview you? Will they bring in some random people off the street? Yeah, probably. You don't need to know anything about this podcast or the world in general to enjoy the show, it's a very exciting and perfect event for everyone, come find out why!
Jordan Carlos|Saturday, February 18, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
Jordan Carlos is a stand-up comedian, and actor, who is currently co-starring and writing on the first season of Everything’s Trash. He has also written for Divorce, written/performed for The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, and First Wives Club. He has also had acting roles Black Mirror, and the Home Alone reboot on Disney+. Other notable writing credits include The White House Correspondents Dinner in 2016 as well as The Not The White House Correspondents Dinner with Samantha Bee in 2017. In addition, Carlos co-hosts the hit podcast Adulting on WNYC with comedian Michelle Buteau. On top of this, Carlos hosts a new show called Can We Talk About This? for AMC+ where guests discuss the more problematic aspects of their favourite classic movies.
Ali Macofsky|Sunday, February 19, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 9:30 PM
Ali Macofsky is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer who began her comedy career at the age of 7 when she would join Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM every weekday morning and prank call listeners as her character Lil Ally. She has continued to pursue comedy ever since. 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. Most recently, Macofsky was named one of the 2022 cohorts of the prestigious Just For Laughs Montréal, New Faces of Comedy showcases. Her voice on and off stage has captured a wide range of fans who gravitate toward her honest, relatable sense of humour and unique perspective on life.
Gianmarco Soresi: I’m So Lonely I Always Pick The Middle Urinal Tour | Thursday, February 16, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 7:00 PM
Gianmarco Soresi is an actor, stand-up comic, 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. He is the host of the popular podcast The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi. He appeared in the Billy Crystal/Tiffany Haddish film, Here Today; and has appeared in roles on Netflix’s Bonding, Deception, Blue Bloods and in the feature film, Hustlers opposite Jennifer Lopez. He has hosted programs for IBM and MTV and was the spokesperson for General Electric.
Girl God with Grace Freud and April Clark | Saturday, February 25, 2023 | Biltmore Cabaret | 9:30 PM
Girl God is a comedy and writing duo featuring April Clark and Grace Freud. Their live shows are surreal, interactive performances with jokes from their trans and queer perspective that are actually funny and not just looking for applause. With sold out shows in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles--not to mention sketches that have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times online--Girl God is the most popular trans comedy group performing today, if not ever.
Our local showcase, Best of the West, presented by SiriusXM, is back, highlighting some of Canada’s rising talent!
This year’s line-up includes:
Ola Dada’s Black Out Comedy, Camp! Comedy!, Citizen Hurricane, Comedy Bucket, Comedy Feast, Comedy Pants, Comedy World, Cutie Pie Comedy, Drag Brunch with the Established Shanda Leer, Fistful of Kicks: Kickass Asian Comedy, Full Pint Comedy, Maestro, Millennial Line, MSG Comedy, Mufaro Mbudzi’s Scheduled Meditation, New Moon Comedy, Normal Good, Sunday Night Stand Up Comedy, Sunset Comedy, The Ryan & Amy Show, The Sasha Ha-Ha Show, Vancouver Special
Plus, many more!
Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is proud to welcome its partners SiriusXM Canada, Province of B.C., Creative B.C., BCLC, Virgin PLUS, Destination Vancouver, Phillips Brewing & Malting, Downtown Van, Vancouver Sun, and DailyHive to its 2023 event.
FESTIVAL TICKET DETAILS:
All tickets for Just For Laughs VANCOUVER can be purchased at JFLVancouver.com
ABOUT JUST FOR LAUGHS VANCOUVER:
Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is Western Canada’s biggest comedy festival, and a notable tourist attraction that brings thousands of comedy-lovers to see high-profile national and international comedians alongside local talent to Vancouver in February each year, at multiple venues throughout Vancouver.
Global leaders in comedy, Just for Laughs Group has been launching and championing top comedic talent - from Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong, Hasan Minhaj, Trevor Noah, and countless others for close to 40 years. Founded in 1983, the company is a vertically integrated international powerhouse in the creation of multiplatform comedic content. Every year, millions of spectators are entertained at its worldwide festivals, from Montréal – the biggest comedy event in the world – to Toronto and Vancouver, Canada; Austin, U.S.A.; London, UK; and Sydney, Australia; featuring thousands of Canadian and international comedians - from well-established artists to aspiring up-and-comers. With concentrated growth on television development and production, the Group’s digital and televised content is shown in over 150 countries and followed by an online audience of over 14 million. In addition, the Group produces touring shows, stages its own musicals, provides talent management services for Quebec artists and is the originator of the ComedyPRO and JPR Pro industry conferences together with the daytime, fan centric, ComedyCON event. For more information, visit www.hahaha.com
Join us on social media
#JFLVAN2023
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JFLVAN
Twitter: @JFLVancouver
Instagram: @JFLVancouver
TikTok: @JFLVancouver
Press Contact:
C2C Communications
[email protected]