JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDYPRO RETURNS THIS SUMMER
JUST FOR LAUGHS
COMEDYPRO
RETURNS THIS SUMMER WITH SOME OF TODAY’S MOST BUZZWORTHY COMEDY PODCASTS, CAST PANELS, IN CONVERSATIONS, AN UNFORGETTABLE TABLE READ AND INDUSTRY ADDRESSES SURE TO BE THE TALK OF THE TOWN
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THE RECIPIENTS OF THE PRESTIGIOUS 2023
JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW
ARE REVEALED!
This year’s recipients include,
QUINTA BRUNSON to accept COMEDY PERSON OF THE YEAR
BERT KREISCHER to accept STAND UP COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR
RONNY CHIENG to accept BREAKOUT COMEDY STAR OF THE YEAR
And
MAE MARTIN to accept RISING COMEDY STAR OF THE YEAR
With additional recipients to be announced soon!
ComedyPRO runs from July 26 – July 29, 2023
For the complete programming, and information on industry passes, go to:
www.comedypro.hahaha.com
MONTRÉAL June 22, 2023 - Just For Laughs’ ComedyPRO returns with their exceptional annual global gathering for the comedy industry's biggest players. This four-day industry experience grants exclusive access to a wide range of highly sought-after events, including captivating keynotes, pitch panels, entertaining cast panels, networking events, and live comedy podcasts. Additionally, ComedyPRO is proud to present the annual, prestigious Just For Laughs Awards Show and red carpet, which is one of the most buzzworthy events of the festival. The awards honour and celebrate iconic and influential names in comedy that span generations, creating a memorable and star-studded afternoon that embodies the spirit of the comedy industry.
JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW
JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARD SHOW - Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 3:00 PM
Hands-down, the funniest celebration with the biggest stars in comedy is the Just for Laughs Award Show! Don't miss the raucous festivities and sincere camaraderie as friends, mentors, and fellow comics honor the comedy stars who made us laugh the most in 2023.
This year’s recipients include:
Comedy Person of the Year - Quinta Brunson
The multi-talented Emmy award-winning actor, producer, writer, and creator, Quinta Brunson, has rapidly emerged as a prominent figure and game changer in the entertainment industry. She
has been recognized as one of Time 100's Most Influential People, Forbes' 30 Under 30, and The Hollywood Reporter's Next Gen Rising Young Stars. Brunson made history as the first Black
woman to receive three Emmy nominations and win in the "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" category for her ABC series, Abbott Elementary. The show has garnered numerous awards and nominations, including five Golden Globe and six Critics Choice Awards among many other awards. Brunson was named one of the Just For Laughs New Faces: Creators in 2017, and since then, she has continued to make waves in the industry with her exceptional talent and groundbreaking work. The festival is honored to have her return this year to accept the JFL Award for "Comedy Person of the Year".
Stand Up Comedian of the Year - Bert Kreischer
Bert Kreischer’s career has evolved from earning Rolling Stone’s 1997 “Number One Partier in the Nation”, to one of the top grossing stand-up comics in the business. Ranked #4 in Pollstar's "Top 10 Highest Grossing Tours" in 2022, Kreischer performs to sold-out arenas worldwide on his ongoing 2023 Tops Off World Tour and this summer’s Fully Loaded Comedy Festival. Renowned for his storytelling abilities, he authentically shares tales of family and fatherhood, showcasing how he seamlessly brings his party-boy persona into middle-age. On March 14th, 2023, Kreischer released his highly anticipated 5th stand-up special, Razzle Dazzle on Netflix. Shameless — and shirtless — as ever, Bert spills on bodily emissions, being bullied by his kids, and the explosive end to his family's escape room outing. His stand-up specials, Secret Time, The Machine, and Hey Big Boy are also currently streaming on Netflix. Additionally, he stars in and produced the 2023 film The Machine, based on his own experiences with Russian mobsters during a college trip. Alongside his successful comedy career, Kreischer is a celebrated podcaster, hosting Bertcast and co-hosting Two Bears One Cave with Tom Segura. As the founder of Berty Boy Productions, his media company supports various podcasts, including Wife Of The Party and the digital series, Something's Burning. Bert Kreischer continues to captivate audiences with his humor and versatile talent and the festival is honored to have him return this year to accept the JFL Award for "Stand Up Comedian of the Year”
Breakout Comedy Star of the Year – Ronny Chieng
Stand-up comedian, actor and correspondent on The Daily Show, Ronny Chieng has broken out with a mega successful acting career, starring in the worldwide hit film, Warner Bros’ Crazy Rich Asians. In addition to Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Disney's Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., Universal’s M3GAN, NBC's Young Rock, Disney+ series American Born
Chinese, amongst his comedy specials currently available to stream on Netflix. Next, fans will see him in Hulu’s upcoming series Interior Chinatown. The festival is honored to have him return this year to accept the JFL Award for "Breakout Comedy Star of the Year”.
Rising Comedy Star of the Year- Mae Martin
Award winning comedian, actor, writer, and producer, Mae Martin is seeing their star rise to fame at record speed. Their hit Netflix series, Feel Good is a scripted, semi-autobiographical comedy drama series, which they also created and co-wrote continues to collect international awards and nominations, making it one of the most trending series on the platform. They are also an accomplished author of Can Everyone Please Calm Down?: A Guide to 21st Century Sexuality, published in May 2019 by Hachette imprint Wren and Rook. Their standup specials have garnered rave reviews. First, Netflix’s Dope, which focuses on addiction; and most recently, Netflix’s SAP that continues to rake in high praise from critics and fans. The festival is honoured to have them return this year to accept the JFL Award for “Rising Comedy Star of the Year”.
SPECIAL EVENTS
AIRPLANE! Live All-Star Cast Read directed by David Zucker - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 4:00 PM
Join us in celebrating the 43rd anniversary of the ground-breaking and legendary comedy film, AIRPLANE! with a raucously fun live staged reading of select scenes from the original script, by an All-Star cast of comedians and surprise fan-favorite guests. Writer-Director David Zucker will then join us "In Conversation" for candid insights and stories from his upcoming book, Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! (St. Martin’s Press, Oct, 3, 2023).
CAST PANELS
Universal Television presents: The Cast of KILLING IT - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 2:30 PM
Meet the cast of KILLING IT, Peacock's hit series about class, capitalism, and one man’s quest to achieve the American Dream. But first he has to overcome vicious criminals, nature run wild, and worst of all, corporate America. This panel will feature never-before-seen clips from the series’ upcoming sophomore season, and hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from its stars who are sure to leave you laughing! KILLING IT, Season 2 returns this summer on Peacock.
Panel Features:
Craig Robinson (The Office, Hot Tub Time Machine)
Rell Battle (Superior Donuts)
and Claudia O'Doherty (Our Flag Means Death, Love)
HULU presents THIS FOOL: Sneak Peek Screening And Cast Conversation – Wednesday, July 26, 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 4:30 PM
Join us for a special sneak peek screening of the season two premiere episode of the critically acclaimed HULU series THIS FOOL and a conversation with its “primo” stars, Chris Estrada and Frankie Quiñones. Chris and Frankie will discuss their journey from stand up to scripted TV, their hilarious on-screen dynamics and the importance of authentic on-screen representation. If we are lucky, they may even give some hugs to us thugs. THIS FOOL season two premieres on July 28th on Hulu.
Panel Features:
Chris Estrada
Frankie Quiñones
CRAVE presents: The Cast and Creators of THE DESSERT –Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 3:00 PM
Crave serves up the next generation of irreverent Canadian sketch comedy with an all-out, boundary-pushing expedition to the edge of decency. Join the executives, cast and creators of THE DESSERT as they take us through the creative development process of this audacious and rapid-fire celebration of the absurd. Executive Produced by Bruce McCulloch (Kids In the Hall), and Produced by LaRue Entertainment and Platonic Friends Productions the series premieres on Crave July 7th.
This panel discussion will be moderated by Executive Producer, Max Kerman (Arkells),
joined by:
Shane Cunningham, Co-Creator/Writer/Actor/Producer
Jonathan Popalis, Co-Creator/Head Writer/ Producer
Mike Veerman, Co-Creator/Writer/Director/Producer
Isabella Campbell, Writer/Actor
Jillian Smart, Writer/Actor
Justin Stockman, VP, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media
IN CONVERSATION SERIES
Faith In Comedy: In Conversation with Ramy Youssef - Saturday, July 29 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 1:00 PM
Award-winning creator and comedian Ramy Youssef artfully portrays his Muslim faith with both devotion and defiance in his hit Hulu comedy show Ramy, while also expressing his faith in the divine art of stand-up comedy each time he takes the stage. Ramy and a special guest will discuss the polarizing, unifying, and contradictory intersections of religion and comedy in their personal writing and performance.
Featuring:
Ramy Youssef (Ramy, Mo, #1 Happy Family U.S.A.)
In Conversation with Please Don’t Destroy - Saturday, July 29 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 12:30pm
From Twitter to Studio 8H and now to the silver screen! Please Don't Destroy trio Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy are live and In Conversation for the first time at JFL. Join this hysterical trio as we hear the origin story of how they came together, rose through the SNL Digital Shorts ranks, and made the leap from short-form to long-form with their feature film, which is produced by Judd Apatow, coming out on November 17th on Peacock.
Panel features:
Ben Marshall
John Higgins
Martin Herlihy
COMEDYPRO’S PREMIUM PODCASTS
ComedyPRO is thrilled to announce the return of Acast as the presenting sponsor of the ComedyPRO Premium Podcast Series. With an impressive lineup of today's top charting comedy podcasts, Acast brings the excitement of live and in-person shows that will surely delight fans and industry insiders alike. Get ready to experience the laughter firsthand as Acast presents these highly acclaimed podcasts live at the festival.
The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi - Wednesday, July 26 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 2:30 PM
Stand-up comedian and lifelong cynic Gianmarco Soresi interviews people more famous than him about all the downsides to their life. This is a podcast where complaining is encouraged, and negativity is celebrated. Misery loves company, and so does ComedyPRO! Leave your optimism at the door, and join Gianmarco and co-host Russell Daniels in debunking silver linings.
Let's Make A Sci-Fi - Wednesday, July 26 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 4:45 PM
Can three comedians create a legit sci-fi movie? Comedians Ryan Beil, Maddy Kelly, and Mark
Chavez are going to find out. In this hour-long live presentation of the Webby Award-winning podcast from CBC Podcasts, the three hosts sit down with a guest to pitch each other ideas for a serious science fiction movie and then hilariously hash it out to determine which idea Hollywood should make. Named, “Best Podcast of 2022” by The New Yorker; “A fun and lovely series” by Vulture and "Best Podcast of 2022" by Amazon Music.
StraightioLab - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 12:30 PM
Straight culture: terrifying, fascinating, and endlessly entertaining. Very smart comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart get to the BOTTOM of the mystery that is heterosexuality and its intricacies on their intellectual and hilarious TOP notch podcast StraightioLab. Scared? Good. From Big Money Players Network.
Kill Me Now with Judy Gold - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room 2:00 PM
Award winning comedian and writer, Judy Gold always seems to be pissed-off about something. Whether it's your cheap friend who always gets up from the table when the check comes, to socio-economic injustices, we can all get angry at the mundane sometimes. So, come laugh your ass off while Judy vents with wit, humor and passion on her podcast Kill Me Now.
My Momma Told Me - Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 11:00 AM
From Big Money Players Network, Comedians Langston Kerman and David Gborie take a deep dive into the most exciting, ground-breaking and sometimes problematic Black conspiracy theories. They’ll have guests cover silly conspiracies, scary conspiracies and conspiracies they learned from that uncle who used to wear jeans when he went swimming in the public pool.
Steph Infection: The Podcast - Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room 12:30 PM
Comedian Steph Tolev wants to know what’s going on with your body. Gross ailments, crazy accidents, things doctors can't figure out, and anything in between. Drop by and check in at the Ovation room for Steph Infection: The Podcast.
What's Up Fool? - Friday, July 28 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 4:30 PM
Comedian Felipe Esparza talks with random people he finds interesting. It might be somebody kind of famous or it might be that homeless guy at the end of your street who you walk past every day without saying hello. Everyone has a story to tell about how they got where they are, no matter who they are.
Acast hit podcasts include,
The Best Hang Podcast - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 11:00 AM
Acast’s The Best Hang Podcast is a comedic weekly pop culture review, co-hosted by seasoned conversationalist Mike Veerman, Arkells frontman Max Kerman and comedian Shane Cunningham. Authentic and candid updates that cover media, pop culture, sports and the hosts’ unconventional circle of friends.
Phone a Friend with Jessi Cruickshank - Saturday, July 29 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Ovation Room | 12:00 PM
Comedian Jessi Cruickshank needed a safe space to talk about EVERYTHING without getting in trouble, and she’s found it at ComedyPRO. On her podcast, Jessi gives her hot takes on what’s happening in the world, in her home and in Pop Culture. But when she wants to dive deeper, she’ll get to Phone a Friend!
and the previously announced Giggly Squad – Thursday, July 27 2023 | Club Soda | 9:30pm
With more to be announced soon!
JUST FOR LAUGHS’ NEW FACES
The most highly anticipated industry showcase which serves as a launching pad for the next generation of comedic talent, the infamous New Faces series will take place Wednesday, July 26 – Friday, July 28, 2023. Handpicked by JFL producers, this platform not only provides these emerging talents with invaluable exposure but also serves as a catalyst for their careers, opening doors to new opportunities, representation, and industry recognition. This showcase continues to be a celebrated tradition, shining a spotlight on the brightest comedy stars of tomorrow.
This year’s cohorts will be announced on Monday, July 24, 2023. But don’t wait to get your tickets as these shows are some of the most in demand and sell out quickly.
New Faces of Comedy: Group 1 - Wednesday, July 26 2023 | Monument National - Ludger- Duvernay | 7:00 PM
New Faces of Comedy: Group 2 - Wednesday, July 26 2023 | Monument National - Ludger- Duvernay | 9:30 PM
New Faces of Comedy: Creators - Thursday, July 27 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Salon Ballroom | 1:00 PM
New Faces of Comedy: Characters - Thursday, July 27 2023 | Monument National - Ludger- Duvernay | 7:00 PM
New Faces of Comedy: Unrepped - Thursday, July 27 2023 | Monument National - Ludger- Duvernay | 9:30 PM
New Faces of Comedy: International - Friday, July 28 2023 | Monument National - Ludger- Duvernay | 7:00 PM
New Faces of Comedy: Canada - Friday, July 28 2023 | Salle Ludger-Duvernay, Monument- National | 9:30 PM
Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch
Earlier this month, Variety revealed their highly anticipated 2023 cohort of Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch. This annual list that showcases their list of the industry's brightest and most promising comedic talents. Join us in person for their two annual festival events to honor these artists.
Cohen Gardner LLP presents Variety 10 Comics To Watch Showcase - Saturday, July 29 2023 | Monument National - Ludger-Duvernay | 9:30 PM
Catch the best and brightest from “10 Comics To Watch” and let them show you why they made the 2023 list. For the full list, visit: (link)
Participating in alphabetical order:
Hannah Berner, Kurtis Conner, Zarna Garg, Ian Lara, Joanne McNally, Leanne Morgan, Nimesh
Patel, Brian Simpson, Sabrina Wu.
Cohen Gardner LLP presents VARIETY'S "10 COMICS TO WATCH” Uncensored 2023 – Friday, July 28 | 2023 | DoubleTree by Hilton, Inspiration Room | 12:30 PM
We sit down with Variety’s 2023 “10 Comics to Watch” for an hour of spontaneous and honest conversation about comedy. Hear about their struggles, epiphanies, crashes and breakthroughs, as these best and brightest comics of the year come together to share their comedy origin stories and what’s next for them on the road ahead.
Participating in alphabetical order:
Hannah Berner, Kurtis Conner, Zarna Garg, Ian Lara, Joanne McNally, Leanne Morgan, Nimesh Patel, Brian Simpson, Sabrina Wu.
Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL would like to thank its sponsors without whom this edition
would not have been possible: Beneva and Chevrolet.
We would also like to acknowledge the exceptional help and support of our public
partners: Government of Canada through Canada Economic Development and Canadian
Heritage, the Gouvernement du Québec through the ministère du Tourisme,
the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine and the SODEC, as well as the City of
Montréal, Tourisme Montréal and Montréal centre-ville.
COMEDYPRO TICKET DETAILS:
Various ComedyPRO passes are available for purchase at www.comedypro.hahaha.com
Student Pass gives access to many events and live shows throughout ComedyPRO and networking opportunities. You must present your student card upon picking up your Student Pass at the event.
FESTIVAL TICKET DETAILS:
Festival passes and tickets for Just For Laughs MONTRÉAL and can be purchased at www.hahaha.com
PRESS MATERIALS: To download high-resolution images of festival artists, click here
Join us on social media:
#JFLMTL #CPRO2023
Twitter: @JflComedyPro @justforlaughs
Instagram: @justforlaughs
ABOUT JUST FOR LAUGHS GROUP
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. For more information, visit
www.hahaha.com
Media contact – press accreditation, contact:
C2C Communications
[email protected]
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