Just For Laughs Toronto starting this week!
STARTING THIS WEEK!
JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO
REVEALS MAJOR STAR POWER FOR THE NEW & CAN’T BE MISSED FREE JUST FOR LAUGHS STREET FESTIVAL, DAYTIME’S COMEDYCON FAN & INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, NEW ADDITIONS TO THE BELOVED 42 LINEUP, INCLUDING MEGAN STALTER
AND
STRAIGHT FROM THE EDIT ROOM, COMEDYCON PRESENTS A SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK OF THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FILM, “CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS” WRITERS AND PRODUCERS,
VINCE VAUGHN AND PETER BILLINGSLEY WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE AUDIENCE Q&A TO FOLLOW SCREENING
THE JUST FOR LAUGHS STREET FESTIVAL PROMISES TO BE THE CITY’S MUST-ATTEND FALL EVENT WITH PARTNER ACTIVATIONS, DELICIOUS FOOD & BEVERAGE VENDORS AND PERFORMANCES BY
RUSSELL PETERS’ OLD SCHOOL MIXTAPE
LIVE WITH CRYSTAL WATERS, NICE & SMOOTH, EPMD,
RENEE NEUFVULLE FROM ZHANÉ
AND
BIG DADDY KANE
HOSTED BY FLAVOR FLAV
AND FEATURING DJ STARTING FROM SCRATCH
JOINING THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED ACTS INCLUDING BOB THE DRAG QUEEN & MONÉT X CHANGE, CRAIG ROBINSON & THE NASTY DELICIOUS, PUDDLES PITY PARTY, THE GODDAMN COMEDY JAM, AND MANY MORE
NEWLY ADDED COMEDYCON PROGRAMMING FEATURES,
BUSY PHILIPPS IS DOING HER BEST
FEATURING BUSY PHILIPPS & CAISSIE ST. ONGE
TIKTOK PRESENTS UP CLOSE AND VERTICAL,
MODERATED BY DARCY MICHAEL @thedarcymichael
FEATURING CELINA MYERS @celinaspookyboo,
CHE DURENA @chedurenan,
JACK INNANEN @yungjackinnanen, and
MEGHA RETHIN @bootlegmegz
CBC AND HBO MAX PRESENT:
THE CAST AND CREATORS OF SORT OF
FEATURING BILAL BAIG
FAB FILIPPO, AMANDA BRUGEL, ELLORA PATNAIK and AMANDA CORDNER
TOO SCARY; DIDN’T WATCH PODCAST
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? PODCAST
TORONTO, September XX 2022 - Just For Laughs TORONTO (formerly JFL42), presented by Beneva, in collaboration with SiriusXM Canada, is kicking off in just two days, and the programming continues to expand! With new additions to the inaugural free street festival, daytime’s ComedyCON schedule, and the adored 42, Just For Laughs TORONTO is shaping up to be the funniest festival of the fall!
“It’s great to welcome Just For Laughs back to Toronto including a new street festival that will help add vibrancy and excitement to our city’s streets. This is a festival that is beloved by many and one that will undoubtedly help drive more local economic growth in our city. I want to thank the organizers and volunteers for making this festival possible and for making it accessible to all residents and visitors looking for great entertainment and comedy,” said Mayor John Tory.
“As the presenting sponsor of Canadian talent at the festival, we’re so proud to be part of this event which puts our country’s best comics in the spotlight,” said Paul Cunningham, SVP, Sales & Marketing, SiriusXM Canada. “Canadians from coastto- coast can always hear the greatest in homegrown comedy on SiriusXM’s Canada Laughs 24/7, and we encourage everyone to check out these hilarious talents from the outdoor stage to the most iconic venues in the city.”
STREET FESTIVAL
Running from September 23-25, 2022, on a 130,000 sq-ft site at Front St. E and Berczy Park, the inaugural free three-day outdoor comedy celebration will feature a range of entertainment with something for everyone to enjoy – including both local and international comedians, DJs and so much more.
Performances run Friday, September 23 from 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM;
Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 from 1:00 PM – 11:00 PM.
The BENEVA STAGE presented by Beneva, will feature performances that Toronto has been waiting for!
New artists added to the lineup include:
Russell Peters’ Old School Mixtape Live - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 9:00 PM
A live mixtape with performances of classic hip hop and dance music, featuring Toronto’s very own Russell Peters and the legendary DJ Starting From Scratch, plus an unforgettable lineup of very special musical guests including Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Flavor Flav, Crystal Waters, Nice & Smooth and Renee Neufville from Zhané. (Lead-in to the event will also feature a set by Toronto DJ of the Year: DJ iKhan from 8PM to 9PM)
Story Pirates - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 1:00 PM
The Story Pirates believe that kids are creative geniuses. All of them. Winner of the 2022 iHeartRadio award and the 2022 Webby Award for Best Kids and Family Podcast, as well as a Parents’ Choice Award, The Story Pirates Podcast is one of the top kids and family podcasts in the world. Downloaded nearly 50 million times and featuring songs and sketches based on stories written by kids, special guests include top talent like Billy Eichner, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dax Shepard, Bowen Yang, Claire Danes, John Oliver, and Julie Andrews. Other notable Story Pirates projects: SPTV, their weekly PBS show which was seen by 1.2 million people last year.
Hitmen Drumline - Sunday, September 25, 2022 | 3:00 PM
Giving marching drums a contemporary twist, The Hitmen mix high energy performance and funky grooves with the precision, power and spectacle of a marching drum line combined with Brass bands featuring some of the best performers in the business. The Hitmen have performed for the Toronto Raptors, Just For Laughs Montreal, The San Diego Padres, The Toronto Football Club, The Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Blue Jays, The Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Redblacks, The Calgary Flames, The Ottawa Senators, The Edmonton Football Team, The Ottawa Fury, The Ottawa 67s, The Vancouver Warriors, Special Olympics Canada, and Team Canada to name a few.
BAMBII - Friday, September 23, 2022 | 8:00 PM
Kirsten Azan, baptized Bambii, is one of Canada’s most compelling new DJs. Whether online or on dancefloors, her political and musical vernacular give credence to dance music’s ever-expanding reach, the relationships it helps forge between individuals, cultures and spaces.
The Soul Proprietor - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 3:00 PM
Perhaps best known as a founding member and the bass playing half of Juno Award Winning reggae punk rock innovators Bedouin Soundclash, Eon Sinclair is also known as The Soul Proprietor. With his band Bedouin Soundclash, he has released four records and toured the globe extensively, headlining shows in Europe, Australia, China, India and the US, as well as performing alongside acts such as No Doubt, Coldplay, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Nine Inch Nails. The tale of Bedouin Soundclash has been filled with step after step of something special — from live shows that are as emotionally incendiary as they are monstrously entertaining, to albums that have stoked the hearts and minds of thousands.
Fawn Big Canoe - Sunday, September 25, 2022 | 1:00 PM
Fawn Big Canoe is your friendly dj from Toronto, Canada and a proud Chippewa of Georgina Island. A favourite dj at iconic events and venues like Pride Toronto, Indigenous Peoples Day at Fort York, The ROM and Ontario Place, Fawn has also produced and dj'ed a multitude of dance parties, ranging from underground queer raves and disco infernos to top 40 pop offs. She has been a potent part of this city's nightlife for decades. Fawns sets melt together with an effortless execution all while radiating messages of positivity, love, togetherness and the importance of having a good time.
Craig Dominic - Friday, September 23, 2022 | 5:00 PM
More than 14 years into his career, Craig Dominic has changed Toronto's DJ scene, blending top 40, R&B, Hip Hop, dancehall, soca, house & more into one cohesive experience like few others can. He is the project lead for Blackness Yes! where he programs 'Blockorama', and curates, funds and produces 'Blockobana' and 'Toronto Black Pride Weekend'.
While crowds enjoy the entertainment, we encourage everyone to partake in our partner activations!
Highlights include,
BENEVA: Offered nightly at the street festival, the Beneva Chill Zone lets comedy fans take a moment to unwind in between catching the next hilarious live act. Benefitting from a cozy TV lounge, it will showcase the best of Canadian comedy with relaxing music and a lavender aromatherapy experience. This is the perfect place to take five, in the heart of the festival.
SIRIUSXM: Comedy fans can stop by the SXM Oasis to relax, charge their phones, and have a chance to sign up for SiriusXM and receive a FREE pair of JBL speakers/headphones.
BOSTON PIZZA: As the official Casual Dining Restaurant sponsor of Just For Laughs, Boston Pizza wants to make all fans feel like a VIP at the Just For Laughs TORONTO Street Festival Red Carpet. Plus, fans will have chances to win exclusive prizing such as gift cards, and tickets to headline comedy shows through social media!
MUSKOKA BREWERY: Festivalgoers can look forward to getting a taste of Cottage Country right in the heart of the city. Muskoka Brewery and Muskoka Spirits will be on site at the Street Festival with beers, Hard Sparkling Waters, lawn games, and great vibes.
VIRGIN PLUS: Virgin Plus has teamed up with Just For Laughs TORONTO to make sure that Virgin Plus members enjoy exclusive access at the event. All Virgin Plus members get to skip the line at all shows at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
ONTARIO LOTTERY AND GAMING (OLG): Festival attendees can test their luck and play the interactive, free, Collecting for the Community game presented by OLG. All participants will be entered for a chance to win a $250 prize package!
Plus, impeccable food and beverage options that will have all patrons salivating and reaching for seconds! Three bars will be located on the site, featuring Muskoka Brewery beers & Muskoka Spirits Hard Sparkling Waters; and a selection of nonalcoholic beverages. Side Car Coffee Co. will be featured on site to fuel you up on caffeine!
The street festival site will also include our Food Truck Alley where you can choose great eats & snacks from Rick's Good Eats, Nom Nom Non, Sweetheart Ice Cream & Treats, Slow Jams. Looking for something a bit more substantial? Want to grab a sitdown lunch or dinner before a free outdoor show or one of our shows at Meridian Hall, Bluma Appel or Jane Mallett Theatres? There are several amazing restaurant options all on the Street Festival site, including: Biff’s Bistro, CC Lounge and Whisky Bar, O&B Café Grill & The Sultan's Tent and Cafe Moroc.
COMEDYCON
Just For Laughs TORONTO is excited to add more top charting podcasts and panels and a film screening to this year’s ComedyCON daytime programming!
A Special Sneak Peek Screening of “Christmas with the Campbells'' - Friday, September 23, 2022 | 11:00 PM | Royal Theatre
Co-writers Vince Vaughn (Couples Retreat), Dan Lagana (“American Vandal”) and Barbara Kymlicka (You Light Up My Christmas), add a little comedic naughty to the nice of the traditional holiday romance movie. In “Christmas with The Campbells”, when Jesse (Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect) gets dumped right before the holidays by her boyfriend Shawn (Alex Moffat, “Saturday Night Live”), his parents convince her to still spend Christmas with them, and Shawn’s handsome cousin (Justin Long, He’s Just Not That Into You), while Shawn is away.
Post-screening there will be Q&A with writers and producers, Vince Vaughn, Peter Billingsley, and seasoned Hallmark scribe, Barbara Kymlicka who will discuss the film's unique process using the structure of a traditional holiday romance movie and re-writing it with subversive, comedic dialogue to turn the genre on its head.
Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best Podcast - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 5:00 PM
“Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best” is the podcast where Busy, her co-host, Caissie St. Onge, and their other funny, creative friends come to support each other and talk about how they did their best this week, and sometimes admit where they could have done a little better. They discuss who in pop culture is doing their very best and who needs to do a lot better. The podcast is filled to bursting with laughter, but at least once per episode someone has a moment where they get serious and say, “Oh, no, am I gonna cry?” and it’s usually Busy and she usually does. With guest Atsuko Okatsuka and musical guest Joe Pernice.
TikTok Presents Up Close and Vertical, Moderated by @thedarcymichael - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 2:30 PM
Come see your favourite Canadian TikTok comedy creators LIVE on stage as they talk about their inspirations, aspirations and how they create laughter in short-form. A Q&A will follow. Featuring: Celina Myers @celinaspookyboo, Che Durena @chedurena, Jack Innanen @yungjackinnanen and Megha Rethin @bootlegmegz, Moderated by Darcy Michael @thedarcymichael.
Too Scary; Didn’t Watch- Sunday, September 25, 2022 | 4:00 PM
A horror movie recap podcast for those too scared to watch for themselves; hosted by Emily Gonzalez, Henley Cox and Sammy Smart. With guest Lisa Gilroy.
Is This What You Want? Podcast - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 6:00 PM
Comedians Matt O'Brien and Julia Hladkowicz talk about the latest trends and why they don't get them.
CBC and HBO Max Present: The Cast and Creators of Sort Of - Saturday, September 24, 2022 | 4:30 PM
This Peabody Award-winning original comedy created by Bilal Baig (Acha Bacha) and Fab Filippo (Save Me) stars Baig as Sabi Mehboob, a fluid millennial who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at a 2SLGBTQ+ bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown Toronto hipster family. From gender to love to sexuality to family to career, Sabi feels like they’re in transition, and the series exposes the labels people once poured themselves into as no longer applicable - to anyone. Produced by Sphere Media and fresh off of wrapping their season 2 shoot, we discuss the complexity, heart and universal appeal of the Toronto-set series with its creators and stars. Moderated by Alok Vaid-Menon, this panel will feature Bilal Baig, Fab Filippo, Amanda Brugel, Ellora Patnaik and Amanda Cordner.
Plus, Talk Clearlyer Podcast, hosted by Cipha Sounds and Wil Synvince will be chatting with Canada’s “hip hop ambassador”, Canadian rapper, producer, DJ and record executive, Kardinal Offishall; while Obsessed with Sophie Buddle’s podcast will feature special guest and 42 act, comedian, actor and podcast host, Kurt Braunohler!
Panels are packed too, with the addition of Atsuko Okatsuka, Laurie Kilmartin and Courtney Gilmour on the Reductress Presents “Our Satire, Ourselves” panel; and Deon Cole, Hoodo Hersi and Kenny Robinson added to the NAACP Presents North Meets South panel.
THE 42
Due to popular demand, additional shows by some of the stellar 42 acts have been added to this year’s festival, plus newly added artists, Megan Stalter.
Megan Stalter: Megan Stalter is an LA based actress, comedian and writer. Her breakout role is in the HBO Max series Hacks. Megan was listed by both Vulture and Variety as a “2020 Comic to Watch”. Meg can next be seen as the lead in Hannah Pearl Utt's indie feature Cora Bora, and a guest star on Peacock's Queer A s Folk. Megan’s television vehicle Church Girls is currently set up at HBO Max with A24 and Range Media Partners producing. Megan will star, write, Executive Produce, and co-showrun. She is currently set to appear in SNL comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy’s upcoming untitled feature from Universal, which is being produced by Apatow Productions and shoots through mid-September.
For full show details, artist bios and photos, visit the official Just For Laughs TORONTO website here.
TICKET DETAILS:
Just For Laughs TORONTO operates as a pass and ticket based interactive comedy festival through the JFLTO App, powered by Virgin Plus. The app allows for increased interactivity, efficient messaging and a more streamlined credit system.
Pass holders are given the opportunity to see headliners and all of the “42” & CON acts over 10 days, along with the freedom to create their own schedule and experience. Once checked in at a show, their show credit is immediately returned, allowing for the opportunity to book another show instantaneously. With this revolutionized accessibility to the reservation system offered by the app, more and more people are able to check out the hilarious acts all across Toronto.
Passes and tickets will be available to the public now. Festival passes range from $69 to $209 CDN (excluding service charges). Single tickets range from $29.50 to $69.50 CDN (excluding service charges).
Thank you to our generous sponsors,
Beneva (Presenting Partner), SiriusXM Canada (in Association with presenting partner), Muskoka Brewery (Official Beer & Ready To Drink Partner), Virgin Plus (Official Mobile & Internet Partner), Boston Pizza (Official Restaurant Partner), OLG (Official Lottery Partner) National Bank (Official Bank Partner) and TO Live (Venue Partner).
Thank you to our generous Government partners: The Government of Canada, The Government of Ontario, Ontario Trillium Foundation & The City of Toronto.
PRESS MATERIALS: To download available high-resolution images, click here.
ABOUT JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO
Established in 2012 and now in its tenth year, Just For Laughs TORONTO (formerly known as JFL42), is a pass-based interactive comedy festival based in Toronto, created by the Just For Laughs Group, the most important player in the global comedy industry co-owned by Groupe CH, Bell Media and ICM Partners. Developed with a mandate to celebrate the most hilarious, innovative, riveting and relevant comedy experiences in the world with Toronto audiences, Just For Laughs Toronto’s unique interactive pass based ticketing and reservation system makes it the first comedy festival of its kind. Just For Laughs entertains millions of spectators with its festivals on Canadian and international stages, in Montréal; Toronto; Vancouver; Austin, U.S.A.; Sydney, Australia and London, U.K. The Group organizes shows featuring thousands of comics from Canada and other countries, including established artists as well as up-and-comers; stages its own comedy shows and musicals; produces touring shows; broadcasts digital and televised content (notably Gags, which is shown in 150 countries and followed by an online audience of ten million on YouTube); manages talented artists; and is the originator of the ComedyPRO and JPR Pro industry conferences.
For more information on Just For Laughs TORONTO, visit: toronto.hahaha.com
Join us on social media:
Twitter: @JFL_TORONTO
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JFLTORONTO
Instagram: @JFLTORONTO
Press Contacts:
C2C Communications
[email protected]
[email protected]