JUST FOR LAUGHS VANCOUVER

Unveils a Stellar Lineup, Setting the Stage for the
Return of the City's Biggest Comedy Event of the Year
from February 15-24, 2024!

 

The Festival Reveals the First Slate of Artists Confirmed,
With Performances By:
BILL BURR - RONNY CHIENG - WANDA SYKES - BEN SCHWARTZ
MARLON WAYANS - BASSEM YOUSSEF - KATHY GRIFFIN
NICOLE BYER - BOB THE DRAG QUEEN - CHRISTINA PAZSITZKY
TOM PAPA - JESSICA KIRSON - PATTI HARRISON - CHE DURENA
JUSTIN WILLMAN - SOOSHI MANGO - CARLOS BALLARTA
BIG JAY OAKERSON - CATHERINE COHEN - CHRIS REDD - ZARNA GARG
APARNA NANCHERLA - THIS IS THAT LIVE - JOEL KIM BOOSTER
ANNIE LEDERMAN - CAROLINE RHEA - ANDREA JIN - MO GILLIGAN
RAFI BASTOS - CHRIS FLEMING - LEWBERGER - CELEBRITY MEMOIR
BOOK CLUB - CHRIS GETHARD - EMMA WILLMANN - JESUS TREJO
SYDNEE WASHINGTON - AARON CHEN - NATHAN MACINTOSH
LESLIE LIAO - MARK LITTLE - JOSH JOHNSON - TINA FRIML
EMIL WAKIM - DESI COMEDY FEST and more!

 

Presented in association with SiriusXM Canada, the festival is also excited to present the
annual “Best of the West”, the unique comedy series showcase highlighting B.C.’s local talent. This year’s lineup includes:
Best of the West, presented by SiriusXM:
Big Dog Energy, Bloodfeud: Stand up vs. Improv, Camp! Comedy!, Chill, Comedy!, Comedy in the Forecast, COMEDY WORLD, Crumby Comedy, Fistful of Kicks, Indig-E Girl Comedy Presents: Caught in the Trapline, Mufaro Mbudzi’s Scheduled Meditation, New Moon Comedy, Ola Dada’s Black Out Comedy, Puff The Magic Improv Show, Smash Hit, Sunday Night Stand Up Comedy, The HERO SHOW, The Ryan & Amy Show, The Sasha Ha-Ha Show, Treat Show Comedy and others!

 

VANCOUVER November 28, 2023 -Get ready for some big laughs as Just For Laughs VANCOUVER, in association with SiriusXM Canada, brings the lively spirit of comedy back to the city with their 8th edition of the festival running February 15 to 24, 2024. As Western Canada’s biggest comedy festival, this year’s lineup will feature many of your favourite comedians including comedy icons you’ve always wanted to see, and emerging stars you may already know from TikTok and YouTube; alongside hilarious hosts of today’s most downloaded comedy podcasts. Also joining are some of today's prominent international stand-up comedians from Egypt, Mexico, Australia, the U.K. and Brazil, who will also perform in various languages. We will continue to showcase vibrant comedic voices from across Canada, including rising talent from Vancouver, adding an extra layer of excitement as we prepare for a truly memorable festival ahead. Plus, there’s more to come! We will be revealing additional artists joining the roster in the coming weeks.

 

Festival Director, Heather Wallace shares, "As we approach our 8th edition, we're excited to build on the legacy of consistently delivering top-tier comedy to our city. We take tremendous pride in presenting the world's biggest comedy stars; artists who are truly making waves across the industry.” She adds, “The valued support of our festival partners makes it possible for us to continue to grow and produce ten days of incredible programming that has something for everyone!”

To get in on all the action, tickets for Just For Laughs VANCOUVER will go on sale to the general public this Friday, December 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM PST at JFLVancouver.com

 

Performing at the 8th edition of Just For Laughs VANCOUVER,
in association with SiriusXM Canada,

Rogers Arena

 

Bill Burr I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Rogers Arena I 8:00 PM

Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian Bill Burr stands out as a leading comedic voice of his generation, achieving major success in numerous television and film roles as well as the live stage. In October, Burr’s film, OLD DADS, which he directed, co-wrote and stars in, premiered as the most-watched film on Netflix in its first and second week of release. On November 21, Burr starred with Adam Sandler in the animated Netflix film, LEO, which also premiered as the #1 film on Netflix. His diverse roles include appearances in the Judd Apatow film, The King of Staten Island, Disney+'s The Mandalorian, Hugh Jackman's film, The Front Runner, and the Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell film, Daddy's Home just to name a few. Additionally, he hosted Saturday Night Live and played the memorable recurring role of 'Kuby' on the acclaimed AMC show, Breaking Bad. Renowned for hosting his widely downloaded ‘Monday Morning Podcast’, in 2023. Burr toured arenas and amphitheatres throughout North America and Europe. In 2022 he made history as the first comedian to perform at Fenway Park. His 2022 Netflix special, Bill Burr: Live At Red Rocks, shot at the legendary venue, further stakes his role as one of the most versatile talents of his time.

 

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

 

Ronny Chieng: The Love to Hate It Tour I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 9:30 PM

Ronny Chieng is a stand-up comedian, actor and Correspondent on The Daily Show. He starred in the worldwide hit movie Crazy Rich Asians, his Netflix stand-up comedy special Asian Comedian Destroys America! and has appeared on Young Rock, Godzilla vs Kong, Bliss, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and has been featured in The New York Times, GQ amongst others. Most recently, he also starred in the mega Marvel Studio's hit movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

 

Wanda Sykes: Please and Thank You I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Queen Elizabeth Theatre I 7:00 PM

Wanda Sykes is an Emmy winning stand-up comic, writer, actress and producer who has been entertaining audiences for over twenty years. She has ranked among Entertainment Weekly's “25 Funniest People in America” and her peers have called her “one of the funniest stand-up comics” in the field. In 2023 she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Nominations; Two for her Netflix special Wanda Sykes; I’m an Entertainer (her sixth stand-up special) and another for her role as in Crank Yankers. In 2020, she received Emmy nominations for both her role as real-life comic Moms Mabley in The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel and for her voice work in Crank Yankers. Her guest-starring role on ABC’s Black-ish also brought her two back-to-back Emmy nominations. Her fifth standup special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, is streaming on Netflix and was nominated for two 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards.

 

The Orpheum

 

Ben Schwartz and Friends I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I The Orpheum I 8:00 PM

Ben Schwartz can next be seen in Lord & Miller’s AppleTV+ miniseries The After Party, as well as the second season of Greg Daniels and Steve Carell’s Netflix series Space Force, in which he stars opposite Steve Carell and John Malkovich. Previous credits include the Disney feature, Flora and Ulysses, based on the popular novel, the indie feature Standing Up, Falling Down, for which He received rave reviews for his lead performance opposite Billy Crystal; Night School. He starred opposite Don Cheadle & Kristen Bell in the Showtime comedy series House of Lies and acted alongside Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt and Aziz Ansari as Jean Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. As a writer, he has published four books and written television shows and movies for many major studios.

 

Vogue Theatre

 

Marlon Wayans I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office and $1-billion in global box office. As a stand-up comedian, he is selling out nationwide and adding shows every weekend. His newest stand-up special, God Loves Me, premiered on HBO Max in March 2023. Wayans can most recently be seen on the big screen in Ben Affleck’s Nike drama AIR for Amazon Studios. Wayans is commonly recognized for his role as Marcus Copeland in Columbia Pictures’ 2004 hit comedy White Chicks. He also starred in the horror comedy spoof films Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2.

 

Bassem Youssef I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 (Arabic show) & Wednesday, February 21, 2024 (English show) I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Bassem Youssef will return for an encore performance to make history at the festival this year as the first artist ever to do one show in Arabic, and one show in English.
His one-of-a-kind solo English comedy performance, the audience is taken on a personal journey from Youssef’s career as a heart surgeon in Egypt to finding himself in the middle of the Arab Spring and becoming the host of the largest political satire show in the history of the Arab World. His jokes earned him worldwide recognition as “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” but also got him arrested, interrogated, and ultimately prompted his escape to America just as the country was going through its very own identity crisis.
For his Arabic show: Youssef’s Arabic standup show is a unique and new experience showcasing a 90-minute show of ground breaking Arabic comedy. Standup comedy a relatively new art form for the Arabic culture. The show challenges the audience with subversive narratives that uses very “strong” language that is not usually are not heard on Arabic live show. That is why there is a clear warning for Arabic audiences to attend “at their own risk”. Youssef connects with all Arabic audiences from all the Arab countries which is almost an impossible task knowing that Arab dialects extremely vary from one country to another with totally cultural references making each dialect almost have its own comedic language. He takes the audience into a very personal journey for Hal life before the fame touching on hilarious nuances that connect different generations and cultures. A unique performance of Arabic comedy that has had massive success in the US, Canada, Europe and the Middle East.

 

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD-List I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 6:30 PM

Kathy Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy Award winning comedian, television star, bestselling author and advocate known for her biting satire and fearless comedy. The legendary performer holds the Guinness Book of World Records for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials. She is perhaps best known for her hit Bravo series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, which aired for 6 years and won 2 Emmys. She starred on NBC's Suddenly Susan and guest starred on Seinfeld, Law & Order: SVU, Glee, You, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has lent her unique voice to animated characters in Shrek Forever After, The Simpsons, American Dad, Futurama and Dilbert. She co-produced and co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve special, with Anderson Cooper for 10 years. Her memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Her second book, Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index, was also a New York Times Best Seller.

 

Nicole Byer I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM

Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile voices in the comedy landscape today. An actress, comedian, writer, author and podcaster, she is perhaps most well-known as the host of Netflix’s Emmy nominated competition baking series Nailed It!, which has gained a cult following of viewers since its premiere on the streaming platform in 2018. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first black woman ever to be nominated in the category of “Outstanding Host for A Reality or Competition Program” and was nominated again in 2021 and 2022. The series premiered its seventh season in October 2022. She can currently be seen in her debut solo stand-up special on Netflix Nicole Byer: Big Beautiful Weirdo and the NBC comedy Grand Crew. She is also known for her standout appearances on MTV’s hit show Girl Code, a female-driven comedy series that opens the dialogue for the wonders and woes of womanhood.

 

>Bob The Drag Queen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

The alter ego of non-binary comic/actor Caldwell Tidicue, “Bob The Drag Queen” describes herself as “hilarious, beautiful, talented and...humble.” Their unabashed confidence won them the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, multiple acting roles for HBO, Netflix, Sony Tristar, MTV, and VH1. The third season of her Emmy Award nominated HBO Max series We’re Here was released in 2022. They are also an accomplished stand-up comedian with two solo specials under their belt and a starring role in the recent Netflix comedy concert film Stand Out executive produced by Wanda Sykes. Sibling Rivalry – Bob’s podcast with his comedy partner Monet X Change - is now on its sixth season and is also hitting the road playing major venues in the US and Canada.

 

Christina P. I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Christina P. is a stand-up Comedian, podcaster and mother of two young, savage boys. She recently premiered her second one-hour Netflix special, Christina P: Mom Genes, which led to her being written about in outlets such as The Los Angeles Times and Forbes, with Ready Steady Cut calling it, "One of the best specials of the year." Her previous one-hour stand-up special, Christina P: Mother Inferior, premiered in 2017. Her second half-hour special is featured on The Degenerates, shot in Las Vegas in 2018 and is streaming on Netflix as well. She has a hugely successful podcast Your Mom’s House which she hosts with her husband, comedian Tom Segura, and is a top-rated comedy podcast on iTunes. Launched in October of 2010, the podcast has acquired cult-like status and continues to raise low and loose jeans worldwide. If you enjoy 7th grade humour, you’ll love Your Mom’s House.

 

Tom Papa: Good Stuff Tour I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country, finding success as an actor, host, and author, in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. The comedian has had 5 highly rated stand-up specials on Netflix including his most recent Netflix special, What A Day! The special was taped at the iconic Wilbur Theatre in Boston. His other critically acclaimed specials include Human Mule, Freaked Out and Tom Papa Live in New York City, two of which were directed by Rob Zombie. On June 6, 2023, he released his highly anticipated third book, We’re All In This Together...So Make Some Room.

 

Jessica Kirson I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Jessica Kirson is a powerhouse on stage. She’s a hilariously relatable performer of sheer silliness, vulnerability, and ridiculous characters. Her countless comedic character videos have racked up over 200 million views on social media. Her audience is multigenerational, creating an excuse for large groups of friends and families to spend a night out together. In an era where only 10% of all touring comedians are female, Kirson stands out as one of the strongest comedians regardless of gender. She produced FX’s Hysterical, a feature-length documentary that premiered at SXSW 2021. Her one-hour special Talking to Myself was executive produced by Bill Burr and debuted on Comedy Central. She is a regular on This Week at the Comedy Cellar and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, HBO’s, Crashing, Netflix’s, Friends Who Kill, and Kevin Can Wait. She also acted in and served as a consultant, producer, and writer on the Robert De Niro film, The Comedian.

 

Patti Harrison: My Huge Tits Huge Because They Are Infected NOT Fake! I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM

Patti Harrison can currently be seen in the Sundance hit comedy Theater Camp, which will be released later this year by Searchlight. Last year was an amazing year for her, with audiences seeing her in the Paramount blockbuster The Lost City, and being nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Nikole Beckwith’s Together Together, co-starring Ed Helms. Later in the summer, she performed to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a soldout residency at London’s famed Soho Theatre. She can be seen on I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson, High Maintenance, and Search Party. She can currently be seen on the current and upcoming seasons of HBO Max’s hit series Made For Love and She Hulk, on Disney+.

 

Che Durena I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 9:30 PM

Haitian Canadian comedian Che Durena was born and raised in British Columbia and is based in Toronto after spending time performing standup in Mexico. He is known for his work as a host and writer for My Most Amazing Top 10 (over 7.6 million subscribers) and he has amassed a social media following of over 7 million with over 197 million likes on his viral TikTok rants and commentary. He has appeared on JFL All Access, Comedy Network, Crave, and recently dropped his debut comedy album Tales From My Butthole. His comedy offers an absurd angle on his experiences living abroad and his perception of matters like culture, race, relationships and drugs.

 

Justin Willman: Magic for Humans in Person Tour I Monday, February 19, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Justin Willman wants to melt your brain while making you laugh. He’s best known as the star and creator of the hit Netflix series Magic For Humans. But you may recognize him from one of his many television appearances on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Ellen, Conan and many more. Or maybe you know his work as a host: Baking Impossible; Cupcake Wars; Win, Lose or Draw. Or maybe he’s the child magician you hired in suburban St. Louis in the ‘90s. If you don’t know him, he’s a magician and comedian who’s mastered the art of turning cynics into believers (or at least getting them to laugh).

 

Sooshi Mango: Off The Boat I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:30 PM

Eight years ago, three average guys sat in their cars and started producing truly relatable content. Brothers Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri and their best mate, Andrew Manfre came together for what started out as a fun hobby, which has now turned into what we know as Sooshi Mango. The Melbourne based trio are the only comedy act ever to sell out Rod Laver Arena three times in a row. Receiving an AACTA award for Favourite Australian Digital Comedy Creator in 2021, starring in Wog Boys Forever with Nick Giannopoulos and Nick Colosimo. They toured with their Off the Boat Tour across Australia in 2022, 7 states, 50 shows and a whopping 150,000+ tickets sold. With over 600+ million views online and over 2 million subscribers to their platforms, they continue to grow their brand.

 

Carlos Ballarta: TLATOANI (All Spanish Show) I Thursday, February 22, 2024 Vogue Theatre I 7:00 PM

Carlos Ballarta is a Mexican standup comedian and actor, born in Mexico City, with a ten-year career in the Spanish speaking stand up scene and to this day he is the only stand-up comedian with 3 jokes about elotes. He has three Netflix specials: El amor es de put*s (2016), Furia ñera (2018) and Falso profeta (2021). His most recent special, Rebelde Comodino, was released on Youtube in 2023. He has successfully toured all around Mexico, Latin America, the United States, Canada and many cities in Europe.

 

This is That Live I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Vogue Theatre I 4:00 PM

Each week, hosts Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring introduce you to the voices and stories that give this country character in this 100% improvised, satirical send-up of public radio, society and Canadian culture.

 

Rio Theatre

 

Big Jay Oakerson I Friday, February 23, 2024 - 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 - 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre

Big Jay Oakerson is one of the most beloved and easily recognizable comedians working today. His laid-back style and dirty delivery are the signature marks of his comedy. Jay’s career spans two decades, starting in Philadelphia as a “comic’s comic” before rising mainstream fame in New York. Oakerson, co-hosts a weekly radio segment on Sirius XM 95, The Bonfire. On the screen he can be seen on This is Not Happening, Comedy Underground, Inside Amy Schumer and more. This year, he released his newest hour, Dog Belly on YouTube.

 

Catherine Cohen: Come For Me I Friday, February 23, 2024 - 9:30 PM & Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Catherine Cohen is best known for her hit Netflix comedy special The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous, which premiered earlier this year. The same live show won her the coveted title of Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in 2019. She can be seen next in the Paramount+ feature film, At Midnight, and in the upcoming Hulu series What Was I Doing While You Were Breeding. Last year, she found herself in Comedy Central's Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, and she joined the cast for Season 3 of FX’s critically acclaimed series What We Do in The Shadows. Additionally in 2021, she published her first book entitled God I Feel Modern Tonight, which is her collection of comedic poetry.

 

Chris Redd I Thursday, February 15 & Friday, February 16, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM

After becoming a JFL New Face in 2016, Emmy-winning comedian Chris Redd has made his mark on comedy with his 5-year tenure on Saturday Night Live and his starring role on Peacock’s Bust Down, which he co-created, writes, and stars in. Recently, Redd featured in the biographical drama Spinning Gold, alongside Jeremy Jordan, Wiz Khalifa, and Jay Pharoah. His one-hour comedy special Why Am I Like This? premiered on HBO Max in November 2022. He received the Emmy Award in 2018 for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.” Over his impressive career, he has appeared in the Lonely Island film Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, opposite Kathy Bates in the Netflix comedy Disjointed, and featured in NBC’s Kenan, Big Mouth, Wet Hot American Summer, Will & Grace, Netflix’s Love, and more. Later this year, he will star in Prime Video’s Candy Cane Lane, a Christmas comedy with Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Nick Offerman, among others.

 

Zarna Garg: Practical People Win I Wednesday, February 21 - 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 - 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre

Zarna Garg is “One in a Billion”, and that’s not the just name of her first comedy special. She’s also the only Indian mom comedian taking on her mother-in-law. She was recently profiled as one of the gutsiest women in comedy on Apple TV’s new Gutsy Women series, and featured on This American Life with Ira Glass. When she’s not doing 15 shows a week at Comedy Cellar in New York City, she is touring the world with her show. She is the winner of Kevin Hart’s Lyft Comics, the winner of the 2021 Ladies of Laughter Award, and has over a million followers across social media platforms. Her debut feature screenplay, Rearranged won Top Comedy Feature award at Austin Film Festival in 2019 and was a 2019 Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist.

 

Aparna Nancherla: Uh Oh, I'm Back...and I Have Some Thoughts I Friday, February 16 - 7:00 PM & Saturday, February 17, 2024 - 9:30 PM I Rio Theatre

Aparna Nancherla is an acclaimed comedian, writer, and actor. Praised by critics and fans alike for her distinctive dry, existential, and whimsical sense of humour, she has toured her standup comedy extensively around the U.S. and the world. A true multi-hyphenate, her work spans film, TV, podcasts, and books. She presently hosts The Introvert’s Survival Guide, a new eight-part self-help interview podcast that premiered on Audible via Fresh Produce Media, which features a plethora of notable guests such as Seth Meyers, Elyse Myers, and Eric Smith. On TV, she has starred in many memorable roles on such series as Search Party, Space Force, Bojack Horseman, Corporate and many more. Her late-night standup debut was on Conan in 2013 and she was named a Just For Laughs New Face.

 

Caroline Rhea: I Identify As A Witch I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Caroline Rhea is a stand-up comedian and actress, best known for her role as Hilda Spellman on the ABC hit series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and numerous comedy specials on Comedy Central, HBO and Showtime. She is currently starring in Disney Channel’s Sydney to the Max, and hosts Caroline and Friends, her hit game show for Game Show Network, now in its second season. She is a regular panellist on ABC's Match Game with Alec Baldwin and is often on other game shows such as Hollywood Squares and Funny You Should Ask. She was the host of the Caroline Rhea Show, has appeared on Phineas and Ferb for over 10 seasons, and has guest starred on many hit series, including Two Broke Girls, The Marc Maron Show, and The Grinder. She starred as Noleta Nethercott in the cult classic series Sordid Lives and reprised her role in the film A Very Sordid Wedding, which ranked #1 on Amazon Films for a full month following its release. Most recently, she can be seen on the dais of Comedy Central’s Roast of Alec Baldwin. This marks her 30th year as a stand-up comedian.

 

Mo Gilligan: In the Moment World Tour 2024 I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 9:30 PM

With his high-energy style and stunning physicality, triple BAFTA winner Mo Gilligan is one of the UK’s biggest comedy stars with an online reach running into multiple millions. Named “The Funniest Man in Britain” by The Times, his debut Coupla Cans stand up tour was a total sell out, including a huge two-week residency in London’s West End. The show went on to be recorded as his debut Netflix Original Momentum, which was globally released in 190 countries. Gilligan fronts his own multi award winning entertainment format The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, which saw him win his first BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 2020. That year he also produced and fronted the ground-breaking documentary Mo Gilligan: Black, British and Funny (Channel 4), which achieved huge critical acclaim.

 

Rafi Bastos: Unfamiliar Territory I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Rafi Bastos is a 6’7” tall Jewish-Brazilian comedian with an accent like Dracula and a rapidly growing social media presence of stand-up clips in English. Many of his super-viral stand-up clips come from nightly performances at the prestigious Comedy Cellar. In his home-country of Brazil, he is a trailblazer of comedy, media and is one of the first comedians to pioneer the art of American-style stand-up comedy in Brazil. His 17-year comedy and acting career, before coming to the United States, garnered many firsts and was covered in an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience. He has starred in movies, had his own controversial talk show, been an infield journalist and hosted reality shows Ultimate Beastmaster for Netflix. He is the Co-Founder and owner of Comedians, the largest comedy club in South America. Let’s just say Bastos has done almost everything in Brazil and now he’s in the USA to do it all with a fresh perspective.

 

Chris Fleming I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Chris Fleming was named one of Variety’s Ten Comics to Watch for 2019. He has amassed over 70 million views on his Youtube channel and has appeared in Comedy Central’s Corporate, Splitting Up Together, Netflix’s Last Laugh and Twelve Forever. The Huffington Post has called him “perhaps one of the best things on the internet.” Of his live show, Chortle says, “you can’t take your eyes off this unpredictable, exciting performer.” Splitsider says, “a madman and I think, genius.” According to Vulture, “equal parts imagination and inferiority complex, a combination that has led him to create some of the most bizarrely funny performance art taking place online and onstage today.”

 

Lewberger I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Lewberger is Keith Habersberger, Alex Lewis, and Hughie Stone Fish. This handsome 3-man comedy band based in Los Angeles, CA, got a standing ovation on America’s Got Talent and were finalists on NBC’s Bring The Funny. Their viral songs have been heard by millions online and on TV and they’ve been described as the illegitimate love child of Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords. Lewberger has played clubs and colleges all over the country. Their latest comedy special Lewberger: Live at Lincoln Hall can be found on Amazon Prime, and their podcast Celebrity Theme Song can be heard on all streaming platforms. Habersberger is a member of internet sensations The Try Guys, boasting millions of subscribers and their own production company. Lewis is an actor and comedian who can be seen on several TV shows and the movies All About Nina as well as the remake of MGM’s Valley Girl. Stone Fish is an Emmy Award-winning songwriter and a music producer/educator with a non-profit bringing arts education to his hometown of Syracuse, New York.

 

Celebrity Memoir Book Club I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Rio Theatre I 7:00 PM

Celebrity Memoir Book Club is the podcast where New York comedians Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton read celebrity memoirs so you don't have to. An Apple Podcast top comedy podcast, a Vulture must listen, and featured in the New York Times, This podcast follows them as they comb through the pages of celebrity memoirs for the juiciest moments. Lauded by Vogue as "deftly balancing a tongue-in-cheek, humorous look at its celebrity specimens with generous doses of empathy" and named a best podcast of 2022 by Esquire, they are analyzing the celebs and giving unfiltered takes on celebrity gossip using the celebrities' own words.

 

Biltmore Cabaret

 

Joel Kim Booster I Friday, February 16, 2024 - 9:30 PM & Saturday February 17, 2024 - 7:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret

Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who was recently named one of TIME 100 Next (2022) as an emerging advocate and creative, and a 2022 Variety Screenwriter to Watch. Joel has also been recognized as one of The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor by the New York Times. He has starred in shows like Search Party and Hulu’s Shrill, as well as writing and producing Netflix’s Big Mouth and HBO Max’s The Other Two. In 2022, Booster starred in the critically praised Fox Searchlight rom-com Fire Island alongside Bowen Yang. The film, which he also wrote, received a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay, a Gotham Award, and a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film. His first stand-up special for Netflix, PsychoSexual, also premiered in 2022. He currently stars on the Apple TV+ series Loot alongside Maya Rudolph.

 

Annie Lederman I Wednesday, February 21, 2024 - 7:00 PM & Thursday, February 22, 2024 - 9:00 PM I Biltmore Cabaret

Annie Lederman is a comic, podcaster, writer & actress. She is co-host of the hit podcast Trash Tuesdays along with Khahlya Kuhn and Esther Povistky, as well as featuring on a number of others. Most recently, Lederman can be seen featured in Showtime’s hit documentary miniseries The Comedy Store alongside Jay Leno, David Letterman, Joe Rogan, and many other Comedy Store legends. Additionally, Lederman has been seen or heard on many TV networks, including Comedy Central, MTV, E!, & Trutv. Lederman has also acted alongside Ron Livingston in the 2017 Cannes darling The Long Dumb Road. On the writing front, she wrote and starred in Stand Ups, a scripted Comedy Central pilot produced by Dan Powell of Inside Amy Schumer, while writing for Impractical Jokers and Borat. Additionally, she was a producer and writer on Sacha Baron Cohen’s series Who Is America?

 

Andrea Jin I Sunday, February 18, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM & 9:00 PM

Andrea Jin is a stand-up comedian and writer born in Shanghai, relocated to Canada, and currently based in Los Angeles. She gained recognition in the comedy scene after winning Comedy Album of the Year in 2021 at the Juno Awards from the Canadian Academy of Recording Artists for her solo album Grandma's Girl. She recently made her first late night TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, was selected as a New Face at the Just for Laughs Montreal Festival in 2021, and has performed at several festivals like JFL Northwest, SiriusXM’s Top Comic, Seattle International Comedy Competition, CBC’s The Debaters, and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Her writing has been featured on Vice, CBC Comedy, and the Vancouver Sun among other publications.

 

Chris Gethard I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM

Chris Gethard is a comedian, actor, and author who’s been doing comedy stuff for over twenty years. He’s the host of the Beautiful/Anonymous podcast, the former host of legendary public access television show The Chris Gethard Show, and had a special on HBO called Career Suicide where he talked about a few times he tried to kill himself. It was a comedy special. He’s acted on shows like The Office, Broad City, Space Force, Parks and Recreation, and a bunch more. He’s been in some movies like Don’t Think Twice, The Heat, The Other Guys, and Ghostbusters.

 

Emma Willmann I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Emma Willmann is a stand-up comedian, actress, and podcaster originally from Blue Hill, Maine. A comic who’s mastered chaos under control, Willmann’s vibrant presence, warmth, and unflinching honesty make her a comedian to be reckoned with. She was a part of the inaugural season of Netflix’s The Lineup, and has made memorable appearances in CW’s Crazy ExGirlfriend, Judd Apatow’s Crashing and The Good Fight on Paramount+. Willmann has also made multiple appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. You can catch her as a regular at the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York City or on her podcast Ask Men Anything on the BETCHES network.

 

Jesus Trejo I Saturday, February 17, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM

Jesus Trejo is one of the fastest rising names in the stand-up comedy scene. Trejo will be taping his first hour stand-up special for Showtime this fall, which aired in 2020. He can be seen recurring on the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias, and in roles on Alone Together and Teachers. He was selected to be a New Face comedian in 2016 for the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and was named a Variety Top 10 Comic to watch at JFL in 2017. Born and raised in Long Beach, CA, Trejo is a paid regular at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

 

Sydnee Washington: How To Start a Fire I Saturday, February 24, 2023 I Biltmore Cabaret 9:30 PM

Sydnee Washington was born in New York City but spent most of her childhood in Oakland, California. She is the host of her own Instagram Live show Syd Can Cook and the host of Headgum's Hobby Hunter. She co-hosts the popular podcast The Unofficial Expert, where she discusses her many fields of expertise, like flirting, porn, daddy issues, online dating, cookouts, stalking, sex toys, and Runaway Brides. She was recently honoured as an “UpNext” comedian at Comedy Central’s Clusterfest. Washington also hosted a weekly comedy show at the Knitting Factory and can be seen on this season of TruTV’s Laff Mobb Laugh Tracks. Her humour and view toward vanity, dating both sexes, and how to party safely as a woman are both unique and refreshing.

 

Aaron Chen I Thursday, February 15, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Aaron Chen has quickly climbed the ranks of the international comedy scene. He made his mark on Australian comedy with his debut solo show in 2017 and since then has toured nationally in front of sold-out crowds and rave reviews, earning him the sought-after awards for 2017 Best Newcomer and 2019 Director’s Choice. Since his critically acclaimed performance at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he supported comedian Ronny Chieng on his Live Australian Tour, and had feature roles in Ronny Chieng International Student, Orange is the New Brown, and FISK. As a comedian, he also appears on Australia’s #1 panel show, Have You Been Paying Attention. His stand-up special, If It Weren’t Filmed, Nobody Would Believe was released on YouTube in September 2022 and has accumulated almost 1 million views.

 

Nathan Macintosh: Down with Tech I Friday, February 16, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Energetic, loud, and funny, Nathan Macintosh is a comedian and writer originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia now living in New York. Most recently performing for his second time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, he has also appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS, Conan on TBS, and multiple Just For Laughs Galas. His debut album I Wasn't Talking was featured in Exclaim Magazine's ‘Top Ten Hilariously Good Comedy Moments’ and his newest special, ‘Money Never Wakes’, was reviewed highly by The New York Times. He also has a show called Trapped, that he wrote and starred in, which is on Bell Fibe, was reviewed by The Globe and Mail and has two seasons.

 

Leslie Liao I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Leslie Liao is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Audiences around the world have been drawn to her relatable, introspective, and matter-of-fact style of humour which is often anchored around her experiences as a single Chinese-American woman living in Los Angeles. She was recently selected to be a New Face of Comedy at Montreal's prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival 2023, and her debut set on Don't Tell Comedy platforms, Fixing Straight Men, debuted boldly on YouTube with clips from her set going viral on Instagram and TikTok. She will next be seen in the new multi-comic standup series on Netflix called Verified Standup which will debut on the platform later in 2023. She has toured with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Fortune Feimster, and can often be seen in Los Angeles gracing the stages of The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv, Laugh Factory, Flappers, and many more.

 

Mark Little I Friday, February 23, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:30 PM

Mark Little is an award-winning actor, writer and comedian. He has appeared on JFL and Conan, co-founded the sketch comedy group Picnicface and was named one of Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch For 2013. He has starred in multiple TV shows, including Mr. D and Cavendish, and has won a combined 15 Canadian Comedy Awards. In recent years, Mark has written and provided voices for numerous animated series, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Cupcake and Dino, and Doomlands. The second season of his animated series Gary and his Demons premiered on Prime Video earlier this year.

 

An Hour with Josh Johnson I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Josh Johnson is an Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show, and is a former writer and performer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he made his late-night debut in 2017. In addition, Johnson is Comedy Central’s ‘most watched comedian ever’ with 40M+ views to date across their platforms. Johnson’s most recent stand-up special, Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself, premiered on Peacock earlier this year to rave reviews.

 

Emil Wakim I Saturday, February 24, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 7:00 PM

Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian and writer based in Brooklyn, NY by way of Bloomington, Indiana. He recently made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and can be seen on the latest season of Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring. He was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He has opened for Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser and Neal Brennan.

 

Desi Comedy Fest - On Tour I Tuesday, February 20, 2024 I Biltmore Cabaret I 9:00 PM

Desi Comedy Fest is the Biggest South Asian Comedy Festival in America. Their mission is to showcase the funniest South Asian comedians from around the world & create a unique live comedy experience for the South Asian diaspora.

 

The Pearl

 

Tina Friml: Something Very Particular I Thursday, February 22, 2024 I The Pearl I 7:00 PM Tina Friml is a standup comedian who uses animated optimism to talk about living with cerebral palsy. Her sharp jokes and fearless honesty about the social assumptions that come with living with a disability has earned her a dedicated social media following with over 200K followers on Instagram and over 140K on TikTok. She made her late-night debut on the Comedy Central series Featuring series and was a 2019 New Face in the acclaimed Just For Laughs Festival. She performs all over the country to sold out audiences and fans.

 

Just For Laughs VANCOUVER is proud to welcome its partners SiriusXM Canada, Province of B.C., Creative BC, Destination Vancouver, BCLC, Phillips Brewing & Malting, Downtown Van, Huer Foods, Vancouver Sun, The Province, and DailyHive to its 2024 event.

 

FESTIVAL TICKET DETAILS:

Pre-sale tickets will be available starting today - Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at various times at
www.jflvancouver.com

Tickets will be available to the public as of Friday, December 1, at 10:00 AM PT at
www.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

#JFLVAN2024
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JFLVAN
Twitter: @JFLVancouver
Instagram: @JFLVancouver
TikTok: @JFLVancouver

 

Press Contact:

C2C Communications
[email protected]