SneakPeek.Ca's Norma Dell'Agnese was in Toronto for the recent "Just For Laughs" press conference and sends this exclusive report...
"Just for Laughs", a Montreal comedy institution for over 20 years, debuts in Toronto, July 26 to 28, with three gala events at Massey Hall headed by Scottish-born Craig "The Drew Carey Show" Ferguson, George "The George Lopez Show" Lopez and local Toronto-born, success story Howie "Deal Or No Deal" Mandel.
Yonge-Dundas Square will be the hub of free street theatre with 80 performers, including Canadian troupe 'Circus Orange', who will be performing pyrotechnics, dance and stunt performances in a new show called "The Aviator".
The festival features many acts who started in Toronto, including Elvira "Popcultured" Kurt and Jeremy "The Newsroom" Hotz.
Appealing to Toronto's multicultural population is the "Ethnic Heroes of Comedy Show" with 2 performers both seen in "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle": Toronto native Frank Spadone and Montreal's Angelo Tsarouchas.
The press conference was a lively event with many of the performers appearing in a funny intro video. Brampton native Russell Peters, the first comedian ever to sell out the Air Canada Centre as well as concert venues in 4 continents, was on hand to provide even more laughs, warming up the audience with his brand of comedy.
And if that wasn't enough, the food tables had charming "Just for Laughs" mascot heads as centrepieces-- in fact live performers with make-up, sitting under the tablecloths.
Must have been frustrating to have one's face so close to the food.
But they appreciated the grapes fed to them by amused onlookers...
"Just for Laughs", a Montreal comedy institution for over 20 years, debuts in Toronto, July 26 to 28, with three gala events at Massey Hall headed by Scottish-born Craig "The Drew Carey Show" Ferguson, George "The George Lopez Show" Lopez and local Toronto-born, success story Howie "Deal Or No Deal" Mandel.
Yonge-Dundas Square will be the hub of free street theatre with 80 performers, including Canadian troupe 'Circus Orange', who will be performing pyrotechnics, dance and stunt performances in a new show called "The Aviator".
The festival features many acts who started in Toronto, including Elvira "Popcultured" Kurt and Jeremy "The Newsroom" Hotz.
Appealing to Toronto's multicultural population is the "Ethnic Heroes of Comedy Show" with 2 performers both seen in "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle": Toronto native Frank Spadone and Montreal's Angelo Tsarouchas.
The press conference was a lively event with many of the performers appearing in a funny intro video. Brampton native Russell Peters, the first comedian ever to sell out the Air Canada Centre as well as concert venues in 4 continents, was on hand to provide even more laughs, warming up the audience with his brand of comedy.
And if that wasn't enough, the food tables had charming "Just for Laughs" mascot heads as centrepieces-- in fact live performers with make-up, sitting under the tablecloths.
Must have been frustrating to have one's face so close to the food.
But they appreciated the grapes fed to them by amused onlookers...
