Last summer the Just For Laughs Festival was absent from the Montreal summer landscape for the first time in 42 years when the parent company went bankrupt. Now it is back, under new ownership, and set to take the city by storm July 16 to 27.
This year’s edition welcomes comedians Tom Segura, Russell Peters, Adam Ray, Fortune Feimster, Michelle Buteau, Kumail Nanjiani and Mae Martin, among others, marking the beginning of a bold new era for the Festival. With an incredible programming lineup featuring exclusive performances, international talent, major premieres and returning favourites, the 2025 Festival promises to be one of the most memorable in Just For Laughs’ renowned history. Montreal will once again serve as a global hub for comedy drawing acclaimed performers, standout comedic voices, rising stars, and fans from around the world to experience the transformative power of laughter and creativity. Performances will take place at the Quartier des Spectacles and iconic venues including Place des Arts, Le Gesù, L’Olympia, Théâtre Saint-Denis, Espace Saint-Denis, MTelus, Club Soda and Studio TD.
Previously announced media partnerships will see some of the Festival’s most popular programs, the JFL galas and Roast Battle Canada,, taped before live audiences to air on CBC and CTV Comedy Channel & Crave respectively, bringing the laughs to comedy fans across Canada.
Sylvain Parent-Bédard, Just For Laughs president and CEO had this to say about the announcement: “Just For Laughs is back — and this moment is one of true gratitude. As we find our voice again, we do so with heart, humility, and profound gratitude. To all the artists, agents, managers, producers, broadcasters, sponsors, governments, and — more than anyone — the fans who support us and believe in the power of laughter: thank you. This return isn’t ours alone. It’s a collective achievement. A shared belief that comedy has the power to unite, soothe, and inspire — now more than ever.”
The likes of Adam Ray in Dr. Phil LIVE, Kumail Nanjiani, Danny Bhoy, Brad Williams, Rachid Badouri, Michelle Butea and Cat Cohen were among others announced as performers. Other favorites like the Nasty Show, New Faces of Comedy, Culture Show and Brit(ish) series are back as well.
I was at the press conference last week to announce the lineup and unlike other festival launches this one was conducted completely in both of Canada’s official languages. You can see my interview with Nick Brazao, head of programming and talent, in our On Air section under Cohen in the City where he provides a preview and we share some highlights as well.
Only two nights earlier I had gone to The House of Jazz (Maison du Jazz) in Laval, a venue I had never experienced before. But thanks to Mister Fantastic, standup comic Charles Daghlian, a friend and I accepted his invitation to drop by for a dinner and show package. It was superb and it made me ask Brazao why he would not consider a Just for Laughs program there. He responded that they still want to keep things in the downtown Place des Festivals area.
“We’d love JFL to consider us,” said Daghlian.
I concur. From Côte Saint-Luc at dinner hour it took my friend Glenn and I a mere 25 minutes to get there. Plenty of free parking was available. To go downtown, the distance is the same and of course parking is a nightmare. So there is a reason why the place was packed.
While the House of Jazz has been a landmark of entertainment, cuisine, and history in Laval for the last decade, Daghlian began presenting monthly comedy evenings three years ago. They have really caught on. As for the venue, it hosts jazz performances Wednesday through Sunday evenings.
Daghlian will be back with another comedy event on Tuesday, June 3. The bar and kitchen open at 7 pm, with showtime at 8 pm. There is a terrific house band called Cobra Kai and featuring Chaz Coats-Butcher on vocals, Steve Creep on bass and Oliver Thompson on drums. This rock trio serves up a mix of modern and classic hits.
The House of Jazz is a beautiful venue, with immaculate chandeliers and seating for about 120 people. For the comedy nights they offer more of a pub menu. My friend Glenn and I started off with some drinks, a beer for him and some prosecco for me. We shared a generous serving of nachos, with assorted dips. Glenn ordered the ribs and fries plate and I had the cheeseburger and fries.
The place was packed and most folks happily sampled the menu. Indeed, the House of Jazz was rocking. Cobrai Kai started things out with some great tunes and on to the stage came Mister Fantastic himself. From a very young age, it has always been Daghlian’s purpose to make people laugh, whether at school, family events or talent shows. He got his first professional opportunity at the age of nine when he co-hosted one of the French galas at the Just for Laughs Festival. While completing a degree in film production, his passion for stand-up comedy was reignited. He has become a regular on the local Montreal comedy scene for almost eight years now, performing at various venues multiple times all week long, in English, French, Spanish and Armenian! He calls his House of Jazz galas “ Laval’s Got Jokes.” On this night he welcomed professional comics Dustin Searcy, Olivia Beneroche, Daniel Carin, Renzel Washington, broadcaster turned comic Ted Bird and fabulous headliner Mike Patterson.
The House of Jazz is located at 1639 Boulevard de L’Avenir. Log on to https://www.houseofjazz.ca/laval/ or call (450) 669-3000
For the comedy shows go to https://misterfantastic.ca
And how about JFL in NDG? Walter Lyng, who promotes shows there, was also at the press conference. He runs a variety of shows. Rustik Comedy take place every second Thursday at Rustik Bar. Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. The next shows aere May 22, June 5, June 19 and July 3. It is run by Lyng and Troy Stark. Check here
There are also stand-up comedy shows in Girouard Park every Saturday night at the North East corner . This is run by Zak Kik. Voluntary donations are accepted. Check here
Lyng, Kik and Stark also operate the World’s Smallest Open Mic shows every Monday at Hurley’s Irish Pub downtown Tickets are available online or at the door. They also offer comedy trivia on Wednesday. Check here
GSP LOVES HIS HOT SAUCE: Did you know that Canadian mixed martial arts (MMA) icon Georges St-Pierre (GSP) was bullied for years by older schoolmates. His father had introduced him to Kyokushin karate at age 7, “but life isn’t like a movie,” he said. “You can do all the karate you want, when you’re eight or nine-years-old and they’re 12, when you’re alone and there’s three of them, you can’t do anything. That’s the reality.”
In 2006 St-Pierre becames the UFC Welterweight Champion. He lost the title in 2007 but subsequently regained it in front of his hometown fans of Montreal in 2008 and hasn’t lost a single title defence since then. He retired from the sport on December 13, 2013, holding the UFC record for most wins in title bouts and then returned to the octagon after a four-year layoff, on November 4, 2017 at UFC 217 in New York City (Madison Square Garden), where he defeated Michael Bisping by submission in the third round to win the UFC Middleweight Championship title, becoming the fourth fighter in the history of the organization to be a multi-division champion. On December 7, 2017, after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, he vacated his UFC middleweight title and announced his retirement from professional MMA competition on February 21, 2019, following the UFC’s refusal to organize a superfight against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. GSP was officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in a ceremony held in Las Vegas on September 24, 2021.
St-Pierre keeps very busy. For starters he operates his own foundation with some simple objectives: help youth, stop the bullying and promote physical activity in schools. He personally ensures that 100 percent of the funds are redistributed to the best Canadian resources and programs dedicated to preventing bullying and promoting youth.
I got to interview St-Pierre last week at Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Showroom in Griffintown,a pretty cool spot which enables you to create your own kitchen via inspiring kitchen vignettes to live cooking demonstrations. The noted Canadian brand Lord’s Hot Sauce Company introduced two bold new hot sauces in collaboration with GSP: RUSH and K.O. “This collaboration is our way of celebrating a true icon,” said Michael Lord, founder of Lord’s Hot Sauce. “Each bottle showcases the art of Canadian craft fermentation, while delivering flavors as bold and dynamic as GSP itself.”
Made from all-natural ingredients and aged to perfection in Canadian white oak barrels, Lord’s Hot Sauce’s sauces offer pure, intense heat with no GMOs, additives, preservatives or thickeners.
RUSH has a mild yet flavorful sauce made with oak barrel-fermented jalapeño and habanero pepper puree, roasted peppers, onions, sesame oil, black garlic, and maple syrup, creating balanced, smooth heat with a touch of sweetness. K.O. takes it a step further by blending oak-fermented habanero pepper and Carolina Reaper pepper with similar ingredients to RUSH. The result? Powerful heat balanced by rich flavors and lingering burn from the fermented Carolina Reaper pepper.
“This partnership with Lord’s Hot Sauce was a no-brainer,” said St-Pierre. “Together, we have created bold and authentic flavors that reflect my journey, providing fans with a truly unique and memorable experience.”
Lord’s is made and Canadian-owned brand, with Ontario-based pepper farms and production and a head office in Montreal. These peppers are then crushed and slowly fermented in Canadian white oak barrels, a process that can take up to three years. This unique aging method allows for the development of rich flavors that rival the complexity of fine wines and whiskeys. In addition, the wild fermentation process also infuses sauces with probiotics, promoting gut health and boosting immunity.
Folks on hand at the launch also got to sample some of the decadent donuts from Bernie Beigne.
You watch my video chat with St-Pierre here on Instagram.
SEGAL CENTRE’S NEXT SEASON: It has been a great year on stage at The Segal Centre for Performing Arts. Now it is time to look ahead to 2025-2026.
The season will kick off with Big Stuff, a hilarious and poignant exploration of what we leave behind, starring the dynamic comedy duo Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus.
Following this, the Segal Centre wil partner once again with David and Hannah Mirvish for the Canadian premiere of the Tony Award®-winning Kimberly Akimbo, led by the legendary Louise Pitre in a musical that is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming.
In January, Canadian screen legend Saul Rubinek stars in Playing Shylock, a gripping new play that challenges art, identity, and accountability. The season continues with Detroit: Music of the Motor City from Soulpepper Theatre, a high- energy celebration of the music that defined a city, from Motown to Hip Hop.
And for what is sure to be the high of the season, comes a new homegrown Canadian musical from Michael Rubinoff, the original producer of Come From Away. Grow by Matt Murray with music by Colleen Dauncey and lyrics by Akiva Romer-Segal is an irreverent and moving tale that follows two sheltered Amish sisters whose journey of self-discovery takes root in the most unexpected place: a cannabis dispensary.
The season will closes with a Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre production of Di Shvegerins (Belles-sœurs in Yiddish), a powerful reimagining of Michel Tremblay’s classic, celebrating language, culture, and the resilience of working-class women, 60 years later.
This season holds particular significance as it marks Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Rubin’s 10th season at the Segal Centre. She is a true visionary.
“Ten seasons in and I’ve never been prouder of what we do and who we’ve become,” she says. “ In a fractured world, theatre reminds us of what’s still possible: connection, community, and hope. A place like the Segal exists because of its artists, its audiences, and its donors – and this season honours them. It’s our promise to keep making work that’s meaningful, bold, and unforgettable.”
To honour this milestone, the Segal Centre is launching The Stage Forward Fund for creation, leadership, and the next generation. This initiative embodies Rubin’s commitment to supporting new work, helping create viable careers in the performing arts, and ensuring Jewish creative voices thrive. The Fund includes three key streams: New Work Development, Artist Advancement, and Jewish Creative Leadership. The first recipients of the Jewish Creative Leadership initiative are Ally Brumer and Debora Friedmann, co-founders of Contact Theatre. The Fund will provide mentorship and production support to help them and others like them build lasting careers. This initiative represents a continued commitment to shaping the future of theatre by investing in the artists and leaders of tomorrow.
“This isn’t about looking back,” Said Rubin. “It’s about everything we can make possible together in the next act. I am incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished, and I’m even more excited about what’s yet to come. With the Stage Forward Fund, we’re investing in the stories, artists, and leaders of tomorrow.”
Individual tickets go on sale August 7, 2025 at www.segalcentre.org
NDGer ON HOME NETWORK: Renovation Resort, hosted by Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler, airs on Home Network. The series features four design duos who oversee the transformation of one cabin each on a resort property and at the end, Scott and Bryan give the winning pair a 100k prize. . One of the duos is married couple and new parents, Cami (designer) and Chris (contractor). Cami lives in Toronto now, but she is a proud NDG native. She runs Living by Cami, a boutique design firm specializing in blending traditional design with modern aesthetics. Chris owns contracting company, Made by McG for more than 15 years. He and Cami married a few years ago and right before filming, had their baby Leo. Don’t ask me how they filmed while having a six-month-old! The show wraps up on May 18 .
WHEN TIMES BECOMES COLOUR: Korean artist Mia Ham, who exhibits on both sides of the Pacific Ocean will present her new exhibit “When Time becomes Colour” at the Centre Afrika (1644 St-Hubert Street) from May 26 to June 23.Montreal historian Dr. Dorothy Williams is the guest of honor. Visits free and open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 1:30 to 5:30 pm and by appointment with the curator Professor Norman Cornett. Info:professeur.norman.cornett@gmail.com
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