The president of a Quebec-based entertainment group says he’s reviving the Montreal Just For Laughs festival with a scaled-down 2024 event that includes shows by Dane Cook, Bassem Youssef and Bobby Slayton.
ComediHa! CEO Sylvain Parent-Bédard says it’s a “miracle” the company is able to announce a July lineup only weeks after acquiring a number of assets from the financially troubled Just for Laughs comedy company.
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Just for Laughs cancelled its Montreal and Toronto festivals earlier this year and sought creditor protection, blaming the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and the changing entertainment industry for its financial woes.
Parent-Bédard’s ComediHa! announced earlier this month that a judge approved its bid to acquire the brands Juste pour rire, Just For Laughs, Zoofest, ComedyPro, the Gags, as well as the audiovisual catalogue.
Parent-Bédard says the English side of the festival will be smaller than in previous years, but he says it’s important for the company to send a signal to fans and the industry that the event isn’t finished.
The 2024 festival runs from July 18 to 28 and will feature a free outdoor performance by Cook, about 15 shows at various venues, and a closing show that has yet to be announced.
© 2024 The Canadian Press