Charlie Chaplin once said “a day without laughter is a day wasted,” I couldn’t agree more. Especially these days when we are all in the hustle to do something, get somewhere stat, taking the time to just laugh and enjoy life’s little pleasure is a lost art. We all know laughter is the best medicine, don’t we? We know laughter has many positive physiological effects and if there’s truth to the eternal search for the fountain of youth, this may be it!
That said, are you ready for a night out of town where you literally laugh your pretty a** off? From November 5 to 21, Canadians will have the hilarious opportunity to revel in the 15th Anniversary edition of the 2015 Just For Laughs Comedy Tour presented by WestJet. And guess what? The #JFLTour is coming to Ottawa this weekend at one of the nation’s most prestigious venues – the National Arts Centre! This time, it’s featuring it’s sold-out best-seller show – The Relationship Edition, which features a pretty outstanding line-up of world class comedians: the fiesty Cristela Alonzo, Canada’s own Gerry Dee, multi-talented Robert Kelly and the charming and crowd-favourite Graham Chittenden!
For a bit of a look back, Just for Laughs: Gags (in French, Juste pour rire!) is a Canadian silent comedy/hidden camera reality television show that is under the Just for Laughs brand. It is based on the similar American series Candid Camera. In fact, I’ve been a long time loyal fan (so is my little nephew Angelo especially now that they have Just For Laughs Kids!) of #JFL that we used to take weekend trips to Montreal for the world famous summer highlight, the Just For Laughs Festival. Now bBack by popular demand (hence buy your tickets now, they’re in demand!), this year’s tour will have a stop in the Nation’s capital featuring a relationship theme that encompasses family, love (or the lack thereof) and all the nonsense in between.
CRISTELA ALONZO
People really, really like her and I really, really love her! I can’t wait to see her and that’s why she’s topping off this list! Cristela has topped multiple comedy power-player lists including Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch, LA Weekly’s Top 10 Comedy Acts to Watch in 2014, Cosmo Latina’s 8 Women You Should be Following on Twitter, Time Out’s Comics to Watch, Cosmo’s 13 Female Comedians to Watch For in 2014, and One of the 50 Comedians You Should and WILL Know by Vulture.com. Her first special The Half Hour was released in 2013 to rave reviews. If you LOVE Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution – she’s been on it as well as the Last Comic Standing, Showtime’s Legally Brown, and Live at Gotham. The woman is super popular on the college circuit and pretty much, well, everywhere!
GERRY DEE
Settle down now: In his past life, Gerry was a high school teacher. He’s on tv: He is the star and co-creator of the hit CBC sitcom Mr. D, now in its 5th season. He’s also been featured on two JFL Festival Galas in 2012 and 2009, which were hosted by Howie Mandel and Whoopi Goldberg, respectively. His work on Mr. D garnered him the 2013 Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Comedic RoleGerry’s book Teaching: It’s Harder Than It Looks was a national bestseller. Keep an eye out for: His second sitcom entitled My Scottish Family, is currently in development at CBC. Tell your friends!
ROBERT KELLY
He’s been doing stand-up for a long time: 18 years to be exact. And he’s done various JFL festivals and tours a ton of time! Plus… the man can act! Robert currently plays Bam Bam in Denis Leary’s new FX show Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, and plays Louie CK’s brother on FX’s hit series Louie. His acting credits also include roles on Maron, Benders, Nurse Jackie, Inside Amy Schumer and in Judd Apatow’s latest comedy Trainwreck. He’s a fixture on Comedy Central: His new one-hour special Robert Kelly: Live at the Village Underground recently debuted on that network will be available on Netflix this fall. Great stuff, non?
GRAHAM CHITTENDEN
He’s been around the JFL block: Graham’s been at the JFL Montreal Festival, opened for John Pinette’s JFL tours across Canada, toured with the JFL Road Show and didn’t get lost in the triangle while on JFL Bermuda. As heard on: CBC Radio’s acclaimed comedy show The Debaters.
On the television front: Not only has Graham been on The Comedy Network’s Match Game, but he has his own award-nominated special and hosted talk shows on the network as well.
Don’t miss the Ottawa leg of the #JFLTour at the National Arts Centre with such vibrant lineup hosted by the star of CBC’s smash hit Mr. D, Gerry Dee, featuring Louie star & Just For Laughs veteran Robert Kelly, Latina powerhouse & Cristela star Cristela Alonzo and Just For Laughs favourite Graham Chittenden.
Buy your tickets now and we’ll join you with the laughter and the fun with the #JFLTour in Ottawa!
To get more updates on events and special occasions around town, follow @20YS on Twitter & @20YS on Instagram today. For behind the scenes and more fall outfits and to-do inspiration, follow #20YSSummer, @20YS on Twitter and @20YS on Instagram.
