It's my favourite time of year: JFL42, Toronto’s comedy festival. Sure, I could travel to Montreal for the original Just For Laughs festival, but frankly I’m broke and I already live in Toronto. It's nice when something so great comes to you, isn't it?
Thursday night kicked off this year’s festival, and I spent it jumping from show to another, trying to get a picture of what it's like during one evening at JFL42. So far, so good. Here’s a taste of opening night, and a look at what’s in store for the rest of the festival. Running from September 18 - 27, some of comedy's biggest acts are in our humble city, and you can still get passes and tickets so ... what are you waiting for?
My first stop of the night was at The Garrison to see Nikki Glaser (with the very funny, Zach Galifianakis-esque Tom Henry opening). Glaser is a regular on the improv panel show "@Midnight" on Comedy Central and is set to guest-star on the upcoming season of "Inside Amy Schumer." Glaser didn't shy away from any topic, from birth control pills to teen moms to fetal alcohol syndrome. The full house was loving her from the first minute.
Next I dashed off to the Mod Club for my next stop: Iliza Shlesinger’s show, which was already killing by the time I got there. Perhaps you've seen one of her bits before -- she's known for her rapid-fire style. What I didn't know was that she's also a master of sound effects -- her raptor mating call is spot-on. People were basically rolling in the aisles.
Next I hopped in a cab to head to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre down by Exhibition Place. Get familiar with this venue, as it's where many of the bigger non-headliners will be playing. I like to think of it as roomy and gloomy -- but hey, it works!
Here is where the night took a turn for the BEST EVER. I had never seen Tim Minchin before, maybe a clip or two on YouTube -- enough to understand that he's an Australian, Russell Brand-looking fellow who sings and plays the piano.
How naive of me. How foolish.
Minchin is easily one of the most entertaining performers I've ever seen. His bits are self-described “short essays” with little funny punchlines at the end, but his mere presence had the whole audience tingling his entire set.
And man, can he play the piano. His show is like a cabaret and comedy show rolled into one. He sings impossibly clever lyrics at maximum speed while practically setting fire to the ivories with his non-stop fingers. He even played a song from the hit Broadway show, "Matilda the Musical," which he wrote!
Thursday night was only Minchin's second live show in two years, which explains why people flew in from out of the country just to see him. He only has two shows left -- September 19 and September 20 -- and who knows how long it'll be until he tours again? This is your chance -- don't miss it.
I ended the night at the Queen Elizabeth with a final show from Dave Attell. Attell doesn't pull punches, and he's not into all that politically correct stuff. And god help you if you stand up to go to the bathroom during one of his shows -- you're not going to get away with it without being called out in front of everyone. He's gruff, he's hilarious, and he's definitely not apologizing.
So, have I convinced you? Well, here's what you need to know about the festival: you can take it at your own pace. Only feel like seeing one show? You can pick up an individual ticket. Have … less on the go? You can literally see as many shows as you can pack in your schedule.
That's the beauty of the innovative, albeit at times confusing, ticketing system. With a basic pass you get a guaranteed headliner act, and four credits to see any of the other 42 comedians here for the festival. You reserve the four shows you're most excited about to make sure you get a seat -- though, fun fact, the festival takes demand into account, which means if "enough keeners" want to see a sold-out show, they'll either move it to a bigger venue or add another show for that performer. Then when you arrive at one of the shows you've reserved and check in on your phone, you get that credit back so you can reserve another show.
It's like infinite shows!
Last night, Tim Minchin expressed what a great system it truly is -- because Toronto is building a comedy festival and a comedy following that would normally take a decade to achieve. And he's totally right. The value of the pass is in your hands; it's up to you what you make of it. I know I'll be madly hitting as many shows as possible, so stay tuned for more updates.
Still to come in the festival are Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, Mike Birbiglia, Tig Notaro and so many more. Get a pass, charge up your phone, and get out and laugh. You won't regret it.
150 Funny Women, Past and Present
Emma Stone(01 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Jenny Slate(02 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
(L-R) Nasim Pedrad, Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong and Vanessa Bayer (03 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Wanda Sykes(04 of149)
Open Image ModalEllen DeGeneres(05 of149)
Open Image ModalCarol Burnett(06 of149)
Open Image ModalTina Fey(07 of149)
Open Image ModalAmy Poehler(08 of149)
Open Image ModalKristen Wiig(09 of149)
Open Image ModalLinda Smith(10 of149)
Open Image ModalJoan Rivers(11 of149)
Open Image ModalNora Ephron(12 of149)
Open Image ModalRebecca Front(13 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Getty Images)
Jo Brand(14 of149)
Open Image ModalMaria Bamford(15 of149)
Open Image ModalSarah Silverman(16 of149)
Open Image ModalJane Austen(17 of149)
Open Image ModalPhyllis Diller(18 of149)
Open Image ModalLucille Ball(19 of149)
Open Image ModalMeera Syal(20 of149)
Open Image ModalVictoria Wood(21 of149)
Open Image ModalRoseanne Barr(22 of149)
Open Image ModalJennifer Saunders(23 of149)
Open Image ModalSarah Millican(24 of149)
Open Image ModalWatson And Oliver(25 of149)
Open Image ModalJoanna Scanlan(26 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Getty)
Sara Pascoe(27 of149)
Open Image ModalRita Rudner(28 of149)
Open Image ModalZsa Zsa Gabor(29 of149)
Open Image ModalGilda Radner(30 of149)
Open Image ModalDawn French(31 of149)
Open Image ModalJo Caulfield(32 of149)
Open Image ModalLucy Porter(33 of149)
Open Image ModalRichmal Crompton(34 of149)
Open Image ModalKristen Schaal(35 of149)
Open Image ModalBridget Christie(36 of149)
Open Image ModalGarfunkel And Oates(37 of149)
Open Image ModalMarti Caine(38 of149)
Open Image ModalValerie Harper(39 of149)
Open Image ModalMiranda Hart(40 of149)
Open Image ModalStella Gibbons(41 of149)
Open Image ModalVicki Pepperdine(42 of149)
Open Image ModalKathy Lette(43 of149)
Open Image ModalTig Notaro(44 of149)
Open Image ModalAshley Jensen(45 of149)
Open Image ModalAnna And Katy(46 of149)
Open Image ModalLuisa Omielan(47 of149)
Open Image ModalTracey Ullman(48 of149)
Open Image ModalAubrey Plaza(49 of149)
Open Image ModalJoanna Lumley(50 of149)
Open Image ModalLily Tomlin(51 of149)
Open Image ModalMegan Mullally(52 of149)
Open Image ModalSandi Toksvig(53 of149)
Open Image ModalJulie Klausner(54 of149)
Open Image ModalMaureen Lipman(55 of149)
Open Image ModalBrenda Blethyn(56 of149)
Open Image ModalRonni Ancona(57 of149)
Open Image ModalHolly Walsh(58 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Rich Hardcastle)
Angie Le Mar(59 of149)
Open Image ModalLizz Winstead(60 of149)
Open Image ModalKathy Griffin(61 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:AP)
Emma Thompson(62 of149)
Open Image ModalJulia Louis-Dreyfus(63 of149)
Open Image ModalSandra Bernhard(64 of149)
Open Image ModalCatherine Tate(65 of149)
Open Image ModalCariad Lloyd(66 of149)
Open Image ModalSue Perkins(67 of149)
Open Image ModalSarah Kendall(68 of149)
Open Image ModalKathy Burke(69 of149)
Open Image ModalJane Lynch(70 of149)
Open Image ModalJenny Eclair(71 of149)
Open Image ModalCaitlin Moran(72 of149)
Open Image ModalSamantha Bee(73 of149)
Open Image ModalKatherine Parkinson(74 of149)
Open Image ModalLaura Solon(75 of149)
Open Image ModalJennifer Coolidge(76 of149)
Open Image ModalLiz Smith(77 of149)
Open Image ModalMaya Rudolph(78 of149)
Open Image ModalSusan Calman(79 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Alamy)
Lena Dunham(80 of149)
Open Image ModalJoyce Grenfell(81 of149)
Open Image ModalMae West(82 of149)
Open Image ModalMargaret Cho(83 of149)
Open Image ModalRosie O'Donnell(84 of149)
Open Image ModalGrace Dent(85 of149)
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Shappi Khorsandi(86 of149)
Open Image ModalNia Vardalos(87 of149)
Open Image ModalFelicity Montagu(88 of149)
Open Image ModalEmma Chambers(89 of149)
Open Image ModalMeryl O'Rourke(90 of149)
Open Image ModalGoldie Hawn(91 of149)
Open Image ModalCaroline Quentin(92 of149)
Open Image ModalIsy Suttie(93 of149)
Open Image ModalBetty White(94 of149)
Open Image ModalCaroline Aherne(95 of149)
Open Image ModalMelissa McCarthy(96 of149)
Open Image ModalHelen Fielding(97 of149)
Open Image ModalWhoopi Goldberg(98 of149)
Open Image ModalRuby Wax(99 of149)
Open Image ModalMeg Ryan(100 of149)
Open Image ModalShazia Mirza(101 of149)
Open Image ModalSally Phillips(102 of149)
Open Image ModalMila Kunis(103 of149)
Open Image ModalCatherine O'Hara(104 of149)
Open Image ModalOlivia Colman(105 of149)
Open Image ModalNina Conti(106 of149)
Open Image ModalJenna Fischer(107 of149)
Open Image ModalJane Curtin(108 of149)
Open Image ModalHattie Jacques(109 of149)
Open Image ModalFrancesca Martinez(110 of149)
Open Image ModalSandra Bullock(111 of149)
Open Image ModalDiablo Cody(112 of149)
Open Image ModalDoon Mackichan(113 of149)
Open Image ModalJennifer Aniston(114 of149)
Open Image ModalJessica Hynes(115 of149)
Open Image ModalEllie Kemper(116 of149)
Open Image ModalDiane Keaton(117 of149)
Open Image ModalJaney Godley(118 of149)
Open Image ModalSharon Horgan(119 of149)
Open Image ModalAndi Osho(120 of149)
Open Image ModalSofia Vergara(121 of149)
Open Image ModalChelsea Handler(122 of149)
Open Image ModalJulia Davis(123 of149)
Open Image ModalMindy Kaling(124 of149)
Open Image ModalIsla Fisher(125 of149)
Open Image ModalPauline McLynn(126 of149)
Open Image ModalJosie Long(127 of149)
Open Image Modal (credit:Alamy)
Amy Adams(128 of149)
Open Image ModalQueen Latifah(129 of149)
Open Image ModalRuth Jones(130 of149)
Open Image ModalTiffany Stevenson(131 of149)
Open Image ModalEmma Kennedy(132 of149)
Open Image ModalCameron Diaz(133 of149)
Open Image ModalJaneane Garofalo(134 of149)
Open Image ModalAnna Faris(135 of149)
Open Image ModalAisling Bea(136 of149)
Open Image ModalFiona Allen(137 of149)
Open Image ModalMel Giedroyc(138 of149)
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Toni Collette(139 of149)
Open Image ModalBette Midler(140 of149)
Open Image ModalVictoria Coren(141 of149)
Open Image ModalGina Yashere(142 of149)
Open Image ModalJulie Kavner(143 of149)
Open Image ModalZooey Deschanel(144 of149)
Open Image ModalKerry Godliman(145 of149)
Open Image ModalRashida Jones(146 of149)
Open Image ModalJulie Walters(147 of149)
Open Image ModalMiriam Margolyes(148 of149)
Open Image ModalDorothy Parker(149 of149)
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