The Montreal firm that operates the Only for Laughs comedy pageant has cancelled the 2024 version of the occasion after submitting a discover of intention to make a proposal to collectors — a proper course of below Canada’s Chapter and Insolvency Act.
Seventy-five individuals have been laid off Tuesday morning, in keeping with a pageant spokesperson, who referred to as the corporate’s monetary scenario “unsustainable.”
The corporate cited misplaced revenues throughout two years of the worldwide pandemic and challenges dealing with the media trade, significantly decreased budgets at networks and streaming platforms, as causes for restructuring.
In a information launch despatched Tuesday, Groupe Juste pour rire inc. (JPR), mentioned it plans to “keep JPR’s operations, albeit in a scaled-down format” as organizers restructure the occasion.
On Tuesday, Julien Provencher-Proulx of JPR mentioned Toronto’s Only for Laughs pageant was anticipated to happen in September. However by Wednesday, a information launch introduced that “the corporate wish to make clear that the 2024 version of the Only for Laughs Toronto pageant won’t happen.”
“As soon as the restructuring of the group is accomplished, JPR hopes that the pageant will happen in 2025,” the assertion added.
As for Montreal, the assertion from JPR says “as soon as the restructuring is accomplished, we hope that the pageant will happen in 2025.”
Among the Montreal exhibits cancelled to this point embody:
- Messmer.
- Neev.
- Mélanie Couture.
- Waitress.
Ticket holders can get refunds both by means of the venue the place they bought the tickets, or by means of their bank card firm if the tickets have been bought straight by means of Only for Laughs or on a ticket gross sales platform.
The Montreal firm that runs the occasion has referred to as off this 12 months’s version due to monetary difficulties. It is hoping a scaled-back model of the pageant will happen in 2025.
Sid Khullar, proprietor and president of the MTL Comedy Membership, mentioned the cancellation is “devastating” for Montreal’s comedy group.
He mentioned holding exhibits after the JFL pageant and showcases introduced a ten to twenty per cent increase in enterprise to his membership.
“It was an enormous assist for us, nevertheless it was an enormous assist for everyone in Montreal as effectively,” he mentioned. “With out JFL within the combine, it may be a bit tougher, however we’ll give it a attempt.”
Native, up-and-coming comedians attempting to make a reputation for themselves will bear the brunt of the pageant’s absence, says Montreal stand-up comedian and JFL veteran Mike Paterson.
“There’s much less individuals getting possibilities,” he mentioned. “It actually sucks for individuals who should depend on these things.”
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante mentioned she might be asking employees on the metropolis of Montreal to contact JFL and assess its plans for a “flagship occasion” of Montreal’s cultural scene.
“We are going to miss the Simply For Laughs Pageant this summer time,” Plante mentioned on X, previously often known as Twitter. “Comedy is an integral a part of our tradition and we are going to proceed to assist it.”
