Laughs aren’t enough to save Just for Laughs Comedy Festival from financial troubles. On Mar. 5, the parent company Groupe Juste pour rire inc. released a statement announcing the cancellation of the 2024 Just for Laughs /Juste pour rire (JFL) Comedy Festival in Montreal and Toronto. The company is now[Read More…]
Tag: comedy
A pigeon here, a pigeon there, a pigeon everywhere
In the Feature of the week: Revealing the intricacies of his search for Nixon, Managing Editor Arian Kamel offers a never-before-released sneak peek of his creative process.
Matt Rife’s Netflix special ‘Natural Selection’ is disconcerting and misogynistic
CW: Mentions of ableism and misogyny Matt Rife’s new Netflix special is supposedly a comedy; I didn’t find it very funny. The 28-year-old comedian and actor from Ohio has recently received a lot of backlash from his special, Natural Selection, which was released on Nov. 15. Rife is facing criticism[Read More…]
MSCC comedy show sheds light even in darkness
As finals season settles in, a healthy dose of seasonal depression is in tow, and McGill students are in need of an ample serotonin boost. On Nov. 15, the McGill Student Comedy Club (MSCC) sought to satisfy the gloomy campus by hosting their monthly stand-up night. The line for Gert’s[Read More…]
“The Road to Hell” is paved with quirky duos
Before I saw “The Road to Hell,” nobody would tell me anything about it. The play is modern and relatively unknown, so a cursory Google Search reveals very little. I learned that it consists of two one-act plays, with two actors in each act. A new, mysterious play with a[Read More…]
Hasan Minhaj’s anecdotes aren’t just dishonest, they’re detrimental
Comedians often embellish for comedic effect, but when exaggeration is used to manipulate emotions for connection, it takes a darker turn. On Sept. 15, The New Yorker ran a story titled “Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Emotional Truths’” in which journalist Clare Malone uncovers an unsettling truth about the comedian’s stand-up: Minhaj had[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Twitter and the Gen Z-ification of SNL
I’ve never been a particularly avid watcher of Saturday Night Live. Like many people my age, my opinion of the show is mainly shaped by watching clips via Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok—I really only see the best and the worst of the series. But a few weeks ago, I enjoyed[Read More…]
‘The Happiness Theorem’ is a refreshing portrayal of early pandemic life
After debuting at the San Diego Movie awards, The Happiness Theorem opened in theatres across Canada on Feb. 3. This charming independent Italian production tells an uplifting story of perseverance and community in times of crisis. As one of many in a wave of early-COVID period pieces, the film balances[Read More…]
‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’ is a moving, yet disappointing memoir
When thinking of Matthew Perry, it is nearly impossible to separate him from his popular role on the hit TV show Friends. While his name has largely been synonymous with Chandler Bing, it also is associated with a much more stigmatized term—addict. In Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,[Read More…]
Stand-up show ‘The Remedy’ offers the cure for a boring Thursday night
By day, Deli Planet looks like any other restaurant you’d find inside of a train station—neatly decorated with a simple arrangement of black tables and chairs and plain leather booths lining the walls. But, don’t let its unremarkable appearance fool you. By night, the restaurant transforms: A small stage is[Read More…]
