The comedy world is still coming to grips with the fact ‘Just For Laughs’ is cancelling its marquee festivals in Montreal and Toronto.
The legacy of those events has been in the news lately after it was announced they were both being canceled this year following the filing of a notice of intention to make a proposal to creditors by their parent company, J-P-R — a formal process under Canada’s Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
Comedian Pete Zedlacher, who made a stop in Peterborough earlier this week, was a fixture on the stage and says both events played a big role in getting talent noticed.
Zedlacher says these festivals were super important to anyone pursuing a career in the industry, but the actual ‘Just For Laughs’ reach has become bigger.
He says while those shows are still a big deal, things have changed.
The festivals parent-company cited lost revenues during the pandemic and reduced budgets at networks and streaming platforms as reasons for its restructuring.
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
