When thinking outside the box just isn't enough
Gracia Kasoki Katahwa will run for Borough Mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce under the Projet Montréal banner. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante made the announcement earlier today at a press conference in the borough alongside Katahwa and seven other first-time candidates whom Plante referred to as the future of her party. Katahwa joins an arguably crowded field which […]
Now that the hybrid Just for Laughs is over, festival season continues. This week, we’ve got two Montreal summer mainstays back in different forms and a Rouyn-Noranda-based festival running a mini-fest in our city for the first time. Let’s get started: Osheaga Through the Ages While it’s sadly true that Osheaga won’t be returning to […]
Sophie Buddle isn’t a huge fan of the Zoom comedy show, the go-to performance option for many standups during the pandemic. “Yes, I was doing Zoom shows,” she said in a phone interview, “but I will say that doing Zoom shows is almost worse than doing no shows at all for me because, number one, […]
Comedian Arthur Simeon is the kind of voice we need more of. Born and raised in Uganda but now based out of Toronto, he brings his life experience as an immigrant and a black man in Canada to his comedy, while still managing to keep such a heavy topic light and funny. His comedy album, […]
Cassie Cao is no stranger to Montreal. She lived here for four years while studying Economics at McGill and has returned on more than one occasion to perform at Just for Laughs, but she hasn’t been here since the last pre-pandemic JFL in 2019. “I’m genuinely thrilled to be coming to the festival,” Cao said […]
DeAnne Smith is a Montreal favourite. Born in the US, they lived in Mexico for a while, and then moved to and got their start in comedy in Montreal. I remember seeing Smith at Stand Up Strip Down in my twenties, and now they perform and do TV appearances all over the world and have […]
The Just for Laughs festival is upon us and with more and people vaccinated and the easing of restrictions, this year’s festival is a hybrid one, with some shows streaming for free online, and live, socially distanced in-person events with limited seating. Among this year’s virtual offerings is Just for Laughs Live in LA, featuring […]
Jason C. McLean speaks with veteran comedian and Just for Laughs mainstay Andy Kindler about hosting this year’s JFL Alternative Show from L.A., the state of comedy, his affection for Montreal and more. Follow Andy Kindler on Twitter @AndyKindler and his podcast @thought_spiral For the complete Just for Laughs schedule: HaHaHa.com Follow Jason C. McLean […]
Jason C. McLean and Special Guest Dawn McSweeney discuss some of the week’s top news stories: Quebecers can move up their second vax shot and things are re-opening. Is Montreal getting back to normal? Trudeau appointed Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General. Is this just a deflection? Should he tax the churches? After Game Four of […]
Summer is heating up both literally and figuratively in Montreal and we’ve got some outdoors and in-person events this week. Let’s get started: ShazamFest is Back This Weekend ShazamFest is truly one of Quebec’s most unique festivals. It’s eco-friendly, happens in the Easten Townships and offers a mix of music, circus, burlesque, dance, wrestling and […]
Jason C. McLean and Special Guest FTB Sports Contributor Joe TwoFour discuss the Montreal Canadiens improbably successful Stanley Cup Playoff run, their chances in the finals and what the Habs’ success means for the city. Follow Jason C. McLean on Twitter: @jasoncmclean Facebook Comments
After offering a scaled back all-online version in 2020, Just for Laughs is back in person this summer…with a twist. What is arguably the world’s biggest comedy festival and one of the major tentpoles of the Montreal festival season will run in 2021 from July 26-31 and offer in-person standup shows in Montreal, New York […]
A News Roundup FTB Fridays with host Jason C. McLean and special guest political emcee and filmmaker Jay Manafest. They discuss: Quebec’s second vaccine dose, vaccine skeptics and problems with the website Montreal politics What Canada Day means following the discoveries of bodies at former Residential Schools The Habs in the Playoffs Listen to Jay […]
June is traditionally the beginning of Festival Season here in Montreal. Of course, with things not back to normal yet, it looks like this June will be…the beginning of Festival Season here in Montreal. Wait, what? Yes, there will be festivals this year. Maybe not exactly like before, but in person. This week it’s the […]
Yesterday, Montreal, Laval, and the remaining Red Zones in Quebec turned Orange. Today, Quebec Premier François Legault announced that as of next Monday (June 14th), all of Quebec’s Orange Zones will become Yellow Zones. The Premier made the announcement at an early afternoon press conference joined by Christian Dubé, Minister of Health and Social Services, […]
Quebecers now only have to wait eight weeks between their first and second COVID-19 vaccine shot. This is down from the previous 16 week interval. Christian Dubé, Minister of Health and Social Services, made the announcement at a press conference alongside National Public Health Director Dr. Horacio Arruda and vaccination campaign director Daniel Paré. They […]
