Comedian Dave Chappelle performs at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, July 6, 2014. Chappelle, Mike Myers and Neil Patrick Harris will be among those attending the 33rd edition of the Just For Laughs comedy festival this summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Gerald Herbert
Republished May 05, 2015 - 12:47 PM
Original Publication Date May 05, 2015 - 9:15 AM
MONTREAL - Persuading superstars like Mike Myers, Neil Patrick Harris and Dave Chappelle to attend the Just For Laughs comedy bash doesn't happen overnight.
Myers will make his festival debut on July 24 where he will showcase his career and take questions from the audience.
Robbie Praw, the festival's vice-president of programming, admits he's been trying for years to land the Canadian comedian, who will also receive a lifetime achievement award.
"I've been waiting to make that announcement since I've been doing this job," he told a news conference Tuesday where this year's lineup was unveiled.
"I've been programming the festival since 2008."
The July 8-28 event will also honour Armando Iannucci as comedy writer of the year for his Emmy award-winning work on "Veep".
Praw said it was a bit easier to snag Harris, who will be hosting the festival-closing galas and who first expressed interest in the job six years ago.
"In 2009, he was here as an audience member and watching Martin Short's gala," he said.
Praw said he, Harris and the festival's chief operating officer, Bruce Hills, all met in a Montreal restaurant.
"Neil tells us: 'I want to host that thing one day' and, well, six years later he's hosting that thing," Praw said.
Trevor Noah, who replaces Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" this fall, will also host a gala July 23.
Praw said the festival was able to get Noah confirmed the day after it was announced he would be Stewart's replacement.
"He was just here two years ago on a bill and nobody knew he would blow up to be a star...I think he did three shows in a 100-seater."
Jane Lynch of the TV series "Glee" and who starred in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" is also hosting a gala on July 22.
Dave Chappelle will give six performances and receive the festival's first-ever Generation Award.
He only confirmed Monday night after organizers spent a year trying to get him.
Other scheduled performers include Kevin Hart (the Bell Centre on July 24) and "Weird Al" Yankovic (free outdoor show on July 21).
Just For Laughs, which bills itself as the largest comedy festival in the world, is also adding 35 per cent more tickets to its inventory.
Founder Gilbert Rozon joked the festival is still going strong more than 30 years on "because I bullied them."
"You have to push, push, push and you have to invest in quality and content and make sure you always have the best," he said in an interview.
Rozon noted that Just for Laughs is on TV in 150 countries and attracts three million people a day on YouTube.
Tickets go on sale Friday.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2015