SHECKYmagazine.com @ Just For Laughs!
The WWW's most beloved magazine about standup goes to the world's largest comedy festival for the sixth year in a row to bring our readers daily updates from The Just For Laughs Festival!Monday, July 26, 2004
J.F.L. Update #4 is Uploaded!
Interstate 87 is a dangerous road to travel on the third or fourth Sunday in July. Sprinkled among the vacationers and the Canadians skittering down to Plattsburgh to buy appliances at U.S. retailers is a healthy dollop of bleary-eyed, exhausted, NY- and NJ-based comics returning home from four or five or six days of intense, schmoozification at the world's largest comedy fest. CJAD said that there was a 40-minute backup at the border crossing... it was more like an hour. Longer, of course, if you stopped into the Duty Free to exchange your Canadian money for U.S. bucks and maybe cop a 12-pack of Sleeman's and a 1.5-liter bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin.
(At this point, we hasten to point out that, in addition to sharing a birthday with L.C.S.-er John Heffron, SHECKYmagazine Editor Brian McKim also shares a birthday with Dr. Hunter S. Thompson... which may or may not explain our tendency to include arcane, sometimes alcohol-related details in our updates.)
Oddly, this hot and sticky traffic ordeal didn't affect us as much as it may have in past years. This was largely due to the fact that we were better able to endure four days of intense Festification (and a subsequent traffic jam) this year due to the fact that we drank far less than in past years and, in the previous 100 days or we had each dropped more than 20 lbs. (We stress: Per person, not combined!) Indeed, the very fact that we're cranking out this update late on Sunday evening is testament to our renewed physical condition.
While waiting in line to exit the Duty Free parking lot and join the main queue that was seeking to re-enter America, we spotted Ross Bennet (Masters) entering and eventually exiting the Hors Taxes joint. And, a little farther down the road, at a rest stop on the NY State Thruway, we briefly conversed with Sandy Marx, whom we spotted near the Starbucks. We remembered Sandy from last year's Artist/Industry Basketball game. He didn't participate this year, but he vowed to do so next year.
ARTIST/INDUSTRY BASKETBALL GAME
Artists side forms layup drill lines before the clash at the MAA on Rue Peel
Speaking of the Artist/Industry hoops, it is apparent that we here at SHECKYmagazine have done such a smashing job of making the Artist/Industry clash sound exciting and/or fun to participate in or watch that a healthy number of players on both sides and a film crew from a Canadian television outlet showed up Saturday afternoon at the Montreal Athletic Association on rue Peel. The healthy turnout might also explain why, for the first time in a while, the Industry team actually gave the Artists a run for their money!
The Artists team gloats, gesticulates, taunts and generally behaves in an unsportsmanlike manner after barely defeating the Industry team
That Ryan "Flyin' Ryan" Wilner can sure hoop! (We likened him to a praying mantis in sneakers!) And New Face-r Josh Sneed can pop from downtown... if nobody is covering him. Standouts for the Industry gang included Gregory Moore of the The Moore Law Group and some real tall, skinny dude whose name we didn't catch. Big impediment to any sort of camaraderie (or networking) is that nobody bothers to introduce themselves. Hmmm...
Ted Alexandro, Josh Sneed and Eddie Gossling gloating and preening still more after their team's victory
Kudos to Festival Bigwig Brent Schiess for dusting off his dry marker and dilligently keeping score on the sidelines throughout the two 15-minute halves. (And those referees were professional and, at times, amusing!) Thanks also must go to Roots and the Comedy Network for sponsoring the whole sordid affair! We nearly forgot to mention to the final score--Artists 49, Industry 45.
A BOOK SIGNING/NEW CLUB LAUNCH
Earlier in the day, and not far from the scene of the basketball crime, Jim Mendrinos, at Chapters Bookstore on Ste. Catherine, signed copies of his new book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing" (BUY IT HERE.) We hear that turnout for the signing was healthy and the whole affair went for longer than scheduled!
Earlier in the day, at 11:00, the new NY Improvisation "management team" hosted a bash at the Delta. The Improv is back and, amid piles of Krispy Kreme donuts, Marty Fisher, Al Martin, Linda Corke, Eric Hanson and Silver Friedman heralded the legendary club's return to the Manhattan comedy scene. See Jim Mendrinos' account of their recent christening bash in NYC here.
PARTY TALLY
There was no Comedy Network Barbecue this year! Supreme bummer! In years past, everyone's Saturday afternoon was reserved for a relaxing blowout on the Terasse de la Jardine sponsored by the Canadian yucks outlet. In the past, we've good-naturedly chided the organizers for handing out blunt, easily-thrown objects, but we never dreamed they'd turf the affair altogether! (Perhaps we're being too hard on ourselves... perhaps it wasn't our ribbing that caused them to fold their party tent and leave us all high and considerably dry!) We theorize that their sponsorship of other events at this year's JFL was the reason for cutting the Labatts and rubbery burgers out of their entertaining budget! It's the end of an institution, we say!
We hear that Pauly Shore hosted a blast at the Buddha Bar after the screening of his film. And, we're told that there was an "super-secret, invitation-only" barbecue on Saturday afternoon right close by to Pauly's soiree. What is with this super-secret nonsense? What? Are we in high school again? You're making TV money, now! Hell, you are TV! Peel off some hundreds and throw a real party! Exclusivity breeds resentment! (You can bet that SHECKYmagazine will throw an all-inclusive super shindig when they make their first million ($US) or two! And, by golly, you'll all be invited... even you Comedy Central folks!)
MAJOR GROUSING, REPORTING FOR DUTY!
Speaking of cheap fucks... We heard third or fourth hand, from more than one source, that the New Faces kids were billeted at a crummy hostel. That's right! We couldn't believe it when we heard it either! You know, we had always just assumed that the folks who were fortunate enough to be invited to perform at the most prestigious comedy festival on the planet were probably ensconced in a swell room at the Delta. Or, at the very least, lodging was secured at one of the many lovely hotels that surround JFL Ground Zero. Turns out that we were wrong... very wrong.
From what we could piece together, the New Faces are told ten days before the start of the Festival that they've hit the jackpot. They are then put up in a hostel (rhymes, for all intents and purposes, with "hostile") in le quartier chinois, just south of the city's core! To summarize, the comics who stock the New Faces showcases (the comics who are featured in what is perceived by many in the industry as the most important segment of the entire fest) are all quartered not in a posh hotel room, not in a Holiday Inn or a B & B, but in a "supervised institutional residence" (Webster's), not unlike what one might encounter while backpacking through the third world. In Chinatown, a few blocks south of the action at the Delta. The accomodations were described as spartan-- non-carpeted floors, a cot for a bed, not even a television set.
We were disbelieving at first. We thought someone was, as the guys over at Globecom might put it, "having us on!" But we were assured that the New Faces dwelt in what might be charitably described as a dormitory. So much for the glamourous life of show business!
And this 10-day notice feature was news to us as well. Let that one sink in! Hmmm... let's see... I must buy a ticket from Louisville or Seattle or Tampa to Montreal in mid-July... (the peak of Montreal's tourism season!) on ten days notice! Wow!
Don't think for a minute that we don't think it's worth every penny that one might spend in order to be be here on time, with a clean shirt and a tight, 7-minute set at the ready, but Holy Mother of God, could they make it any more difficult?!
Can you imagine getting the call, buying a ticket, hustling your ass up to Montreal and then finding out that you're staying in what one comic described as "worse than the Cuyahoga Falls condo?"
We suppose that the incentive to bitch is near zero. After all, artist, manager and agent all want the visibility and prestige that comes with New Facing it so badly that any rocking of the boat is discouraged. And, when you consider that being a New Face is a one-time deal (your face is only new once, we assume!), the comic who would complain would only be doing so for the benefit of those who came after him/her-- and comics aren't noted for altruism of this sort. (Indeed, a selfless crusade of that kind is rare for anyone in any occupation, let alone standup comics!)
So who might be to blame for this shabby treatment? JFL, perhaps? Respective managers and agents? The comics themselves? We suppose there's no way of knowing. (If we were real journalists, we'd probably hound the JFL people for a statement... but, remember, we're pseudo-journalists and, as such, we don't have the time and resources for such exercises.)
We do know, however, that if we were managing or repping a New Face-r and we found out that our New Face-r was staying in GitMo du Nord, we'd whip out the Platinum Visa card and spring for nicer accomodations. But, hey, that's just us.
SHORT STRANGE TRIP
Caroline Rhea and Cary Hoffman at the Delta
We had to truncate our coverage just a tad. On Saturday night, we hopped onto the Autoroute 10 and headed over the U.S/Canada border for a scheduled one-nighter in St. Albans, VT. Gotta pay the bills! However, we managed to get back into town for plenty of late-night reverie on our last evening in Montreal!
Peter Berman (Masters) and Stacey Prussman at the Delta
In our absence, Uptown Comics Gerald Kelly, James Hanna, Lavell Crawford and Earthquake peformed while Mad TV's Orlando Jones hosted. The Boston Comics Show featured Lenny Clarke, DJ Hazzard, Bobcat Goldthwait, Nick DiPaolo, Eddie Brill and Tony V. Two Loto Quebec Galas took place, both hosted by Tim Allen. One of the best Headliners shows, featuring Jim Gaffigan and <Mitch Hedberg went off at 9:30 and the Alternative Show was held at Midnight and featured the alternative comedy stylings of Andy Kindler, Arj Barker, Boris Hamilton, Bil Dwyer, Flight of the Concordes, Dan Mintz, Jimmy Pardo and Ian Bagg.
DJ Hazzard and Bobcat Goldthwait hold mini Boston reunion at the Delta
And, if things couldn't get any curiouser, Spike TV (as was noted in the pages of this magazine) ventured to Montreal to hold a contest (a show at The Green Room) among some hand-selected comics from the Festival, the winner of which would receive a development deal from the cable outlet. Hosted by Pauly Shore, the show was described variously as "horrible," "a one-nighter," "a bar gig" and, finally, as "a horrible, one-nighter, bar gig!" Unfortunately for many of those involved, a ton of industry showed up and were packed in like sardines. Imagine, if you will, a bunch of industry showing up at a hell gig! You've just entered The Plummeting Self-Esteem Zone. (Cue the spooky music.)
David Pryde, Traci Skene and The Emerald Isle's Ed Regal at the Delta
When we got back to the Delta at about 1, that wave that crashes into the lobby and bar area had not yet arrived. Wavelets of folks who had attended some of the earlier shows were arriving, most if not all had positive things to say about the performances. In fact, all week long, the feedback on this fest's offerings was, by a vast margin positive. Nearly everyone was energized by the depth and breadth of this year's talent. New Faces, Headliners, Galas, Masters-- you name it, they were all favorably reviewed. As we noted before, this was The Happy Festival this year. For our part, we had the most fun we've ever had in our six fests. We hear that all the shows were well-attended, too.
Larry Wilmore (creator, The Bernie Mac Show) and Jonathan Michaels of TMC at the Delta
The scene at four AM in the Delta is a curious one. Earlier, the main bar and the satellite temporary bars shut down, and final rounds are bought and consumed, the number and pace of the goodbyes picks up. As more and more people exit, a handful of Delta managers begin to slowly move the dwindling crowd toward the main lobby. Like intense border collies wearing black Italian-made suits, they gently nudge the stragglers in the outbound direction, toward the main staircase. It's like a party, but saying goodbye at this particular party is, in some cases, done with the knowledge that it might be a year (or more) before we might see many of these folks again. Which might explain why it takes longer.
We look forward to next year.
(At this point, we hasten to point out that, in addition to sharing a birthday with L.C.S.-er John Heffron, SHECKYmagazine Editor Brian McKim also shares a birthday with Dr. Hunter S. Thompson... which may or may not explain our tendency to include arcane, sometimes alcohol-related details in our updates.)
Oddly, this hot and sticky traffic ordeal didn't affect us as much as it may have in past years. This was largely due to the fact that we were better able to endure four days of intense Festification (and a subsequent traffic jam) this year due to the fact that we drank far less than in past years and, in the previous 100 days or we had each dropped more than 20 lbs. (We stress: Per person, not combined!) Indeed, the very fact that we're cranking out this update late on Sunday evening is testament to our renewed physical condition.
While waiting in line to exit the Duty Free parking lot and join the main queue that was seeking to re-enter America, we spotted Ross Bennet (Masters) entering and eventually exiting the Hors Taxes joint. And, a little farther down the road, at a rest stop on the NY State Thruway, we briefly conversed with Sandy Marx, whom we spotted near the Starbucks. We remembered Sandy from last year's Artist/Industry Basketball game. He didn't participate this year, but he vowed to do so next year.
ARTIST/INDUSTRY BASKETBALL GAME
Artists side forms layup drill lines before the clash at the MAA on Rue Peel
Speaking of the Artist/Industry hoops, it is apparent that we here at SHECKYmagazine have done such a smashing job of making the Artist/Industry clash sound exciting and/or fun to participate in or watch that a healthy number of players on both sides and a film crew from a Canadian television outlet showed up Saturday afternoon at the Montreal Athletic Association on rue Peel. The healthy turnout might also explain why, for the first time in a while, the Industry team actually gave the Artists a run for their money!
The Artists team gloats, gesticulates, taunts and generally behaves in an unsportsmanlike manner after barely defeating the Industry team
That Ryan "Flyin' Ryan" Wilner can sure hoop! (We likened him to a praying mantis in sneakers!) And New Face-r Josh Sneed can pop from downtown... if nobody is covering him. Standouts for the Industry gang included Gregory Moore of the The Moore Law Group and some real tall, skinny dude whose name we didn't catch. Big impediment to any sort of camaraderie (or networking) is that nobody bothers to introduce themselves. Hmmm...
Ted Alexandro, Josh Sneed and Eddie Gossling gloating and preening still more after their team's victory
Kudos to Festival Bigwig Brent Schiess for dusting off his dry marker and dilligently keeping score on the sidelines throughout the two 15-minute halves. (And those referees were professional and, at times, amusing!) Thanks also must go to Roots and the Comedy Network for sponsoring the whole sordid affair! We nearly forgot to mention to the final score--Artists 49, Industry 45.
A BOOK SIGNING/NEW CLUB LAUNCH
Earlier in the day, and not far from the scene of the basketball crime, Jim Mendrinos, at Chapters Bookstore on Ste. Catherine, signed copies of his new book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing" (BUY IT HERE.) We hear that turnout for the signing was healthy and the whole affair went for longer than scheduled!
Earlier in the day, at 11:00, the new NY Improvisation "management team" hosted a bash at the Delta. The Improv is back and, amid piles of Krispy Kreme donuts, Marty Fisher, Al Martin, Linda Corke, Eric Hanson and Silver Friedman heralded the legendary club's return to the Manhattan comedy scene. See Jim Mendrinos' account of their recent christening bash in NYC here.
PARTY TALLY
There was no Comedy Network Barbecue this year! Supreme bummer! In years past, everyone's Saturday afternoon was reserved for a relaxing blowout on the Terasse de la Jardine sponsored by the Canadian yucks outlet. In the past, we've good-naturedly chided the organizers for handing out blunt, easily-thrown objects, but we never dreamed they'd turf the affair altogether! (Perhaps we're being too hard on ourselves... perhaps it wasn't our ribbing that caused them to fold their party tent and leave us all high and considerably dry!) We theorize that their sponsorship of other events at this year's JFL was the reason for cutting the Labatts and rubbery burgers out of their entertaining budget! It's the end of an institution, we say!
We hear that Pauly Shore hosted a blast at the Buddha Bar after the screening of his film. And, we're told that there was an "super-secret, invitation-only" barbecue on Saturday afternoon right close by to Pauly's soiree. What is with this super-secret nonsense? What? Are we in high school again? You're making TV money, now! Hell, you are TV! Peel off some hundreds and throw a real party! Exclusivity breeds resentment! (You can bet that SHECKYmagazine will throw an all-inclusive super shindig when they make their first million ($US) or two! And, by golly, you'll all be invited... even you Comedy Central folks!)
MAJOR GROUSING, REPORTING FOR DUTY!
Speaking of cheap fucks... We heard third or fourth hand, from more than one source, that the New Faces kids were billeted at a crummy hostel. That's right! We couldn't believe it when we heard it either! You know, we had always just assumed that the folks who were fortunate enough to be invited to perform at the most prestigious comedy festival on the planet were probably ensconced in a swell room at the Delta. Or, at the very least, lodging was secured at one of the many lovely hotels that surround JFL Ground Zero. Turns out that we were wrong... very wrong.
From what we could piece together, the New Faces are told ten days before the start of the Festival that they've hit the jackpot. They are then put up in a hostel (rhymes, for all intents and purposes, with "hostile") in le quartier chinois, just south of the city's core! To summarize, the comics who stock the New Faces showcases (the comics who are featured in what is perceived by many in the industry as the most important segment of the entire fest) are all quartered not in a posh hotel room, not in a Holiday Inn or a B & B, but in a "supervised institutional residence" (Webster's), not unlike what one might encounter while backpacking through the third world. In Chinatown, a few blocks south of the action at the Delta. The accomodations were described as spartan-- non-carpeted floors, a cot for a bed, not even a television set.
We were disbelieving at first. We thought someone was, as the guys over at Globecom might put it, "having us on!" But we were assured that the New Faces dwelt in what might be charitably described as a dormitory. So much for the glamourous life of show business!
And this 10-day notice feature was news to us as well. Let that one sink in! Hmmm... let's see... I must buy a ticket from Louisville or Seattle or Tampa to Montreal in mid-July... (the peak of Montreal's tourism season!) on ten days notice! Wow!
Don't think for a minute that we don't think it's worth every penny that one might spend in order to be be here on time, with a clean shirt and a tight, 7-minute set at the ready, but Holy Mother of God, could they make it any more difficult?!
Can you imagine getting the call, buying a ticket, hustling your ass up to Montreal and then finding out that you're staying in what one comic described as "worse than the Cuyahoga Falls condo?"
We suppose that the incentive to bitch is near zero. After all, artist, manager and agent all want the visibility and prestige that comes with New Facing it so badly that any rocking of the boat is discouraged. And, when you consider that being a New Face is a one-time deal (your face is only new once, we assume!), the comic who would complain would only be doing so for the benefit of those who came after him/her-- and comics aren't noted for altruism of this sort. (Indeed, a selfless crusade of that kind is rare for anyone in any occupation, let alone standup comics!)
So who might be to blame for this shabby treatment? JFL, perhaps? Respective managers and agents? The comics themselves? We suppose there's no way of knowing. (If we were real journalists, we'd probably hound the JFL people for a statement... but, remember, we're pseudo-journalists and, as such, we don't have the time and resources for such exercises.)
We do know, however, that if we were managing or repping a New Face-r and we found out that our New Face-r was staying in GitMo du Nord, we'd whip out the Platinum Visa card and spring for nicer accomodations. But, hey, that's just us.
SHORT STRANGE TRIP
Caroline Rhea and Cary Hoffman at the Delta
We had to truncate our coverage just a tad. On Saturday night, we hopped onto the Autoroute 10 and headed over the U.S/Canada border for a scheduled one-nighter in St. Albans, VT. Gotta pay the bills! However, we managed to get back into town for plenty of late-night reverie on our last evening in Montreal!
Peter Berman (Masters) and Stacey Prussman at the Delta
In our absence, Uptown Comics Gerald Kelly, James Hanna, Lavell Crawford and Earthquake peformed while Mad TV's Orlando Jones hosted. The Boston Comics Show featured Lenny Clarke, DJ Hazzard, Bobcat Goldthwait, Nick DiPaolo, Eddie Brill and Tony V. Two Loto Quebec Galas took place, both hosted by Tim Allen. One of the best Headliners shows, featuring Jim Gaffigan and <Mitch Hedberg went off at 9:30 and the Alternative Show was held at Midnight and featured the alternative comedy stylings of Andy Kindler, Arj Barker, Boris Hamilton, Bil Dwyer, Flight of the Concordes, Dan Mintz, Jimmy Pardo and Ian Bagg.
DJ Hazzard and Bobcat Goldthwait hold mini Boston reunion at the Delta
And, if things couldn't get any curiouser, Spike TV (as was noted in the pages of this magazine) ventured to Montreal to hold a contest (a show at The Green Room) among some hand-selected comics from the Festival, the winner of which would receive a development deal from the cable outlet. Hosted by Pauly Shore, the show was described variously as "horrible," "a one-nighter," "a bar gig" and, finally, as "a horrible, one-nighter, bar gig!" Unfortunately for many of those involved, a ton of industry showed up and were packed in like sardines. Imagine, if you will, a bunch of industry showing up at a hell gig! You've just entered The Plummeting Self-Esteem Zone. (Cue the spooky music.)
David Pryde, Traci Skene and The Emerald Isle's Ed Regal at the Delta
When we got back to the Delta at about 1, that wave that crashes into the lobby and bar area had not yet arrived. Wavelets of folks who had attended some of the earlier shows were arriving, most if not all had positive things to say about the performances. In fact, all week long, the feedback on this fest's offerings was, by a vast margin positive. Nearly everyone was energized by the depth and breadth of this year's talent. New Faces, Headliners, Galas, Masters-- you name it, they were all favorably reviewed. As we noted before, this was The Happy Festival this year. For our part, we had the most fun we've ever had in our six fests. We hear that all the shows were well-attended, too.
Larry Wilmore (creator, The Bernie Mac Show) and Jonathan Michaels of TMC at the Delta
The scene at four AM in the Delta is a curious one. Earlier, the main bar and the satellite temporary bars shut down, and final rounds are bought and consumed, the number and pace of the goodbyes picks up. As more and more people exit, a handful of Delta managers begin to slowly move the dwindling crowd toward the main lobby. Like intense border collies wearing black Italian-made suits, they gently nudge the stragglers in the outbound direction, toward the main staircase. It's like a party, but saying goodbye at this particular party is, in some cases, done with the knowledge that it might be a year (or more) before we might see many of these folks again. Which might explain why it takes longer.
We look forward to next year.
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