Just for Laughs

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Just for Laughs (in French Juste pour rire) is a comedy festival held each year in Montreal, Quebec. It is the largest festival of its kind in the world. It began in 1983 as a francophone event and introduced its English language side in 1985.

A TV show, also called "Just For Laughs", features highlights from the festival, and it airs regularly on CBC Television, The Comedy Network and TVA. The show mainly features routines from comedians and performers from the festival, though often the host will often star in a segment of his own. It's currently hosted by This Hour Has 22 Minutes star Shaun Majumder. Previous hosts have also included Harland Williams and Bruce Dinsmore.

Famous television comedians from around the world gather at the Just for Laughs Festival. For example, Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Russell Peters, Bill Cosby and John Cleese have attended the festival. The cast of The Simpsons and Everybody Loves Raymond also made appearances, as well as writers from the Sex and the City TV series.

Just for Laughs has also been a launchpad for many US network television sitcom careers, and is frequently featured as a foreign on-location highlight of late-night US network talk shows.

The Just for Laughs festival also has the Comedia comedy film festival component, which was started in 1996. This component shows funny films and comedies.

The series has sister shows called Just for Laughs Gags, JFL: Improv Championships, All Access Pass, and JFL: The Lost Tapes.