JFL42 announces 2015 performers, including Bill Burr, Trevor Noah, Chris Hardwick

by W. Andrew Powell
Bill Burr

Bill Burr, Craig Ferguson, Trevor Noah, Hannibal Buress, John Mulaney, Chris Hardwick, and Miranda Sings will be coming to Toronto from September 24 to October 3 for the fourth annual JFL42 Festival, headlining the festival at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, and that’s just the tip of the comedic iceberg as the festival has over 100 shows scheduled this year.

Created by Just For Laughs, JFL42 brings together headliners, plus 42 great comedy acts, and there’s a little something for every comedy fan, whether you’re looking for new and edgy, geeky laughs, or something else entirely.

Tickets and passes for JFL42 are already on sale, with festival passes ranging from $54.50 to $299, plus fees and taxes. Browse through the full list of performers below, including featured Canadian acts.

Headlining Acts:

Bill Burr (September 27 at 7:00pm and 9:30pm): Burr has quickly become one of the hottest comics in the world, with successful Netflix specials, international tours and one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts on the Internet. Not to be discounted are his TV appearances on Breaking Bad, Kroll Show, and Chappelle’s Show as well as most recently alongside Jerry Seinfeld on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Craig Ferguson (October 2 at 7:00pm): Since stepping down as host of Late Night, Ferguson has been a stand-up powerhouse, performing around the world and showcasing the talent that made him a household name.

Trevor Noah (September 26 at 7:00pm):Trevor Noah is taking over the Daily Show on September 28, but not before coming to Toronto for a night of unforgettable comedy just two days beforehand. Yeah… we’re very excited also!

Patton Oswalt (October 2 at 9:45pm): He’s fresh off his guest arc on HBO’s Veep, and now the comedian’s comedian is touring! Oswalt is one of the best stand-up comedians in the world, and a favorite of fans and fellow comedians wherever he goes.

Hannibal Buress (October 3 at TBC): The man The New York Times calls one of the most “supremely gifted and respected” comics around has already had a prolific career, which includes writing on SNL and 30 Rock, and appearing regularly on the critically lauded Broad City. This summer will also see Buress get his own Comedy Central show, called “Why?” which will air in Canada on The Comedy Network.

John Mulaney (September 25 at 7:00pm): What do Kroll Show’s George St. Geegland, a proud Asian American woman, and SNL’s Stefon have in common? They’re all the brainchildren of John Mulaney, of course! Mulaney is a comedic genius; let him prove it to you this fall at the Sony Centre.

Chris Hardwick (September 26 at 9:45): He’s the host of Comedy Central’s @midnight, Talking Dead, and the ever popular Nerdist podcast, Hardwick is the host with the most as well as an amazing stand-up talent.Give him a break from his hosting duties and come see his full solo show!

Miranda Sings (September 26 at 4:00pm): Always a role model, YouTube sensation Miranda Sings has solidified her status as the Queen Bee of her 4 million subscribers. She even schooled Jerry Seinfeld when he had her on his show Comedians in Cars with Coffee. Miranda will dole out advice on how to be good at everything and give a sneak peek of her new book, Selp-Helf.

“The 42” Other Acts:

T.J. Miller: In the past few years, the Silicon Valley star’s career has exploded. This is just the beginning for Miller, who is set to star in the upcoming Deadpool movie and whose YouTube series, The Gorburger Show, is coming to HBO.

Natasha Leggero: Leggero, who had a memorable set at the Justin Bieber roast, is now bringing her antics to Comedy Central for her own series Another Period, alongside Riki Lindhome.

John Hodgman: Author, podcaster, correspondent, deranged millionaire, judge… John Hodgman is a master of many talents. Catch the Pitch Perfect 2 actor in action at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Jake and Amir: The Webby award-winning duo bring the familiar sarcastic voice they made popular on their CollegeHumor web series to the JFL42 stage, for both a live show and a live festival taping of their If I Were You podcast.

Pete Holmes: The prince of podcasts, Holmes hosts a hugely popular Nerdist show called You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, on which he talks to the best in the biz about all things comedy. With enough comic knowledge to school us all, and his own late night show The Pete Holmes Show under his belt, Holmes brings his wisdom to the JFL42 stage.

Gilbert Gottfried: The SNL alum, who started doing stand-up when he was 15, broke the internet in recent years with a riotous reading of 50 Shades of Grey on YouTube. His legendary version of The Aristocrats has and will have fans laughing for decades. In addition to live shows, Gottfried will also host a live taping of his podcast, Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast at the Festival.

Al Madrigal: The Daily Show correspondent, who has also had regular roles on a variety of primetime network TV shows like About a Boy, is the founder of the All Things Comedy Network alongside Bill Burr, a podcast network that doubles as a support system for up-and-coming comics who want to promote their material without sacrificing ownership.

Grace Helbig: Helbig is one of the internet’s foremost YouTubers, and host of the new E! show “The Grace Helbig Show”, and she is coming to Toronto for the first-ever live taping of her podcast Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig, which is part of the Nerdist Network.

Iliza Shlesinger: Shlesinger is the youngest person, and the only female, to ever win Last Comic Standing, and she is back again this year with all-new material. She will be performing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Friday September 25, at 7pm. Shlesinger is at a great moment in her career, with two Netflix comedy specials, Freezing Hot and War Paint that top every comedy fan’s must-see list.

Ari Shaffir: The host of Comedy Central’s This is Not Happening, now in its second season and filthy comic extraordinaire, Shaffir is coming to Toronto. The festival wouldn’t be complete without Shaffir, who is an essential part of any comedy gathering. Shaffir will bring his stand-up shows and a taping of his podcast Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank to the Festival.

Rhys Darby: The Flight of the Conchords alum is on the festival circuit this year and bringing his show I’m a Fighter Jet to JFL42.

Brian Posehn: Known as a jack of all trades and clocking in over 20 years in the biz, The Sarah Silverman Program’s Posehn is not only a successful stand-up comic with three albums under his belt, but also a writer, actor on shows like the upcoming Netflix series With Bob And David, a podcaster, heavy-metal musician, and author of several graphic novels.

Rory Scovel: A seasoned stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, Scovel’s surrealist comedy style is unique and his TCN comedy Ground Floor has garnered him great reviews and guest spots on Undateable.

Duncan Trussell: Host of The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, the funnyman is bringing his top notch stand-up routine, and a live taping of his podcast, to JFL42, which wouldn’t be complete without his trademark philosophical ponderings. .

Kyle Kinane: The punk-rock comedian’s sarcastic tone, dark humour, and matter-of-fact delivery have made him one of the most respected acts in the industry.

Moshe Kasher: Kasher is comedy’s resident wildcard with a Netflix special, a critically acclaimed book on his resume, and two podcasts (one with Neal Brennan). Kasher will be performing live as well as hosting a live taping of his podcast, Hound Tall.

Andy Kindler: Fresh off his annual “State of the Industry” address at JFL Montreal, festival favorite Kindler will be headed back to JFL42 for the fourth year in a row. The “voice of the industry” will bring his notoriously sharp and shameless wit to his lauded Alternative Show.

Dr. Katz Live: A live production of the Dr.Katz, Professional Therapist TV show that ran on Comedy Central in the late nineties, Jonathan Katz will interview his “celebrity” clients on stage at the Queen Elizabeth, for a show that’s two parts hilarious, one part Woody Allen neurotic.

Joe Mande: In 2014, Mande changed the comedy album game, releasing Bitchface, a mixtape style album full of guest appearances ranging from Amy Poehler to RZA. Mande will bring his new show The Drake of Comedy to the Festival.

Robert Kelly: His podcast, You Know What Dude, is on top of every comedy enthusiasts’ “must listen” list, and his role as Bobby, Louie’s brother on Louie, is one of the highlights of the FX show. Recently, Kelly was cast alongside Denis Leary on the new FX show Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. Kelly will perform live and host a live taping of his podcast.

Brent Morin: The Undateable star, who can be seen live every Friday night on NBC, is bringing his Tempurpedic body, powerhouse vocals, and spot-on stand-up to JFL42.

Kurt Braunohler: The host of The K Ohle with Kurt Braunohler podcast on the Nerdist network, Braunholer creates content for outlets including This American Life and Comedy Central. Braunohler also hosts the variety show Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen, which he does with his comedy partner Kristen Schaal.

Chris Gethard: Gethard is Broad City’s most incompetent boss and host of his own show, Fusion’s The Chris Gethard Show, a public access talk show based out of New York City. Gethard is also an Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre alumni.

Doug Benson: Benson is funny, and he loves movies, and he’s made a career combining the two. His podcasts, Doug Loves Movies and Getting Doug with High, and his movie Super High Me is one of the top documentaries on Netflix.

Fortune Feimster: The Chelsea Lately alum has made appearances on Glee, Workaholics, Last Comic Standing, and Ari Shaffir’s This is Not Happening.

Michelle Wolf: Wolf is a writer and actress known for her reoccurring appearance as Grown Up Annie on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Wolf’s writing credits include both Late Night with Seth Meyers and the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Rachel Feinstein: One of the Women Who Kill in the comedy world, Feinstein has appeared in Friends of People and on Inside Amy Schumer. She also has a comedy album out on iTunes called Thug Tears. Most recently, she taped her first half-hour Comedy Central special, coming out this July.

Aparna Nancherla: She got a running start on the FXX show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, and since then she’s been finding success all over cable, with appearances on @midnight and Conan.

Tony Hinchcliffe: He’s one of the writer’s behind Comedy Central roasts, most notably the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco and his popular podcast Kill Tony tops podcast lovers’ must-listen list.

Christina Pazsitzky: Reality star turned stand-up star is half of Comedy’s power couple, along with her husband and Your Mom’s House podcast co-host, Tom Segura.

In addition to all of the above talent, JFL42 is also featuring a number of Canadian acts, including SiriusXM’s Top Comic at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Faisal Butt: The winner of the 2014 SiriusXM Canada’s Top Comic competition, Faisal spent this last year opening for Russell Peters, dabbling in acting, and growing his beard.

Get Some: The winners of the 2015 Best Of The Fest at The Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Get Some is an amalgamation of some of the best sketch comedians in Toronto with members of Picnicface, Tony Ho, The Sketchersons, Peter n’ Chris and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Darcy Michael: The runner-up in the 2014 SiriusXM Canada Top Comic competition has toured with Russell Peters, was a finalist in NBC’s Standup for diversity, and has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Pat Thornton: One of the country’s best stand-ups, Pat is also an accomplished sketch performer, featured on shows including Hotbox, Sunnyside, The Royal Canadian Air Farce, Satisfaction, and Space Janitors.

Mike Ward: The new host of The Nasty Show at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival, Ward is a household name in Quebec and is well on his way to achieving that same status on a national level.

Dawn Whitwell: Curve Magazine called Dawn “one of the funniest lesbians”, and her ‘subversive, slacker-next-door wit’ has garnered her plenty of critical praise. Whitwell is also a founder/teacher at COMEDY GIRL, an in-demand stand-up comedy class in Toronto, recently featured in the Globe and Mail.

Ladystache: Toronto based comedy duo Allison Hogg and Steph Tolev don’t shy away from any subject. Their fearlessness has landed them spots on the festival circuit, with appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver Sketch Fests, NXNE, LA Comedy Fest, San FranSketch Fest and the SiriusXM Sketch Off, where they were victorious.

Arthur Simeon: Uganda born, Ontario raised Simeon is an up and comer inspired by Bill Burr, Simeon calls himself: “a legend in the making” writing perfectly crafted jokes with sets that revolve around African-themes, storytelling and his luck, or lack thereof, with the ladies.

Crimson Wave: Jess Beaulieu and Natalie Norman are The Crimson Wave. Best friends who co-host both a feminist stand-up comedy show every Sunday night at Comedy Bar in Toronto and a weekly podcast available on iTunes. They also just participated in a national Canadian campaign to remove the tax from tampons!

Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah
Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt
Miranda Sings
Miranda Sings
John Mulaney
John Mulaney
Hannibal Buress
Hannibal Buress
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson
Bill Burr
Bill Burr

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