Just for Laughs is officially back. 

The iconic Montreal comedy festival that helped launch the careers of the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Kevin Hart declared bankruptcy in 2024, and it seemed like the laughs were over for good. 

After a change in management, Just for Laughs returned to Montreal for an abbreviated version last summer, but this recent edition proved that the festival is once again here to stay. 

Featuring over 500 comedians from across the globe, the 2025 edition of Just for Laughs felt like a return to form, albeit in a slightly-scaled down form. While there was a bit less star-power than in previous years, the programming featured a solid mix of industry icons and a strong emphasis on upcoming comics (often on the same bills). 

The Return of the JFL Galas

The annual Just for Laughs gala TV tapings are synonymous with the JFL brand for many, and their reappearance this year (following the lack of any galas in 2024) is a surefire indication that the festival is back in a major way. 

This year’s lineup feature a diverse set of hosts including Fortune Feimster, Roy Wood Jr., Michelle Buteau, and Mikey Day, along with a strong selection of festival comics rounding out each bill. 

The Fortune Feimster Gala

Fortune Feimster brought her undeniable Southern charm to her gala taping, even while dealing with her recent divorce, which made up the bulk of her set. 

Without ever resorting to bitterness, her relatable stories and brimming enthusiasm topped off a great lineup that also featured appearances from her Handsome podcast co-host Mae Martin, an indescribable set from Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed on roller-skates, and an uproarious set from New York’s Gianmarco Soresi, who is quickly becoming a festival favourite, 

The Mikey Day Gala

Saturday Night Live star Mikey Day also delivered the goods, presiding over a stacked lineup including Montreal hero Robby Hoffman (currently killing it on HBO’s Hacks), and British ventriloquist Nina Conti, who brought the house down by bringing up a reluctant pair of audience members into her superb voice-throwing set. 

Day was quick to point out that he is not a stand-up comic, but nevertheless rose to the occasion with bits including “anonymous” text exchanges with his late father and video bits from his fellow SNL cast members including Kenan Thompson and Heidi Gardner. 

Robby Hoffman in a Strip Club

Ahead of her appearance on the Mikey Day Gala, Robby Hoffman headlined an intimate show at Café Cléopatra that proved to be one of the hottest tickets of the festival. Sold out weeks in advance, Hoffman took the stage at the long-running Montreal strip club and unleashed a boundary-pushing set that seemed designed to offend all of her fans in equal measure (in the best ways possible). 

Touching on everything from pedophilia to her support of aborting grown children (up to 10-years-old), Hoffman used her return to Montreal to try out new material and seemed to lap up the crowd’s loving response, even as she admonished them for “being too nice” to her. 

Adam Ray is Dr. Phil Live

This year’s Just for Laughs festival marked a major upswing in the quality of the free outdoor offerings. While the planned Tom Segura show was unfortunately cancelled, the “Dr. Phil” live talk show was a huge production that brought out thousands of free fans to the outdoor stage. 

As portrayed by Adam Ray, “Dr. Phil” presided over a taping of his talk show that featured guests including Casey Rocket and a crowd-surfing Steph Tolev. 

While the show itself wasn’t particularly funny, there was something undeniably great about Just for Laughs presenting this extremely foul-mouthed show before thousands of tourists, including many bewildered families and young children (one of which was brought up on-stage and asked to curse before the masses while his dad proudly smiled on). 

Back From the Dead

Declared DOA just a year ago, Just for Laughs returned in a major way in 2025. The fest brought back long-running themed shows including The Nasty Show and The Culture Show, the galas returned with a strong lineup, and the club shows were packed with a myriad of great choices each night (including the beloved Midnight Surprise shows). 

Focusing more attention on the free outdoor shows is a welcome addition, and shows that there is still room for the festival to expand even after this many years. 

It felt great to be back.

Just for Laughs Montreal returns July 16 to 26, 2026.