JFL Update: A Glimpse Inside JFL’s Infamous Midnight Party
I am at the hotel room of a friend around 9:45 on Friday at Just for Laughs. They have graciously agreed to lend me a golden ticket: a pass for the coveted midnight party. Only three sorts of passes get in industry, artists, and guests of artists.
The parties this year at JFL were lacking. In years previous it has been 3 nights of open bar sponsored by the biggest players in the comedy world with food, swag, 3D photos booths and more. All the stars in the festival would show up even if it was just for a gracious lap around or to post up in a corner of the wrap-around balcony. The balcony was closed this year. The drinks were not free and by no means cheap. Midnight shows were encouraged. Usually these shows come in three flavours: Mild- midnight surprise where all the mainstream stars come to do drop ins; Medium: The alternative show where things are long winded and indie darlings comedians do crowd work and weird sets and Hot: A story telling show of changing names and formats but always hosted by Big Jay Oakerson and always held at notorious strip club Cafe Cleo. This year that show was titled The Worst and comics told wild stories about their worst days while Big Jay upped the ante with sincere and disgusting questions. Robert Kelly’s set of lost innocence and ruined windbreakers is still something I am trying to wrap my head around.
2022 saw the additions to the midnight time slot of several new shows including most notably the living wake series. That saw Bob Odenkirk and Nicole Byer eulogized while in the room. Also at midnight whatever was happening over at Moses Storm’s “perfect storm” show where people would come back wearing white robes grinning as if they were in on a secret.
The midnight party was held Friday at Le Cathcart and really felt for me like ticking down of the home stretch of the festival. It was a dark, hidden-in-plain-site sort of place, a very posh food court with a glass roof, multiple bars and turns, seats and fake plants. The D.J didn’t play any one song for too long. It was too loud to talk, which is what one really needs space for at the midnight party. I recalled in 2016 and 2017 when they had it outside of Place des Arts wrapping around the grand theatre.
I drank free watermelon Red Bull danced and socialized with people I had seen in passing over the past few days– mostly my Canadian friends like comics John Mostyn, Hisham Kelati, Rob Bebnek who is devastatingly real and hilarious, Dave Mereheje who is blowing up and it’s always so nice to see him come home to Canada. It was my opportunity to have a moment with my favourites from the New Faces Characters showcase.
I was struck several times at just how much I had missed partying with comedy people, and by how much had to go right for us to all be together again.
Jeffrey Gurian the comedy Journalist came up to me and told me about the awards show that had happened earlier that day. “The comedians remember how I supported them before they were famous they know me they trust me”
It reminded me 1. This a long career 2. Jeffrey Gurian is the coolest.
I was greatful to my friend for the pass. The JFL midnight party is really what brings it all together.
The lights came on and a very sweet hilarious British Television executive walked with me to make sure I was safe. I was laughing the entire time so sharp.
The final 24 hours of JFL had begun and I was glad I had only drank Watermelon RedBull.
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Marty Younge
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