Laugh Factory Holding ‘Funniest Person in the World’ Contest in Finland

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The iconic Hollywood Laugh Factory will host its biennial Funniest Person in the World competition in Helsinki, Finland. The competition will take place from December 4th to the 10th.

The contest is an effort by Laugh Factory founder and CEO Jamie Masada to use comedy as a bridge between cultures, with the goal of celebrating our similarities — and differences. Comics from around the world will submit 3-minute videos of their sets, which will be uploaded to the Laugh Factory’s website, where they will be voted on by fans worldwide. The City of Helsinki, in collaboration with Finland’s Solar Films, will sponsor the event for $2 million, which will include a parade, shows by various stand-ups, a series of semi-final shows, and a championship show at Hartwell Arena, being streamed live around the world.

There’s most then just bragging rights up for grabs here: The lucky winner will receive a grand prize of $100,000 USD, with the two runners-up pulling in $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. And, being acutely aware of the plight of comics being underpaid for their work, Masada will reward each of the 20 finalists $1,000. Any profits obtained by the Laugh Factory will be donated to Feed the Children, a charity whose mission is to stop children’s world hunger.

2014 was the inaugural year for the competition, with a great crop of comics from all over the world performing live in the finals at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood. Finnish comic Ismo Leikola won top honors that year, which was one of the main reasons that Masada chose Helsinki as the host city for this year’s contest.

“Finland’s appearance in the top 10 of the U.N.’s annual happiest countries in the world was one reason,” said Masada of his decision. “Another was that the inaugural winner of the award, Ismo Leikola, is a Finn and, perhaps most of all, because Finland is about to celebrate its 100th Birthday in January 2017 and what better way for such a milestone than a celebration of what is often referred to as the ‘best medicine.’”

The runners-up in 2014’s competition were a vastly diverse group, and perfectly showcased what the competition is all about: fans and comics alike hearing the voices of their contemporaries from halfway around the world and finding that they’re not so different after all. Saad Haroon of Pakistan took 2nd place, Mustapha El Atrassi of France took 3rd, Nitin Mirani of the UAE took 4th, Archie of Spain took 5th, and Lioz Shem Tov of Isreal rounded out the group in 6th place.

The competition will be held from December 4th through the 10th, though it’s still unclear when the submission period will begin. Entrants must be experienced comics under the age of 40 who have a notable sponsor from their home country. Each country is allowed two participants.

This year’s competition promises to be just as diverse and hilarious as 2014’s, so keep an eye on the Laugh Factory’s website as submissions start to roll in later this year.

A highlight reel for 2014’s competition can be seen below:

https://vimeo.com/154805654

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Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.
Bill Tressler

Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.