CTV Comedy Channel, in association with Just For Laughs, comes together to celebrate Canadian comics and support comedic artists experiencing hardship in these unprecedented times. From August 3 – 6, four Crave original stand-up specials from some of this country’s finest comics, including Aisha Brown, Tom Henry, LETTERKENNY’s Mark Forward, and Emmy®-winner Robby Hoffman, make their broadcast debuts on CTV Comedy, taking over the coveted 11 p.m. ET/PT timeslot while THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH is on hiatus for the week.
During each special, viewers are invited to donate to the Emergency Relief Fund for Canadian Comedians organized by the Canadian Association of Stand-up Comedians, which assists comedians with their emergency financial needs for essential living costs. Viewers will see an on-screen call to action during each special’s broadcast and across all CTV Comedy social accounts. Donations can be made anytime by visiting the official GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/support-
Produced as part of Bell Media’s ongoing partnership with Just For Laughs and originally commissioned for Crave, the specials were filmed in front of live audiences at the 2019 Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal and the 2018 JFL42 Festival in Toronto.
See below for broadcast details and full descriptions for each special.
AISHA BROWN: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER
Monday, Aug. 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT
No one, and nothing, is off-limits for comedian Aisha Brown, as she takes on her boyfriend’s penis, racism, clinical depression, and Donald Trump, in this hilarious one-hour comedy special filmed at the 2019 Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal.
Aisha Brown is a Toronto-based stand-up comedian, writer, actress, and extremely casual satirical rapper. She recorded her third televised set at the Just For Laughs festival in 2018, and was a featured performer on Kevin Hart’s LOL Network and JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS, which aired on CTV Comedy in 2016. Brown has also written for BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, and more. She’s also been a featured performer on THE BEAVERTON and BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, as well as a writer-performer for CBC Radio’s The Debaters, Because News, and Day 6. Along with two other comedians, Brown was featured in the 2017 TVO documentary STAND-UP TORONTO, about up and coming POC comics in the GTA. In 2016 she was named one of The Torontoist’s “Local Ladies Who Make Us Laugh,” and won “Female Breakout Comic of the Year” at the I Heart Jokes Awards. Brown has recorded two albums with Toronto based comedy hip-hop collective, Runnin’ at The Mouth for Comedy Records.
TOM HENRY: 66 JOKES
Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 11 p.m. ET/PT
From vegan cupcakes to tap dancing, comedian Tom Henry brings his hysterical brand of understated observational humour to 2019 Just For Laughs Festival in this one-hour, 66 joke-filled stand-up special.
Toronto-based comedian Tom Henry has appeared on CTV Comedy Channel and at festivals such as Just For Laughs, San Francisco Sketchfest, and Bridgetown Comedy Festival. He has opened for comics such as Tim Meadows, Nikki Glaser, and Todd Barry, and has been a regular on Andy Kindler’s Alternative Show. Kindler also chose him as “The Next Big Thing in 2017” stating “Tom Henry is a comic who you could say he’s a little bit like Mitch Hedberg, a little bit Steven Wright, but he’s in a category by himself.” He was also named one of LA Riot Fest’s “Comics to Watch” in 2017 and was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award for “Best Stand-Up Newcomer” in 2012. Last year his debut album, Tom Henry Kills reached number one on the iTunes comedy charts.
MARK FORWARD WINS ALL THE AWARDS
Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 11 p.m. ET/PT
Setting his sights on self-serious comedy, Forward rants about everything from death and bears to nursery rhymes in this physical, absurdist, and wildly unpredictable one-hour comedy special filmed at the 2018 JFL42 Festival in Toronto.
A veteran of the Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Forward is a staple in the Canadian stand-up scene and recognized worldwide, performing at international festivals including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As an accomplished actor, Forward is well-known for his supporting role as Coach on Crave’s original comedy series, LETTERKENNY. Forward has also made several appearances on CBS’ THE LATE LATE SHOW and Comedy Central’s JOHN OLIVER’S NEW YORK STAND-UP SHOW.
ROBBY HOFFMAN: I’M NERVOUS
Thursday, Aug. 6 at 11 p.m. ET/PT
Filmed at the 2018 JFL42 Festival, self-described “small-ex-Chasidic-lesbian-
Hoffman has quickly become known for her skills as a witty writer and hilarious performer. Recently named one of Comedy Central’s “Up Next” comedians, she’s written for truTV’s THE CHRIS GETHARD SHOW, CBC’s WORKIN’ MOMS, and in 2016 received an Emmy® for Outstanding Writing on PBS’ ODD SQUAD. Hoffman has been featured in several renowned festivals including the 2017 Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and New York Bridgetown Comedy Festival.
