From Montréal with Laughs: New Original Series JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS Premieres January 7 on The Comedy Network

− Filmed at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montréal this summer, the 13-episode series stars The Muppets, Bill Hader, Joel McHale, Jeremy Hotz, Jack McBrayer, Jason Jones, and John Pinette -

− A special 90-minute episode of JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS starring The Muppets airs on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT -

− Exclusive backstage interviews hosted by Bill Hader and featuring the likes of Paul F. Tompkins, Mario Cantone, Orny Adams, and MATCH GAME host Darrin Rose, among others, can only be found at TheComedyNetwork.ca −

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TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - It's the exclusive access everyone craves, all from the comfort of home when The Comedy Network invites viewers to Montréal for the Just For Laughs Festival in the new Original Series JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS, premiering Monday, Jan. 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. From the hustle and bustle backstage, to the uproarious stand-up onstage, Comedy delivers every hysterical moment of the star-studded galas through 13, brand-new, one-hour episodes, featuring the fine-tuned antics of hosts Bill Hader, Joel McHale, Jeremy Hotz, Jack McBrayer, Jason Jones, and John Pinette, as well as The Muppets.

Festival favourites - The Muppets - also star in a previously-announced special 90-minute episode of JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS. It's heart-warming fun as Kermit, Miss Piggy, The Swedish Chef, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, and the rest of The Muppets gang deliver a singing, dancing, comedy spectacular during "The Muppets All-Star Comedy Gala," premiering Monday, Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. The special episode features equally adorable humans Jim Breuer, Steve Patterson, Pete Zedlacher, and Adam Hills.

**Media Note** - Photography for JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS is available online at BellMediaPR.ca/Comedy

And when the onstage performances leave viewers craving more comedy goodness, TheComedyNetwork.ca feeds fans with a veritable buffet of exclusive content and behind-the-scenes commentary captured backstage at the Just For Laughs Festival. The site is the only place to view 13 exclusive interviews hosted by SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Bill Hader, including chats with beloved comedians Paul F. Tompkins, Mario Cantone, Orny Adams, Tommy Tiernan, Todd Barry, and MATCH GAME host Darrin Rose. As well, home-grown comics and The Comedy Network reporters Emma Hunter and Nathan Macintosh chat with hosts McHale and Hader and other comedy greats as they spill the beans about their experience at the Festival. For a sneak peek of Hunter's once-in-a-lifetime chat with Kermit and Fozzie, click here.

Also featured in JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS this season are Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, Debra DiGiovanni, Caroline Rhea, Chris D'Elia, Jay Pharaoh, Seán Cullen, and Danny Bhoy. JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS also includes the likes of Bobby Slayton, Andy Kindler, Dave Merheje, Levi MacDougall, Tim Steeves, Niles Seguin, Wayne Brady, Tom Papa, Mike Birbiglia, Derek Edwards, and Comedy's official on-the-ground reporters, Emma Hunter and Nathan Macintosh.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
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JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS is produced by Just For Laughs Television in association with The Comedy Network. Executive Producers are Bruce Hills, Andy Nulman, and Gilbert Rozon. Sarah Fowlie is Director, Independent Production, Comedy, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports. 

About the Just For Laughs Group
Founded in 1983, the Just For Laughs Group's growth is concentrated on four major focal points: Festivals (in Montreal, Toronto and Chicago); television production (most notably Gags seen in 135 countries and on 95 airlines); live shows (Canadian tour dates for Jerry Seinfeld, Jeremy Hotz, John Pinette, Louis C.K., the Capital One Just For Laughs Comedy Tour, North American dates for Family Guy Live!); and talent management. Its inaugural Montreal Festival 30 years ago is now the world's largest and most prestigious comedy event welcoming 2 million people each summer. The Group has offices in Montreal, Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and a small apartment on the Internet.

About The Comedy Network
Canada's first and favourite specialty comedy service, The Comedy Network airs comedy of all kinds, 24-hours-a-day, across multiple platforms, including a revolutionary broadband service at thecomedynetwork.ca. Launched in October 1997, The Comedy Network broadcasts, uncut and uncensored, an eclectic mix of scripted, stand-up, sketch, improv, and animated comedy - as well as topical comedy talk shows, game shows and classic situation comedies. The Comedy Network is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company, and is available in nearly six million households across the country.

SOURCE: Comedy Network

Natalie Cole, The Comedy Network, 416.384.2140 or [email protected]
Christy Sullivan, The Comedy Network, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]