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FROM THE STAGE TO THE SCREEN, CBC PRESENTS JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS

Trio of comedy specials featuring Eddie Izzard, Kathy Griffin and Joan Rivers to air Fridays at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) August through September on CBC-TV

CBC brings the best in Canadian and international comedy to homes across Canada late this summer with the Just For Laughs Galas, featuring renowned comedians Eddie Izzard, Kathy Griffin and Joan Rivers, along with an impressive lineup of comedians from around the world.

British comedy legend Eddie Izzard presents The United Nations of Comedy, featuring some of the hottest stand-up comedians from around the globe, including American Colin Quinn, Malaysian-Australian Ronny Chieng, South African sensation Trevor Noah, French superstar Gad Elmaleh (performing in English for the first time ever), and Trinidadian-Canadian Jean Paul. The United Nations of Comedy airs Friday, August 22 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT).

*VIDEO: Click here for a sneak peek of The United Nations of Comedy

She’s the diva of the D-list, the she-wolf of show business, and one of the funniest women around. Straight from Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival comes Kathy Griffin and some of her very best frenemies. This one-hour special, airing Friday, August 29 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT), features celebrity trash-talk from Kathy herself, with stand-up performances from comedy pros Jon Reep, Sebastian Maniscalco, Alex Nussbaum, Kitty Flanagan and Scottish superstar Danny Bhoy.

A trail-blazer and bridge-burner, the ageless Joan Rivers is sure to deliver the laughs in this one-hour special, airing Friday, September 12 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). Audiences can look forward to a star-studded line-up of comedians including Tom Papa, Laurie Elliott, Lynne Koplitz and improv superstars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood.

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About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre. Follow CBC’s publicity team on Twitter @CBC_Publicity.

For more information, please contact:
Kylie McGregor
Entertainment publicist, CBC
416 205 8638 (office) / 416 948 6181 (mobile)

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