The nineteen nineties were a great time for comedy.
That was when I really hit the Montreal Comedy Festival, otherwise known as
Just For Laughs (Juste Pour Rire), for interviews and material for the show.
All the comedy acts would stay at the Delta Hotel right on the main drag and
I would set up shop in the bar/restaurant at about one in the morning and wait
for them to return from their gigs, looking for food and drink.
I was lucky enough to interview some superb folks, The Radio Free Vestibules,
Emo Philips, Elayne Boosler, Dom Irrera, Craig Shoemaker, Bobby Collins and many
lesser known, but just as funny, people from all walks of humor.
At the time the festival people did not have any rules for interviewing, and if you
could get a comedian to give you a few minutes, you had it made!
They have since tightened up on all that, you cannot get any interviews unless you
clear it with the security folks and management.
Needless to say, I liked it better the old way.
One of the better groups that I had some fun with was Corky and the Juice Pigs.
They gave me a superb interview, along with station IDs and many great memories.
I saw them live and they did all their hits.
This was one of them…

They have since disbanded but their material lives on.
More on the festival in upcoming posts. I cannot say enough about how good it is!