Jerry Seinfeld and Weird Al Yankovic are returning to their comedy roots as headliners for the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal in July, organizers said Wednesday.
Seinfeld first performed at JFL in 1989, just as his sitcom Seinfeld about a motley crew of misfits in New York City was getting off the ground and ahead of running for nine seasons on NBC. After directing his first movie, Unfrosted, for Netflix, Seinfeld will return to Montreal for its 2026 edition to perform his solo show, Jerry Seinfeld Live, on July 23 in the Place des Arts concert hall.
And Yankovic, who first played at JFL in Montreal in 1990, will perform his own solo show, Weird Al Yankovic: Bigger and Weirder Tour, for free on July 25 in the outdoor Place des Festivals venue. JFL organizers also announced their first wave of hosts for twice-nightly galas, including YouTube star Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Trainwreck actor Mike Birbiglia, Atsuko Okatsuka, whose second TV stand-up special streamed on Hulu and Disney+, and Gerry Dee, the Animal Control star.
“Today’s announcement should give fans an idea of the world-class caliber of performers we are lining up for this summer and we can’t wait to share more in the coming weeks,” Nick Brazao, vp of programming and talent at JFL, said in a statement.
The stand-up lineup for Montreal this July will also include Nurse John, Jordan Jensen, Sibling Rivalry Live, David Nihill, Tracy and Martina Live!, Ron Funches, Zoltan Kaszas, Jacqueline Novak, Girls Gotta Eat, and Martin Amini. And JFL added a second show, Smosh Reads Reddit Stories Live!, hosted by Shayne Topp, and will bring back popular club showcases like The Nasty Show, The Culture Show, and Brit(ish).
Additional programming details, including the industry conference, prize giving and the full festival schedule, will be announced in the coming weeks.