Just for Laughs: Gags
| Just for Laughs: Gags | |
|---|---|
 Just for Laughs Gags title card in 2007 to 2011. | |
| Also known as | Just for Laughs |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | Pierre Girard and Jacques Chevalier |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | Silent, English, French, interjection |
| No. of seasons | 15 |
| No. of episodes | 2,500+ |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Just for Laughs |
| Production location(s) | Canada (Quebec, Montreal and Vancouver cities) and Mexico |
| Running time | 30 minutes (including commercials) |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ABC/Telemundo (U.S.) TVA/CBC/The Comedy Network (Canada) BBC1 (UK) TF1 (France) ETB 1 (Basque Country) Das Erste/ZDF/ProSieben/BR (Germany) Channel One Russia (Russia) ATV/Hayat TV/Federalna TV(Bosnia and Herzegovina) B92/Prva TV/Prva Plus/RTS 2 (Serbia) NTK (Kazakhstan) RTK 1 (Kosovo) CCTV-4/CTV International (China) Hanoi Radio Television (Vietnam, 2011–2012) Indosiar (Indonesia) Nine Network (Australia) ZEEL (India)/G4 Canada |
| Original release | December 26, 2000 – present, reruns since 2011 on ABC |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Just for Laughs |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Just for Laughs: Gags (in French, Juste pour rire: Gags) is a Canadian silent comedy/hidden camera reality television show that is under the Just for Laughs brand. It is based on the similar American series Candid Camera.[1] The series is also on YouTube. On December 26, 2000, JFL: Gags began airing on French Canadian network Canal D. In the following years, the show was picked up by TVA, CBC and The Comedy Network in Canada, BBC1 in the UK, TF1 in France and ABC and Telemundo in the United States; the Canadian version (unlike the ones produced for ABC) aired in the United States in first-run syndication starting in the fall of 2015 and ended in February 2016.[2]
The series uses a hidden camera format, playing pranks on unsuspecting subjects while hidden cameras capture the subjects' responses; each episode presents multiple gags. While some segments have included brief dialogue, most do not contain any sound or dialogue; the audio is replaced with sound effects, a laugh track, and public domain music. Most segments are filmed in Quebec City, Montreal and Vancouver, while some have been filmed in Mexico. British and Asian versions have been produced in the UK and Singapore, respectively. In 2011 the show spawned a spinoff, Just Kidding, which consists exclusively of kids playing pranks on adults.
With its silent format and no translation required, Just for Laughs: Gags has been purchased for use in over 100 countries throughout the world as well as in airports and by airlines. Reactions to the gags range from "inane"[3] to cross-culturally funny.[4] The same distributors also distribute Surprise Sur Prise, a similar show.
In March 2011, Just for Laughs Gags entered into a partnership with Montreal-based, entertainment site, Videobash.com[5] and now have their own devoted channel there. (No video has been posted as of this writing.)
Cast
This section requires specific casting related to Just for Laughs: Gags.[6]
- Dany Many
- Denis Levasseur
- Denise Jacques
- Jacques Drolet
- Jean-Pierre Alarie
- Jean Provencher
- Marie-Ève Larivière
- Marie-Pierre Bouchard
- Nadja David
- Pascal Babin
- Philippe Bond
- Richard Ledoux
- Marie-Andrée Poulin
- Kirsteen O'Sullivan
- Jack Martin
Pranks
In the opening of each prank, the actors introduce how the prank was done and how it will be shown as well. Here are just a few illustrative examples from the thousands of pranks filmed for the 3,000+ shows include:
- Alien in the bushes: as people pass by a street, bushes shake uttering a strange language. As they try to check it, an alien pops out and chases them away;
- Hand out of the coffin: a coffin is abandoned in a park and when people pass by, a hand pops out;
- Stolen tires: an elderly lady asks bystanders to help her carry two tires to her car. But as they do so, they pass a police vehicle which is missing them. They tell the officer that they were the lady's and they were helping her take it to her car but as they look back, she was nowhere to be found;
- Dead bird in a race: people passing are asked to fire a starting pistol to help start a race. Once they give a shot in the air, a pigeon falls down;
- Honking at Hookers: a traffic police officer stops drivers and checks their license. Two hot prostitutes walk by and the officer honks a horn and the women appear to believe the drivers honked at them.
- Instant Accomplice: stranger's friend or love ones take part on a prank.
At the end of every prank, the hidden cameras are revealed. During the pranks, actors would also participate as victims for uninvolved bystanders or crowds.
List of pranks
To see the following list of pranks and its season of Just for Laughs Gags based in Canada, see List of pranks and its seasons on Just for Laughs Gags.
International versions
| Country | Name | Network | Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Pilanpäiten | MTV3 | 2001 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs | BBC One | 31 May 2003 – 21 July 2007 |
 |
Matama Hina | Siyatha TV | 14 April 2017 – Present |
 |
Just for Laughs | ABC and Telemundo First-run syndication |
17 July 2007 – 12 July 2009 September 2015 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags Asia and Just for Laughs Gags | MediaCorp Channel 5 and DIVA Asia | 12 January 2010 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs | Fox | 2011 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags Philippines | GMA Network, PhLighting Channel | 5 November 2011 – August 2012 |
 |
Radi Smeha (in Russian, Ради Смеха) | Ren TV | 2012 – present |
 |
Tek Kuʼlki uʼsʼin (in Kazakh, Тек Күлкі Үшін) | NTK TV | 2008 – present |
 |
Komikler (Just for Laughs Gags) | Kanal D | 2012 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | Lider TV | 2006 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | INDOSIAR | 2014 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | 2M TV | 2010s – present |
 |
Só Risos (Only Laughs) Vídeos incríveis (Incredible Videos) |
Rede Bandeirantes de Televisão (terrestrial TV) | 15 July 2013 – present |
| Pegadinhas (Pranks) | Viva (pay TV) | 5 January 2013 – present | |
|
Тек Күлкі Үшін | HTK | 2012 – present |
 |
笑笑大搞作 | ATV | 2007 |
 |
歡樂夏夏叫 | Videoland Television Network | |
 |
国外恶作剧搞笑录像／老外整人 | ||
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | KTN | |
 |
Kamera e Fshehur | RTK | 20?? – present |
 |
Skrivena kamera Žuta minuta |
RTL Television | 2010 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | Zee Cafe, Zee Trendz, Zee Studio and Pogo | 1 January 2004 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | Cartoon Network Filmax |
2008 – 2010 2014 – Present |
 |
Skrivena kamera-Скривена Камера | Prva Srpska Televizija
Radio Television of Serbia |
2010 – present
2017 - present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags and Just for Laughs Gags Asia | TV3, Disney Channel Asia, DIVA Asia and NTV7 | 1 January 2005 – present |
 |
Ale numer! | TV Puls | 2007 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | Comedy Central Africa | 2012 – present |
 |
Não há crise! (There's no crisis!) | SIC | 2008 – present |
 |
Just for Laughs | Makedonia TV | 2009 – 2016 |
| Mexico | Canal 5 (Mexico) | ||
| Peru | |||
 |
Just for Laughs Gags Skrivena kamera |
Face TV FTV |
2015 – present 12 July 2017 - 30 September 2017 |
 |
Just for Laughs Gags | Hanoi Radio Television | 2011– 2012 |
Just for Laughs (U.S. TV series)
| Just for Laughs | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | Rick Miller |
| Presented by | Rick Miller |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 35 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Single |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | 480i (SD) |
| Original release | July 17, 2007 – July 12, 2009 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Just For Laughs Gags |
Just for Laughs is an American sketch comedy show hosted by Rick Miller that shows clips from the Canadian version of the show. Good ratings during the summer airings in 2007 and a writer's union strike resulted in ABC adding the show to the network lineup as a midseason replacement for 2007-2008. It returned to the schedule on January 1, 2008, before being canceled on May 12, 2008. However, on June 4, 2009, it was announced that a third season would begin airing on June 21, 2009.[7] Program Partners will bring the show back to the United States for a fourth season beginning in fall 2015; this season will air in first-run syndication.[8]
Seasonal Nielsen ratings
Seasonal ratings based on average total viewers per episode of Just for Laughs on ABC:
| Season | Episodes | Timeslot (EDT) | Season Premiere | Season Finale | TV Season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Tuesday 8:00 PM | July 17, 2007 | November 6, 2007 | 2006-2007 | #111 | 7.06 |
| 2 | 14 | Tuesday 8:00 PM | January 1, 2008 | April 1, 2008 | 2007-2008 | #156 | 4.93 |
| 3 | 4 | Sunday 7:30 PM | June 21, 2009 | July 12, 2009 | 2008-2009 | #150 | 3.90 |
Season 1 (2007)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | July 17, 2007 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | July 24, 2007 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | July 31, 2007 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | August 7, 2007 |
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | August 14, 2007 |
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | August 21, 2007 |
| 7 | 7 | "Episode 7" | August 28, 2007 |
| 8 | 8 | "Episode 8" | September 4, 2007 |
| 9 | 9 | "Episode 9" | September 11, 2007 |
| 10 | 10 | "Episode 10" | September 18, 2007 |
| 11 | 11 | "Episode 11" | September 25, 2007 |
| 12 | 12 | "Episode 12" | October 2, 2007 |
| 13 | 13 | "Episode 13" | October 9, 2007 |
| 14 | 14 | "Episode 14" | October 16, 2007 |
| 15 | 15 | "Episode 15" | October 23, 2007 |
| 16 | 16 | "Episode 16" | October 30, 2007 |
| 17 | 17 | "Episode 17" | November 6, 2007 |
Season 2 (2008)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | January 1, 2008 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | January 8, 2008 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | January 15, 2008 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | January 22, 2008 |
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | January 29, 2008 |
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | February 5, 2008 |
| 7 | 7 | "Episode 7" | February 12, 2008 |
| 8 | 8 | "Episode 8" | February 19, 2008 |
| 9 | 9 | "Episode 9" | February 26, 2008 |
| 10 | 10 | "Episode 10" | March 4, 2008 |
| 11 | 11 | "Episode 11" | March 11, 2008 |
| 12 | 12 | "Episode 12" | March 18, 2008 |
| 13 | 13 | "Episode 13" | March 25, 2008 |
| 14 | 14 | "Episode 14" | April 1, 2008 |
Season 3 (2009)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | June 21, 2009 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | June 28, 2009 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | July 5, 2009 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | July 12, 2009 |
DVD releases
- Just for Laughs Gags 1
- Just for Laughs Gags 2
References
- ↑ Just for Laughs: Gags "This crazy Quebec-based troupe uses the city as its stage, and its inhabitants, or victims, as characters! People are caught in a twisted yet funny web of comedic deception. This updated Candid Camera is a tad more risque and a little kookier with its practical jokes. The little snippets last only a few minutes, and some look more painful than others."
- ↑ "THE WHOLE WORLD'S LAUGHING WITH PPI. JUST FOR LAUGHS GAGS CLEARS 75% FOR SEPTEMBER 2015" from PPI (March 2015)
- ↑ Keyan Tomaselli Cultural Tourism and Identity: Rethinking Indigeneity 2012 – Page 29 "The inane Just for Laughs candid camera on the drop-down video screen is interspersed with silent movies on the … Mick Francis … responded to this note: "as a Canadian I must apologize for the Just for Laughs show as it a strange Canadian export filmed in the late 1980s and mysteriously shown around the world" (Francis, personal communication, October 2008).."
- ↑ Ray Wiss A Line in the Sand: Canadians at War in Kandahar 2010 Page 249 "It was an episode of Gags from the Just for Laughs organization in Montreal. For those who have not seen this, it is reminiscent of Candid Camera: the comedians set up an outlandish situation on a city street or in a mall and capture people's reactions. The Afghans got the jokes and laughed as hard as I did."
- ↑ "Videobash JFL Channel". Videobash. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ↑ "Just for Laughs Gags Cast and Crew" IMDb.
- ↑
- ↑ "NATPE 2015: Fall 2015 Syndication; Buzzr TV: New Game Show Multicast Network Launches This Summer" from Sitcoms Online (January 22, 2015)
External links
- Just For Laughs Gags Official YouTube Channel
- Just Kidding Official YouTube Channel
- Just for Laughs Gags at TV.com
- Just for Laughs Gags Channel on Videobash.com
also at: