Bell Media, Groupe CH among group acquiring Just For Laughs

Bell Media says it is has joined a group of investors in buying the production company behind Montreal’s Just For Laughs comedy festival.

The BCE Inc. subsidiary says it and Groupe CH completed an agreement to join talent agency ICM Partners and comedian Howie Mandel in the acquisition of Groupe Juste pour rire.

“We’re very pleased to partner with Bell Media, Howie Mandel, and ICM on Just For Laughs,” said Geoff Molson, CEO of Groupe CH. “Together, our mission will be to ensure the continuation of a great cultural event for Montreal, one that puts Montréal in the international spotlight.”

Bell says the production company remains Montreal-based and is now backed by a leading broadcaster and content creation company. It says the terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.

“Just For Laughs is world-renowned as home to the funniest original content on any platform, featuring the best established talent in comedy alongside the rising stars of the future,” said Gerry Frappier, president of French-language TV and RDS for Bell Media.

Mandel led an investor group that acquired the festival in March after it was put up for sale following allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment against cofounder Gilbert Rozon, who was also a majority stakeholder.

Bell Media president Randy Lennox says the company is trying to align itself with brands that have world travel ability.

He says Just for Laughs has huge ubiquity in Quebec, some scale in Canada, but that dissipates further away and their goal is to grow it.