Radio takeover not a laughing matter
Canadian comics losing up to 50% of income as Just for Laughs moves in
MONTREAL— Canadian comedians say they are losing half or more of their incomes now that a Sirius XM satellite radio station is being taken over by Just for Laughs.
Sirius XM Canada and Just for Laughs formally announced a partnership Monday that will see the Canada Laughs channel become Just for Laughs Radio this spring, curated by the Montreal entertainment company.
The blowback began brewing online among Canadian comedians last week. The Canada Laughs channel has provided 100 per cent Canadian content since its 2005 creation, giving homegrown comedians access to royalties and a place to showcase their work.
The Canadian Association of Stand-up Comedians says many local comics rely heavily on that money and exposure.
“For some people, this is their primary source of income,” Sandra Battaglini, a Toronto comic and head of the twoyear-old association, said in an interview Monday. “It’s devastating for people because these changes have already started happening and people have stopped being played.”
In a news release Monday, the new station was described as a “blend of standup recorded at various Just for Laughs festivals and events, along with premium content from independent comedy albums.”
Battaglini said that means it is no longer “an exclusively Canadian channel … because Just for Laughs archives, the catalogue, is mostly an American festival.” She said a Canadian comedian living in New York first sounded the alarm when her record label informed her that Canada Laughs was disappearing.
“If this isn’t going to be there next month, they’re (comics relying on the income) going to be in a tough spot,” Battaglini said. She added she was hopeful about working with Just for Laughs SiriusXM to address some of the issues.
Canadian comedy legend Howie Mandel, who is part of the partnership that owns Just for Laughs, explained on his Facebook page late Sunday that some of the station’s content would now be drawn from the Just for Laughs archives, which include performers from around the world.
“We will still be taking content — it is a Canadian station — we will be taking content from Canadian comedians and independently recorded comedians and up-and-coming comedians from Canada,” Mandel said. He said SiriusXM Satellite Radio approached the Montrealbased company wanting to “retool” the station.
Mandel suggested the change was necessary to keep the station alive. “They came to us and said, ‘Could you help us with the Canadian comedy,’ ” he said. “We said yes because that’s what we do, we promote comedy. We are comedy.”
But for comics like Calgary’s Dave Nystrom, who challenged Mandel on Twitter, the financial effect will be immediate. He said the cash will instead flow to Just for Laughs and international comedians. “Everybody was getting played daily,” Nystrom, who has worked in comedy for nearly 25 years, said. “What he (Mandel) can’t change and can’t spin is that this money is going to stop coming to us as comedians. This has hit working, often struggling, comedians in their bank accounts.”
He said comedians stand to lose between $500 to $2,000 (U.S.) a month. “It’s not like we lost a couple of gigs,” Nystrom said. “People are losing up to and above 50 per cent of their annual income.”