Montréal, June 11, 2008 – Videotron presents for the second year in a row, the Just For Laughs Festival. Videotron is pleased to be associated with today's announcement of the schedule of outdoor events for the 26th edition of the Festival, which will bring the fun into the streets.
"We are very excited about putting the comedy out in the open," said Manon Brouillette, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Content and Product Development. "Our efforts will make it possible for festival goers to experience new acts, discover new talent and get the most out of the Festival. It's all part of our vision for this major event: to really turn the streets into the site of a unique, fun, high-tech festival of laughs."
What's up at the Studio Vidéotron?
A Triumphant Venue! - The Studio Vidéotron will be the place to go for excitement and to try out the latest technology from Québec's most admired telecom company.* It will feature Le Triomphe au St-Denis, an appropriately named activity that was a triumph at last year's fest. Visitors get a chance to become stand-up stars basking in the adulation of an adoring public, at least for the duration of a few jokes. The up-and-coming comics will stand in front of a funky screen and pretend to take the stage to thunderous applause, followed by a few jokes previously chosen from a selection provided to participants. The acts will be videotaped and, with the permission of participants, their performances will be edited and the images superimposed to create a video in which they appear on stage at the Théâtre St-Denis before an audience roaring with laughter. The videos will be available on Videotron's website and on illico on Demand, and will be shown on VOX in the fall. Viewers will be able to go to videotron.com/divertissement, and rate the performances from 1 to 5.
New technology everywhere you look! - At the Studio Vidéotron test stand, festival goers will be able to experience the eagerly anticipated Ultimate Speed Internet 50 service, which made Videotron the first cable operator in North America to offer such an Internet access speed over a cable network. They will also get a look at Videotron's new 320 GB high-definition personal video recorder, which in combination with the HD offerings on illico on Demand delivers amazing image quality, sound and variety straight to consumers' living rooms. As well, visitors will be able to make free local calls with the Just For Laughs mobile telephone, packed with wild and crazy content for comedy fans on the go. And, oh yeah!... they will have a chance to win a Videotron Quattro package.
What's up with Victor's bar?
For the Festival Juste pour rire, VOX television proposes a cocktail that's full of laughter and to be consumed without moderation! Everyday at the heart of the Festival's activities, friendly Victor will welcome artists and people from the public in a funny and relaxed atmosphere. The 30
minute show taping will take place at the Pub Saint-Ciboire located at 1693 Saint-Denis Street, from July 9 au 18, at 2 PM.
In the friendly Bar à Victor, the barman, played by Marc Larrivée, exchanges his Montreal Canadiens players posters against those of well-known comedians. Being that popular, The Festival Juste pour rire brings in many people to the bar and Victor wants it to become more accessible to comedians everywhere. He then decides to invite new comedians to do excerpts from their shows while he will decide if they are fit' for a presence at the Juste pour Victor gala. Laughter is certainly in the cards. Taping is from July 9 to 18 at 2 PM. The program will be on air from Wednesday, July 10 until Saturday, July 19 at 7 PM, with replays at 9:30 PM.
Need to call? Leave your change in your pocket!
A landline telephone will be available to festival goers at the Studio Vidéotron. Phone calls will be free to all locations across the province, driving home the point that with Videotron, long-distance charges between subscribers are a really thing of the past. In addition, prominently visible telephone booths hooked up to Videotron's cable telephony will be set up around the site, offering festival goers free local calls. And that's no joke!
Got questions? We can help!
So buckled up with laughter you don't know which way to turn? Festivalgoers will never be far from one of the three Videotron information booths where helpful Videotron staff will be on hand to provide tons of free info and help make the 26th Just For Laughs Festival a resounding success all the way down the line and down the street!
* Commerce Magazine - Léger Marketing 2008
Ultimate Speed Internet 50TM is a Videotron trademark.
Videotron Ltd. (www.videotron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, Internet access services, cable telephony and wireless telephone service. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its illico interactive television system and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. As of March 31, 2008, Videotron was serving 1,652,200 cable television customers in Québec, including 802,800 illico Digital TV subscribers. Videotron is the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 965,300 subscribers to its cable modem service. As of March 31, 2008, Videotron had activated 49,900 lines on its wireless telephone service and was providing cable telephone service to nearly 691,600 Québec households and organizations.
