We're Funny That Way!
| We're Funny That Way! | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary/Comedy |
| Created by | David Adkin |
| Directed by | David Adkin |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) | Toronto, Ontario |
| Running time |
90 minute special (1998) 30 minutes (2007) |
| Release | |
| Original network | Bravo/OUTtv |
| Original release |
1998 (special) September 17, 2007 (series) |
We're Funny That Way! was an annual comedy festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, held from 1997 to 2012. Launched in 1996 by Maggie Cassella,[1] the festival featured stand-up and sketch comedy shows by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender comedians.
The inaugural festival was held in April 1997 at Toronto's Buddies in Bad Times theatre.
Proceeds from the festival supported the We're Funny That Way Foundation, aimed at donating money to LGBT charities in the smaller towns and cities across Canada.[2]
The festival was the subject of We're Funny That Way!, a 1998 documentary film by David Adkin,[3] which interviewed and featured performance clips of various performers who appeared at the inaugural festival.[3] A short-run television series also aired in 2007 in conjunction with the festival's 10th anniversary, using the same format to profile comedians appearing at the 2005 and 2006 editions of the event.[4]
The festival had its final edition in 2012.[5]
Film
Comedians profiled in the 1998 documentary film included Steve Moore, Christopher Peterson, Scott Capurro, Maggie Cassella, Kate Clinton, Jaffe Cohen, Lea DeLaria, Elvira Kurt, Bob Smith, John McGivern and The Nellie Olesons.[3]
The film was screened at various LGBT film festivals,[6] but was distributed primarily as a television special on Bravo Canada, HBO and Citytv.[7]
Television series
A spinoff television series, also titled We're Funny That Way!, aired on Canada's OutTV in 2007.[4] The six-episode series featured highlights from the 2005 and 2006 We're Funny That Way festivals, including performances by Kate Rigg, Dina Martina, Maggie Cassella and Trevor Boris.
Notes
- ↑ "They're really funny that way". Toronto Star, September 26, 1996.
- ↑ "We're Funny That Way gets serious". Toronto Star, May 25, 2006.
- 1 2 3 "Laughing out loud: Gay and lesbian comics go the extra comedic mile on TV special". The Gazette, February 9, 1999.
- 1 2 Jesse Kohl, "OUTtv launches fall sked with pride". Media in Canada, August 10, 2007.
- ↑ "Comedy Q&A: Maggie Cassella". Now, May 10, 2012.
- ↑ "Gay comics produce laugh-out-loud special". Toronto Star, February 10, 1999.
- ↑ "Gay -- and funny: Gay, lesbian comics profiled in special". Halifax Daily News, February 8, 1999.