Killing A Joke

And speaking about Just For Laughs (as I did Monday), an ingenious and most Surprising press release was sent out last week by filmmaker Albert Nerenberg (that's him at right) to promote his documentary called Let's All Hate Toronto, playing at the event's Comedia Film Festival later this month.

Now most film press releases follow a template and are as dull as Fred MacMurray (kids, ask your parents).  Headline usually says that some film is making its debut somewhere, and then blows smoke up the butt of the director and the stars.  Yawn if you ain't in a coma. 

Most press releases are about as effective as wet Kleenex, and are as read as often as the Gideon Bibles in hotel nightable drawers.

Nerenberg, renowned for his Pow!er of going against the grain, made big big news out of a small, niche subject, with a release that's as entertaining as anything you'll read in The Onion.  Here's his (slightly edited) release:

WORLD’S LARGEST COMEDY FESTIVAL
TO RETIRE JOKE ABOUT
“UGLY TORONTO WOMEN"

TORONTO WOMEN NOW CONSIDERED BEAUTIFUL: FILMMAKERS

The world’s largest comedy festival, Just For Laughs plans to officially retire a recurring joke about Toronto women being ugly.

The joke is often told by major comics at the world’s largest comedy festival, Just For Laughs, in Montreal, and plays on the perception that Toronto women are not attractive.

The joke became an issue after comedian Russell Peters criticized the joke in a scene from the upcoming comic documentary Let’s All Hate Toronto. The filmmakers lobbied the festival to have the joke retired.

“The women in Montreal are so beautiful,” says Peters imitating the joke. “Where do you send the ugly women…to Toronto?”

 The joke is often used by high-profile visiting comedians at Just for Laughs to warm up huge Montreal crowds

Just For Laughs will be holding a ceremony to retire the joke at the screening of the documentary, this year, in the Visa Screening Room at Montreal’s Imperial theatre, as part of Comedia, the festival’s film event.

The festival doesn’t control people’s material but will discourage people from using the joke.

Toronto has produced a number of attractive movie stars and last year’s Miss Universe Natalie Glebovna is from Toronto. Some say its increased diversity has made Toronto a hotbed of intriguing looking people.

Hysterical, tongue-in-cheek, and totally unexpected, even from a comedy festival (believe me, this is a big step for the Just For Laughs folks).  No wonder it's generating so much buzz.  Can't wait to see it.