The founder of the world-famous Just for Laughs comedy festival has been found not guilty on charges of rape and indecent assault.
The accusations against Gilbert Rozon stemmed from a night in 1980 in St-Sauveur, Quebec, when he was 25 years old. The wording of the charges was based on what was in the Criminal Code at the time.
The complainant, who was 20 at the time, testified that Rozon aggressively tried to have sex with her after a night out and that she woke up to find him on top of her and that he raped her.
Rozon, 66,...
The accusations against Gilbert Rozon stemmed from a night in 1980 in St-Sauveur, Quebec, when he was 25 years old. The wording of the charges was based on what was in the Criminal Code at the time.
The complainant, who was 20 at the time, testified that Rozon aggressively tried to have sex with her after a night out and that she woke up to find him on top of her and that he raped her.
Rozon, 66,...
- 12/15/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The founder of the world-famous Just for Laughs comedy festival has been found not guilty on charges of rape and indecent assault.
The accusations against Gilbert Rozon stemmed from a night in 1980 in St-Sauveur, Quebec, when he was 25 years old. The wording of the charges was based on what was in the Criminal Code at the time.
The complainant, who was 20 at the time, testified that Rozon aggressively tried to have sex with her after a night out and that she woke up to find him on top of her and that he raped her.
Rozon, 66,...
The accusations against Gilbert Rozon stemmed from a night in 1980 in St-Sauveur, Quebec, when he was 25 years old. The wording of the charges was based on what was in the Criminal Code at the time.
The complainant, who was 20 at the time, testified that Rozon aggressively tried to have sex with her after a night out and that she woke up to find him on top of her and that he raped her.
Rozon, 66,...
- 12/15/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Just for Laughs comedy festival founder and former CEO Gilbert Rozon has been charged with rape and indecent assault stemming from offenses alleged to have taken place in 1979.
The criminal charges were unveiled Wednesday by Quebec's director of criminal prosecutions and follow a #MeToo scandal at the Montreal festival that is known for helping Los Angeles talent scouts find talent for Hollywood movies and U.S. network shows.
According to the charges against Rozon, the offenses occurred between June and September 1979, in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. The veteran Canadian impresario is set to appear in court in January to ...
The criminal charges were unveiled Wednesday by Quebec's director of criminal prosecutions and follow a #MeToo scandal at the Montreal festival that is known for helping Los Angeles talent scouts find talent for Hollywood movies and U.S. network shows.
According to the charges against Rozon, the offenses occurred between June and September 1979, in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec. The veteran Canadian impresario is set to appear in court in January to ...
- 12/12/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
A report that Asia Argento has paid a former child actor and musician a settlement after an alleged sexual encounter when he was 17 is raising questions about her participation as a judge on “X Factor Italy.”
Argento has been one of the most outspoken voices against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry and is an accuser of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein. The New York Times’ report that Argento agreed to pay Jimmy Bennett $380,000 because of an alleged sexual encounter with him in 2013 took many by surprise. Bennett played the Italian actress-director’s son in her film “The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.”
Reactions from Italy’s media personalities have so far been muted, in a country where Argento has been criticized and ridiculed for speaking up against sexual harassment. But a growing number of Italians have taken to Twitter to demand that FremantleMedia Italy, which is producing “X Factor Italy,...
Argento has been one of the most outspoken voices against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry and is an accuser of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein. The New York Times’ report that Argento agreed to pay Jimmy Bennett $380,000 because of an alleged sexual encounter with him in 2013 took many by surprise. Bennett played the Italian actress-director’s son in her film “The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.”
Reactions from Italy’s media personalities have so far been muted, in a country where Argento has been criticized and ridiculed for speaking up against sexual harassment. But a growing number of Italians have taken to Twitter to demand that FremantleMedia Italy, which is producing “X Factor Italy,...
- 8/20/2018
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Returning to Montreal from July 11 to 29 is the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, a celebration of everything funny from the performers to the business behind the curtains.
Paul Ronca, the festival’s director of industry and special events programming and strategic partner development, describes Just for Laughs as the Coachella of comedy. “If you’re a fan of comedy or work in it, this festival should be at the very top of your list,” he says.
Now in its 36th year, Just for Laughs has evolved in direction and scope just like the industry that it celebrates. “We attract everyone in the world of comedy: creators, influencers, TV, web and film executives and podcasters,” Ronca says.
After such growth, the line-up this year boasts some of the biggest names in the business. “Where do we start?” Ronca exclaims when asked which performers will draw big crowds. “There are so many killer acts this year!
Paul Ronca, the festival’s director of industry and special events programming and strategic partner development, describes Just for Laughs as the Coachella of comedy. “If you’re a fan of comedy or work in it, this festival should be at the very top of your list,” he says.
Now in its 36th year, Just for Laughs has evolved in direction and scope just like the industry that it celebrates. “We attract everyone in the world of comedy: creators, influencers, TV, web and film executives and podcasters,” Ronca says.
After such growth, the line-up this year boasts some of the biggest names in the business. “Where do we start?” Ronca exclaims when asked which performers will draw big crowds. “There are so many killer acts this year!
- 7/18/2018
- by Drew Turney
- Variety Film + TV
Canadian media giant Bell Media and Montreal Canadiens owner Groupe Ch have joined ICM Partners and longtime client Howie Mandel in a consortium to acquire the Just For Laughs comedy group.
Terms of the deal for the new minority stakes nabbed by Bell Media and Groupe Ch were not disclosed. ICM, the Los Angeles-based talent and literary agency, and Mandel in March first bought the controlling stake of Jfl founder Gilbert Rozon.
It's understood that Bell Media and Groupe Ch have taken a controlling 51 percent stake in Jfl, leaving ICM and Mandel as minority partners, to ensure continuing ...
Terms of the deal for the new minority stakes nabbed by Bell Media and Groupe Ch were not disclosed. ICM, the Los Angeles-based talent and literary agency, and Mandel in March first bought the controlling stake of Jfl founder Gilbert Rozon.
It's understood that Bell Media and Groupe Ch have taken a controlling 51 percent stake in Jfl, leaving ICM and Mandel as minority partners, to ensure continuing ...
A deal has just been closed on the sale of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. According to Cogeco Nouvelles, the Juste Pour Rire Group has been sold to American company ICM Partners for a price in the tens of millions of dollars. Until now, the Juste Pour Rire Group belonged to Gilbert Rozon, who...
- 3/4/2018
- by Alyssa Croezen
- ET Canada
French television station M6 is suspending La France a un incroyable talent — the country’s version of America’s Got Talent — for the remainder of its season after one of the show’s judges was accused of sexual harassment. The judge, Gilbert Rozon, is also the president of Montreal’s Just For Laughs comedy festival, and announced his resignation from that and other posts yesterday. (Watch a clip of Rozon on the talent show above). In a statement written in French, Rozon…...
- 10/19/2017
- Deadline TV
Gilbert Rozon, a giant in the Quebec entertainment industry, is stepping down from various positions amid what he calls “allegations involving him.” Rozon said on his Facebook page Wednesday he is no longer president of the Just For Laughs comedy festival, vice-president of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce or involved with the city’s 375th anniversary celebrations. Read […]...
- 10/19/2017
- by Gavin Crisp
- ET Canada
New York -- Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, David Alan Grier, George Lopez, Bill Engvall, Lisa Lampanelli, Russell Peters, Louis Ck, Jim Jefferies, Bob Odenkirk and Andy Dick will be among the comedy talent at this summer's inaugural “TBS Presents A 'Very Funny' Festival: Just For Laughs" in Chicago.
The co-production of comedy giants TBS and Montreal's Just For Laughs is scheduled to take over the Windy City June 17-21.
TBS plans three TV specials from the event, including "Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wider Show," a variety showcase hosted by DeGeneres; all-star standup special "Comedy You Can Believe In" hosted by Grier; and a third event to be announced later.
“We are confident that the elite roster of talent at our inaugural event this summer will secure our status as the premier comedy Festival in the United States," said Gilbert Rozon, president of Just For Laughs. "So it seems our...
The co-production of comedy giants TBS and Montreal's Just For Laughs is scheduled to take over the Windy City June 17-21.
TBS plans three TV specials from the event, including "Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wider Show," a variety showcase hosted by DeGeneres; all-star standup special "Comedy You Can Believe In" hosted by Grier; and a third event to be announced later.
“We are confident that the elite roster of talent at our inaugural event this summer will secure our status as the premier comedy Festival in the United States," said Gilbert Rozon, president of Just For Laughs. "So it seems our...
- 4/1/2009
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
MONTREAL -- Just For Laughs on Thursday unveiled plans to expand its industry offerings by adding a dedicated comedy marketplace to its annual comedy festival starting next year in partnership with Achilles Media, the producer of the Banff World Television Festival.
Just For Laughs gurus Gilbert Rozon and Bruce Hills, as well as Robert Montgomery, CEO of Achilles Media, unveiled the plans for The World Comedy Conference here.
They said their hope is to expand industry turnout from currently about 1,000 attendees, allow a more focused discovery of the hottest comedic ideas and really bringing together talent and industry folks from around the world.
The World Comedy Conference is planned as a two-day event for broadcasters, TV and film producers, studio executives, agents, writers, digital content aggregators and creators, financiers and others.
Programming will include networking sessions, a conference program, people's choice-style awards and a marketplace, including open and one-one pitching sessions.
The companies said the conference will also feature a "customized VIP tour of the hottest acts to appear at Just For Laughs," a dedicated pilots' market, as well as Comedia, the Just For Laughs film portion, which Hills said is now in its 11th year and deserves to be taken to the next level.
Just For Laughs gurus Gilbert Rozon and Bruce Hills, as well as Robert Montgomery, CEO of Achilles Media, unveiled the plans for The World Comedy Conference here.
They said their hope is to expand industry turnout from currently about 1,000 attendees, allow a more focused discovery of the hottest comedic ideas and really bringing together talent and industry folks from around the world.
The World Comedy Conference is planned as a two-day event for broadcasters, TV and film producers, studio executives, agents, writers, digital content aggregators and creators, financiers and others.
Programming will include networking sessions, a conference program, people's choice-style awards and a marketplace, including open and one-one pitching sessions.
The companies said the conference will also feature a "customized VIP tour of the hottest acts to appear at Just For Laughs," a dedicated pilots' market, as well as Comedia, the Just For Laughs film portion, which Hills said is now in its 11th year and deserves to be taken to the next level.
- 7/20/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- The Just for Laughs comedy festival is kicking into high gear Wednesday, and it already feels like an eventful day midday.
Thunderstorms on the East Coast delayed some comics who were set to fly to Montreal on Wednesday morning for appearances at the festival, according to sources.
Among the delayed comics apparently were Mike DeStefano and Joey Kola, who are both scheduled for JFL's popular "Wiseguys" show of Italian comics.
It was not clear how long they were delayed and whether the festival would have to change any show lineups as a result.
Rain and lightning led to a slew of flight cancellations at New York's La Guardia airport, among others.
JFL announced a Thursday news conference at the Hyatt Regency hotel with festival gurus Gilbert Rozon and Bruce Hills, as well as Robert Montgomery of Achilles Media. They were set to unveil plans for the inaugural World Comedy Conference. No details about the event were available.
Thunderstorms on the East Coast delayed some comics who were set to fly to Montreal on Wednesday morning for appearances at the festival, according to sources.
Among the delayed comics apparently were Mike DeStefano and Joey Kola, who are both scheduled for JFL's popular "Wiseguys" show of Italian comics.
It was not clear how long they were delayed and whether the festival would have to change any show lineups as a result.
Rain and lightning led to a slew of flight cancellations at New York's La Guardia airport, among others.
JFL announced a Thursday news conference at the Hyatt Regency hotel with festival gurus Gilbert Rozon and Bruce Hills, as well as Robert Montgomery of Achilles Media. They were set to unveil plans for the inaugural World Comedy Conference. No details about the event were available.
- 7/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Banff World Television Festival on Tuesday said it will give Montreal comedy impresario Gilbert Rozon this year's Sir Peter Ustinov award. Past Ustinov comedy honorees include Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), John Cleese, Bob Newhart, Martin Short, Tracy Ullman and Kelsey Grammer.
Rozon, who founded the Just For Laughs comedy festival which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer, will receive the tribute June 11 at a gala dinner.
In addition to providing an annual arena from which Los Angeles scouts and executives find talent for film and TV projects, the Just for Laughs festival has spawned a host of TV comedy shows that air in 125 countries and on 95 airlines.
Just For Laughs also is branching out from its Montreal roots by organizing comedy festivals in Toronto and Nantes, France.
The Banff World Television Festival is set to run June 10-13 in the Canadian Rockies.
Rozon, who founded the Just For Laughs comedy festival which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer, will receive the tribute June 11 at a gala dinner.
In addition to providing an annual arena from which Los Angeles scouts and executives find talent for film and TV projects, the Just for Laughs festival has spawned a host of TV comedy shows that air in 125 countries and on 95 airlines.
Just For Laughs also is branching out from its Montreal roots by organizing comedy festivals in Toronto and Nantes, France.
The Banff World Television Festival is set to run June 10-13 in the Canadian Rockies.
- 5/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival on Wednesday Will unveil plans for a summer comedy festival in Toronto to launch in July.
Executives at Just For Laughs were tight-lipped Monday about their plans for Toronto, but a press conference that includes Toronto Mayor David Miller, JFL president and founder Gilbert Rozon and JFL chief operating officer Bruce Hills has been called for Wednesday afternoon.
The Montreal comedy festival, which annually helps Los Angeles talent scouts find talent for Hollywood movies and U.S. network shows, has long staged touring shows in Toronto.
But Toronto city councillors in late January approved a CAN$500,000 ($427,000) loan to launch the Toronto Just for Laughs comedy festival, in partnership with Just For Laughs.
As part of the deal, the Just For Laughs group will run the inaugural Toronto festival, to run July 19-July 22, just ahead of the English-language section of the Montreal-based festival.
The city of Toronto in turn will help bankroll the comedy festival, which anticipates an annual budget of about CAN$3 million ($2.56 million).
Executives at Just For Laughs were tight-lipped Monday about their plans for Toronto, but a press conference that includes Toronto Mayor David Miller, JFL president and founder Gilbert Rozon and JFL chief operating officer Bruce Hills has been called for Wednesday afternoon.
The Montreal comedy festival, which annually helps Los Angeles talent scouts find talent for Hollywood movies and U.S. network shows, has long staged touring shows in Toronto.
But Toronto city councillors in late January approved a CAN$500,000 ($427,000) loan to launch the Toronto Just for Laughs comedy festival, in partnership with Just For Laughs.
As part of the deal, the Just For Laughs group will run the inaugural Toronto festival, to run July 19-July 22, just ahead of the English-language section of the Montreal-based festival.
The city of Toronto in turn will help bankroll the comedy festival, which anticipates an annual budget of about CAN$3 million ($2.56 million).
- 3/27/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.