Robert A.L. Shour for The Ontario Bar Association

Sunday May 4 is Strictly for Laughs

In Australia, laughter events will take place in Queensland, Sydney, and Victoria. They'll also be laughing it up in India, the U.S. France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the U.K., and Hungary. More than 8,000 people are expected to participate in one meeting at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen Denmark. Even in Canada's remote Yellowknife, NWT, people will stop to have a yuk. So why the big Hoo Haa? The world needs laughter now more than at any other time, say supporters of the World Laughter Tour - among them...

The best auctions bring out the laughs

Barrie, Ontario, April 2004 – Catherine Lawrence of Survival of the Funniest has graduated from the Canadian Auction College with training as a professional auctioneer. Completing the program reflects Catherine’s professional approach to her comedic calling. Auctioneering is one of her many skills and professional training for it is something she says she feels she “owes” the charities and other organizations that hire her. “Laughter is a key factor in any auction, and I hope to make audiences laugh. When you laugh you relax. When you relax, you spend. But I never had any formal training in...

England appoints first jester in three centuries

Warwickshire, England, August 2004 - Kester the Jester, aka Nigel Roder, has been named England's first "official" jester since the post was last held in the court of King Charles I in 1649. He beat out six other contestants to win the title of State Jester on Saturday, August 8. England's last jester was Muckle John, who lost his job when King Charles was beheaded Kester, who has his own website at www.itshim.co.uk, is a professional juggler, and has a small company specializing in family entertainment. Says Tracy Borman, events director with English Heritage:...

London performance of Love Letters with Catherine Lawrence as Melissa

London, Ontario - Fountainhead Theatreworks produced A.R. Gurney's highly-acclaimed and widely-produced play Love Letters at the London Museum Theatre this April starring Catherine Lawrence (Survival of the Funniest) and Mike Eizenga (partner at the law firm of Siskind, Cromarty, Ivey & Dowler LLP) in the leading roles. Catherine was a corporate lawyer with John Labatt Limited and Labatt Ontario Breweries for more than eight years in London and Toronto before making the transition to comedy, (www.survivalofthefunniest.com). Love Letters is a story of a man and woman told through letters to each other. It traces the...

Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival Leaves them laughing in London again

The Sixth Annual Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival provided five days of laughter and comedic high-jinks from October 18 - 22, 2005. It also handed out 20 awards in three categories - film, television, and live comedy. (For detailed information on the awards, visit the festival's website at www.canadiancomedyawards.ca.) Winners included some of Canada's best known comedy television performers, standup comics, writers and directors. The Festival began in 2000 with a mandate to recognize and celebrate Canadian achievements in comedy at home and abroad. It is run by a not-for profit organization, the Canadian Comedy Foundation...

“Fun is at the core of how I like to do business” Richard Branson

Catherine Lawrence enjoys a good laugh with rebel billionaire Richard Branson on his visit to Toronto to launch Virgin Mobile. Branson's whole philosophy of doing business rests on his sense of fun, and in his book Losing My Virginity he says: "More than any other element, fun is the secret of Virgin's success. I am aware that the idea of business being fun and creative goes right against the grain of...
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