ABC PICKS UP �JUST FOR LAUGHS� FOR MIDSEASON

ABC has picked up six half-hour episodes of the hidden-camera comedy series �Just for Laughs,� based on the Canadian series �Just for Laughs Gags,� for midseason, it was announced today. �Just for Laughs� will be the first ever made-for-Canada television series to be broadcast on a major U.S. network.

��Just for Laughs� is a laugh-a-minute,� said Andrea Wong, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Entertainment. �The show�s global success demonstrates that audiences around the world have been drawn in by its non-stop comedy and good clean fun.�

�This deal is a huge step for us,� says Pierre Girard, �Just for Laughs�� executive producer, �and we�re proud that �Just for Laughs� is the first Canadian series ever to be sold to a major U.S. network with its original content.�

Cutting across cultural boundaries and with universal appeal, �Just for Laughs� entertains audiences of all ages and demographics. The series, which mixes clever practical jokes, hidden cameras and a few unsuspecting victims, is seen in 125 countries around the world and on 95 airlines, airing on BBC1 (UK), France 2 (France), Mediaset (Italy), Nickelodeon (Germany) and CBC (Canada), among others.

�Just for Laughs� (www.hahaha.com) is active in many areas of entertainment production, including Television, Theatre and Touring. �Just for Laughs� Distribution (Distributions Juste Pour Rire Inc.) is a leading distributor of short, light entertainment comedy television programming and the largest distributor of non-verbal hidden-camera gags in the world.

�Just for Laughs� television shows are seen in over 125 countries and on over 95 airlines around the world, and in the past have been seen on MTV, Showtime, HBO, BBC America and Fox in the U.S. Its annual festival is the world�s largest and most prestigious comedy event, welcoming over two million people each summer. During its 24 years, the Festival has featured some of the top comics in the world, including Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Ray Romano and Tim Allen. Each year over 1,000 industry executives are drawn to what is considered the hottest breeding ground for new talent. The company successfully tours across the globe, bringing some of the Festival�s best talent to Canada, the U.S. and Asia, and has personal management offices in Los Angeles, Paris and Montreal.