Roy Wood Jr. and Mikey Day to Host Just For Laughs Galas in Montreal (EXCLUSIVE)

Just For Laughs has rounded out its 2025 Gala host lineup with the addition of Roy Wood Jr. and Mikey Day, who will join previously announced hosts Michelle Buteau and Fortune Feimster for the festival’s marquee events running July 25-26 in Montreal.

The festival, which runs July 16-27, will feature solo showcases from rising stars Ralph Barbosa, Joe Dombrowski, and Carlos Ballarta, whose show will be performed entirely in Spanish.

Wood Jr., who will host the July 25 Gala, brings significant television credentials to the role. The Emmy-nominated documentary producer and WGA-nominated writer spent eight years as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy-winning “The Daily Show” and made headlines in 2023 when he guest-hosted the program and headlined the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to its highest ratings since 2017. Currently, he hosts CNN’s “Have I Got News for You,” an American adaptation of the U.K.’s longest-running comedy series that premiered in September 2024.

Day takes the helm for the July 26 Gala, bringing his “Saturday Night Live” pedigree to Montreal. The Emmy-nominated writer, actor and comedian joined SNL in 2013, becoming a Featured Player in 2016 and a repertory cast member in 2018. Beyond his sketch comedy work, Day has appeared in Netflix’s “Unfrosted” and films including “Hubie Halloween” and “Little.” He currently hosts the Netflix hit “Is It Cake?” and recently co-wrote “Home Sweet Home Alone” with writing partner Streeter Seidell.

“We are thrilled to announce Roy Wood Jr. and Mikey Day to round out our 2025 lineup of Gala hosts,” said Nick Brazao, head of programming and talent at Just For Laughs. “These shows are a huge part of the legacy of the Festival, and we’re excited to bring such world-class comedians to not only the Montreal audiences, but the TV viewers across the country on CBC.”

The festival’s solo showcase lineup highlights comedy’s current breakout stars. Ralph Barbosa, a Variety “10 Comics to Watch” selection in 2024, will perform at MTelus on July 25. The comic, whose Netflix special “Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga” ranked as the No. 3 TV show on Netflix during its first week, has a second Hulu special set for release in 2025.

Detroit native Joe Dombrowski, who gained viral fame with a 2017 April Fools’ Day spelling test prank that led to multiple “Ellen DeGeneres Show” appearances, will headline Club Soda on July 24. The former elementary school teacher has since become a regular at major comedy festivals and hosts a monthly show at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Mexican comedian Carlos Ballarta returns to Montreal with his “Tlatoani en Español” show on July 26 at MTelus. The Mexico City native, who has three Netflix specials under his belt, will perform entirely in Spanish with new material added to his globally touring show.

Additional programming includes a live podcast reading from “StanLand” featuring “Saturday Night Live” alum Bobby Moynihan and writer Mike Sacks, plus expanded dates for popular recurring shows including “Dropout Improv,” “The Nasty Show,” and “The Culture Show.”

The festival’s New Faces showcase returns with multiple lineups across different performance categories. The program has launched careers of comedy A-listers including Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong, and recent breakouts like Marcello Hernandez.