In conjunction with the Just for Laughs comedy festival, the channel was rebranded as Just for Laughs Radio on February 25, 2019 (and shortly thereafter to Just for Laughs Canada) and broadcast content from Just for Laughs events as well as independent content by Canadian comics.
In early 2024, the channel quietly dropped its affiliation with Just for Laughs and rebranded again, this time as SiriusXM Comedy Club.
History
As Canada Laughs, the channel featured uncensored Canadian stand-up and sketch comedy.
Laugh Attack was not added to Sirius after the Sirius/XM merger in 2008, as the Canadian Sirius and XM affiliates did not merge until 2011.[3]
Laugh Attack was renamed Canada Laughs and made available on SIRIUS and XM in May 2013.[2]
Rebranding as Just for Laughs
In February 2019, SiriusXM announced a branding deal with the Just for Laughs comedy festival, which would see the channel rebranded as Just for Laughs Radio, and the programming extended to include archival comedy performances from the Just for Laughs library.[4] The rebranding was heavily criticized by Canadian comedians, because the use of archival material — which would be open to international comedians as well — would vastly reduce the amount of broadcast time available to Canadian comedians.[5] Many comedians, in fact, noted that their royalties from Canada Laughs airplay were their single largest and most reliable comedy-related income source.[6]
On February 27, Just for Laughs announced a partial retreat, under which the station will retain the Just for Laughs branding but the 100 per cent Canadian content rule will be restored. They also modified the new name of the station to Just for Laughs Canada.[7]
References
^"Everything from hockey talk to hip-hop on XM radio". Waterloo Region Record, November 17, 2005.
^ ab"SiriusXM Canada spruces up its Canadian line-up". Canada NewsWire, May 6, 2013.