A Canadian comedy radio show is not enough to support the comic community, says the Vancouver-based record label 604 Records.
In the wake of viral disapproval of the Just For Laughs and SiriusXM partnership, 604 Records is expanding its comedy division Comedy Here Often? into a hub for Canadian comedy.
Since 2002, 604 Records has signed Canadian comedians like Kevin Banner and Juno-nominated Charlie Demers, as well as major Canadian artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Marianas Trench.
Effective immediately, the Comedy Here Often? YouTube channel will include not only its own content but also third-party content from independent comedians in Canada. The channel is inviting Canadian comedians to submit material or proposals of anything from sketches to web podcasts here.
Social media outcry following the derailment of Canada Laughs radio show proved that the only thing needing revamping was the comedy industry itself. The Canadian comedy community is now hungrier for the legitimization of its profession than ever before. The proposed rebranding to Just For Laughs Radio was quickly shut down and will instead be called Just For Laughs Canada only featuring Canadian content.
But regardless of the favourable outcome, 604 Records asserts that the comedy industry is fragile and in need of change, so the label wants to help bolster the industry in Canada.
Getting Sirius to reverse its decision was a huge accomplishment that was the result of the efforts of many people working together. But now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back,” says Jonathan Simkin, president of 604 Records. Now is the time to apply the lessons we have learned. We need to build on this by building an infrastructure that wont collapse because of the actions of any one third-party entity.
The first episode of the Comedy Here Often? podcast will be live-streamed on March 7 on Facebook and YouTube.
We want to talk about where we go from here, says Simkin, regarding the first topic to be discussed on the podcast. Do we just go back to life as it was? Or do we heed the signs and work toward a new way of doing things?”
