The Toronto Just For Laughs Festival officially kicked off this past Wednesday with a ceremony  featuring The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and The Honourable Monique Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism and the musical — though as he (ironically) insisted, “not funny” — Gregory Charles. The performance consisted of Charles singing, playing piano, and taking audience suggestions (a crowd member would yell out a number, and Charles and his bandmate would play a hit song from a year ending in that number. This included a range of tunes from “Hound Dog” to “Hotel California” to the 2005 dance hit “Hung Up” by Madonna. The show ended strong with a slightly cliche and definitely rambunctious performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, for which Charles received a standing ovation.

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