NEWS & ANALYSIS
4 * THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010 Rue VézinaPraw makes his mark at Just For Laughs
Boulevard Décarie Avenue Coolbrook Avenue ClanranaldMike Cohen
He is one of the key architects of the Just for Laughs Festival, having moved from a small support role six years ago to manager of programming for the Montreal, Toronto and Chicago events. Ask St. Laurent native Robbie Praw how he does it and the immediate response is to share the accolades with his programming team. "We are a team of 12," Praw was telling me last week. "Six in the office and six talent scouts in places like New York, LA and London. And of course there is CEO Bruce Hills and Andy Nulman, who just came back as president. We were just at the Chicago festival together and got on the telephone with Steve Martin and closed the deal to bring him to Montreal. That was cool, especially for me since I am a big fan of his." The Montreal Festival is underway and continues until July 25. Praw attended Gardenview Elementary School, LaurenHill Academy and Vanier College in St. Laurent. At McGill he got a degree in political science. His objective was in fact to become a politician, but he got the bug for show business by promoting aSave an
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DÉCARIE SQUARE 6900, DÉCARIE BLVD., CÔTE SAINT-LUC, PQ. (514)731-6118 MON. - WED.: 9:30 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. THURS. & FRI.: 9:30 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. SATURDAY : 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. SUNDAY: 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Robbie Praw few Battle of the Bands competition. "Arcade Fire finished ninth of 14 in one," he said. "Look at them now." Praw got his foot in the festival door inLIQUIDATION STORE
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While quantities last. Personal shopping only. All sales are final Catalogue shopping 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 1-800-267-3277 www.sears.ca 2004 as an assistant to Eli Regev and Brent Schiess. "Brent was responsible for the television end of things while Eli did some bookings," he recalls. "It was the perfect way to learn different parts of the business." While he loves having the chance to rub elbows with the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, John Pinette, Sara Silverman and this year Pamela Anderson, Praw says his greatest joy comes from seeing local stars like Sugar Sammy from Hampstead make it big. Dare to Reach: Montreal businessman Thomas Fairhurst recently returned home, justifiably proud of his greatest accomplishment. At the age of 62 he reached the summit of Mount Everest. Training over the course of the last number of years at Esprit de Corps in Montreal with people half his age, he has often been told what a positive example he set for them. He called his venture Dare to Reach. "Turning 40, 50 or 60 should not mean a time to pack it in, quiet down, or get a bigger TV. Now is the time to expand your horizon, to dream bigger, to reach further," he says. "I fought the elements, I pushed myself with other crazy souls and I felt like a million bucks." For more on his feat go to www.daretoreach.com. COHEN CHATTER: Montreal50
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(such as Kenmore dryers stock# 89992 only $498.99 and Kenmore washers stock# 49992 only $688.99) *when you use your Sears card or Sears MasterCard USE YOUR SEARS CARD OR YOUR SEARS MASTERCARD AND DOUBLE YOUR POINTS* * on approved credit. NEW ACCOUNTS OPENED IN UNDER TWO MINUTES ...DETAILS IN STORE Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov will be sworn in as a Canadian citizen next week at the downtown Citizenship Court. Sources tell me a pitch was made to the Canadiens to do this at centre ice at an actual game, but it was turned down....West End diners are raving about two new hamburger finds: Burger du Ville on Westminster Ave. in Montreal West and Infusion Catering's Infusion burgers on the same street in Côte St. Luc... A major reunion of the 1981 near championship Montreal Expos team is being planned for a downtown hotel in the fall. Former LA Dodger Rick Monday, whose dramatic homerun off Steve Rogers eliminated Montreal that year in post-season play, is expected to join a slew of former Expos...Old Montreal was hopping Saturday as thousands crowded the Old Port to watch Portugal's presentation in the Telus International Fireworks competition. It is nice to see part of St. Paul Street closed to traffic. Souvenir shops are feeling the pain of the Habs' decision to trade Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis. Halak shirts are now being sold two for the price of one... Mega Brands of Montreal has nabbed the North American rights to produce Hello Kitty toys. Item of interest? e-mail mcohen@thesuburban.com, call 514-484-1107 ext. 307 or fax 514-483-7213.Save an
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