Posted: Tue., Mar. 31, 2009, 2:44pm PT

Just for Laughs fest hits Chicago

DeGeneres, Fallon among 70 comics appearing

By

DeGeneres

Fallon

Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez and Jimmy Fallon are among more than 70 comedians set to appear in the first Stateside edition of the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival.

The inaugural Very Funny Festival: Just for Laughs will be held in Chicago June 17-21.

It will be run jointly by Montreal Just for Laughs and Turner Broadcasting System.

Performances will be held at a number of venues including the Chicago Theater, the Vic Theater and the Rosemont Theater. The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago will also host four nights of comic shorts and features.

TBS will air three specials culled from the fest, including "Ellen's Bigger Longer and Wider Show," "Comedy You Can Believe in With David Alan Grier" and a third special to be announced later.

Chi  is the second city outside Montreal into which the fest has expanded -- the third Toronto Just for Laughs fest is set for July.