Montréal, Monday, February 17, 2014 – On Monday, February 24, at 8 p.m. on V, it’s the premiere of Ces gars-là, a funny and dramatic series whose main parts are played by comedian Sugar Sammy and director Simon Olivier Fecteau. 

Anglophone and both centre-right and liberal by birth, Sam is one of a kind. Born to Indian parents, he grew up in Montréal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood, listening to his father in the family convenience store speak disapprovingly of his customers’ depraved morals. Simon, meanwhile, is a dyed-in-the-wool Quebecker who was raised near Victoriaville by parents who were blindingly white. Many years of living on Montréal’s Plateau Mont-Royal imbued him with a “Franco-Québéco-communo-centre-left” sensibility without him even realizing it. Together, they make up the odd couple known as Ces gars-là, exploring the various aspects of romantic, friendly and family relationships over the course of 10 30-minutes episodes. 

From the series’ first moments, the viewer is transported by the sound of “Play That Funky Music”, the 1976 hit by Wild Cherry that topped the charts in the United States and that plays over the show’s opening credits. The series, which was filmed over 30 days this past summer in Montréal, is filled with raw humour and uncensored observations. Based on an original idea by Sugar Sammy, the series was directed by Simon Olivier Fecteau and co-written by the two protagonists, along with India Desjardins. 

V’s Head of Programming and Strategic Content Director, Nathalie Brigitte Bustos, is excited for the first episodes to finally be aired next week: “V’s return to fiction is important to the whole team and we’re very proud of the results. Having had the privilege of working with Sugar Sammy and Simon Olivier was a fantastic experience for us and we’re pleased to be able to see it all brought together by Guillaume Lespérance, who we also work with on Un souper presque parfait. We’re thrilled to be able to offer such a unique product and we’re delighted to finally present it to the public. The success of the series means a great deal to us and we are eager to see how our fans and the industry react.” 

A tour of Québec 

The team from Ces gars-là will be on the road all week to present the first three episodes of the series in Montréal, Québec City, Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke, in the style of a film premiere. The public has the chance to win passes to the event through a contest on the show’s Facebook page. 

Episode 1 synopsis 

Sam takes Simon out for his first night as a single man following the breakup of a seven-year relationship. Though Simon is crushed, Sam sees it as the ideal opportunity to get his friend back and to have the best summer of their lives. 

Episode 2 synopsis 

Sam falls madly in love with a girl who, much to his surprise, is his complete opposite. Meanwhile, Simon is faced with the dilemma of whether or not to continue dating a girl who is very pretty, but who has terrible breath. 

Episode 3 synopsis 

While Sam suspects that his hairdresser is lying about his true identity, Simon grudgingly becomes friendly with Benoit, the strange clerk at the corner store. 

More about Sam’s character 

Sam is a chatty guy, perhaps a little too much so. He always has something to say about everything, especially when asked not to. Extremely confident when it comes to hitting on girls, Sam has a tendency to lay it on a little thick, but that doesn’t stop him from adding to his list of conquests. Deep down, though, he’s looking for a sweet, virtuous girl, a little like his mother. Underneath his irreverent exterior, he’s actually quite sensitive. At 32 years of age, Sam is still unable to leave the family home. His bond with his parents is so strong that no one (not a girl, not a friend, not even common sense) seems able to convince him to cut the cord. The time has come, however, for Sam to finally rid himself of this emotional crutch. 

More about Simon’s character 

Simon is awkward with girls. He just ended a relationship with his girlfriend of seven years, Amélie, played by Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin. He’s having a lot of trouble keeping her out of his life because she’s still the most amazing girl he knows. For a variety of reasons, they maintained their relationship, which was as wonderful as it was unhealthy. However, the emptiness left by Amélie was quickly filled by Sam. Though Simon may come off as a nice, shy guy, he’s perfectly capable of debasing himself, either through his own inertia or because the situation has gotten out of control. 

As part of V’s “Mega-Funny Mondays”, Sugar Sammy and Simon Olivier Fecteau star in Ces gars-là, a modern comedy produced by Zone3 – A Médias. The series marks V’s return to fiction and will premiere on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, at 8 p.m. 

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To watch the opening credits, as well as exclusive clips from the show, visit:  www.facebook.com/cesgarsla.v. 

Format: 10 30-minute episodes 

Original idea: Sugar Sammy 

Written by: Simon Olivier Fecteau and Sugar Sammy. Special contribution from India Desjardins. 

Main actors: Sugar Sammy and Simon Olivier Fecteau 

Directed by: Simon Olivier Fecteau 

Produced by: Zone3 - A Médias 

About Sugar Sammy 

Sugar Sammy is the biggest Québec comedian on the international English-speaking scene. He has performed over 1000 shows in 30 countries in English, French, Hindi and Punjabi. Pollstar magazine has ranked his shows in the top 30 most lucrative tours in North America. The renowned Hollywood Reporter named him one of the top 10 rising comedy talents around the world. He has had his own HBO special. In Québec, at the Olivier awards gala, he won the prize for comedian of the year and show of the year. He sold 205,000 tickets to his shows You're gonna rire and En français svp in Québec alone. 

About Simon Olivier Fecteau 

Simon Olivier Fecteau is a director, screenwriter and actor with a long list of successes. Having cut his teeth on the series Chick’n Swell from 2001 to 2004 on Radio-Canada, he then went on to co-direct, write and act in the critically acclaimed feature Bluff. His web series “En audition avec Simon”, wherein he plays a nasty director, won every prize in its category at the Gémeaux, the Olivier and the Numix awards in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In addition to many short films that have been shown around the world, Simon Olivier also directed Rock et Belles Oreilles’ New Year’s Eve special, “Bye Bye de RBO”, in 2006 and 2007. 

ABOUT V

V is part of V Interactions, a Québec-based company that has been working in the entertainment industry for five years. By means of its television, digital and mobile platforms, V provides content for all ages that is dynamic, entertaining and interactive.

For more information: Sarah Dulude / sdulude@vtele.ca / t. 514.390.6100 ext. 7429 / c. 514.247.7697 

For interviews: Jean-David Pelletier / jdpelletier@annexecommunications.com / c. 514.222.1276