Dave Attell, Gilbert Gottfried & More Set for Dark Comedy Festival, Begin/ 11/1

The Dark Comedy Festival is excited to return for its third year and present nine nights of remarkable headliners from across North America with festival headliners DAVE ATTELL (Comedy Central's Insomniac, IFC's Dave's Old Porn, multiple performances on Conan, The Tonight Show, Craig Ferguson, and more), stand up legend Gilbert Gottfried (The Comedy Central Roasts) and THE ROAST OF THE IRON SHEIK.

The Dark Comedy Festival showcases dark, challenging, controversial, and deeply personal comedy from international and local comedians over nine days. This festival is different than any other comedy festival with a focus is on comedy that exists outside of the mainstream. These comedians push the boundaries and challenge their audiences to find humour in the darker sides of life.

The 2013 Dark Comedy Festival kicks off Friday, November 1 at the Danforth Music Hall with Dave Attell returning to Toronto for the first time in eight years. Attell is a heavyweight across the US and a regular stand out at New York's famed Comedy Cellar. In 2014, Comedy Central will be airing Dave Attell's brand new one-hour comedy special and will premiere his new television series as well. His fearless brand storytelling is legendary and has inspired many comedians, but few (if any) can match Attell's rapid-fire punchlines.

The signature event in the Dark Comedy Festival is the Annual Celebrity Roast. This year the Roast of the Iron Sheik from World Wrestling Entertainment fame will be a full contact event on Thursday, November 7 at the Royal Cinema. Roasters include: Gilbert Gottfried (The Aristocrats), Jesse Joyce (head writer for Comedy Central's Roasts), Tony Hinchcliffe (writer for Comedy Central's Roasts), and Brody Stevens (HBO's Enjoy it).

The full Dark Comedy Festival line-up includes: Dave Attel, Big Jay Oakerson (Louie, HBO's Funny As Hell) Luis Gomez, Dave Smith, Brendan Walsh (John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show), Simon King (The Comedy Network, BiteTV), Tony Hinchcliffe, Jesse Joyce, Terry Clement, Mike Lawrence (Conan), Brody Stevens (The Hangover) and Robert Kelly (Louie, Comedy Central Presents).

Tickets can be purchased for each event individually, or for $99, attendees can purchase a pass to see the entire lineup of events.

Founded in 2010 by Rob Mailloux, The Dark Comedy Festival seeks to promote a more daring and challenging brand of humour. Past performers include: Maria Bamford, Jim Jefferies, Jim Norton, Glenn Wool, Jamie Kilstein, and more.