Jimmy Fallon.

TORONTO - Following the blueprint of Toronto's inaugural Just For Laughs festival last year when late night talk show host Craig Ferguson performed, this year's event will once again feature three of the bigger names in comedy, including another talk-show host.

Well, make that future talk-show host.

Organizers announced yesterday that Martin Short, Jason Alexander and Saturday Night Live alumnus Jimmy Fallon will host the gala events at this year's version which runs from July 23-27 at a variety of indoor and outdoor venues.

The appearance by Short marks the first time the legendary Canadian comedian has performed at a Just For Laughs event. Shaun Majumder will be a special guest on the same bill set for July 24 at Massey Hall. The evening's lineup will also feature Elon Gold, Adam Hills and Joey Kola.

Meanwhile, Jason Alexander, best known for his Seinfeld role as George Constanza, has just returned from a one-month Australian stand-up tour and will host the July 25 gala. Canadian funnyman Gerry Dee, Jeff Ross, Kevin Hart and Wendy Liebman will also appear.

Fallon -- primarily known as the anchor on SNL's Weekend Update segment -- hosts the July 26 gala. Fallon was officially announced last month as Conan O'Brien's late-night replacement when O'Brien takes over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno next year. Fallon is hosting a lineup featuring The Office actor Craig Robinson, Sugar Sammy and The Doo-Wops.

All three gala evenings will have an early show set for 7 p.m. and a late show beginning at 9:30. Tickets go on sale June 2.

And the lights at Massey Hall will remain on July 27 when ventriloquist Jeff Dunham performs at the venue as part of the festival.

Other highlights include a special "Ethnic Series" with an evening dubbed "The Asian Invasion" set for the Winter Garden Theatre on July 24. Sugar Sammy will host with Jo Koy performing. The following evening at the same venue a "Wiseguys" evening features Italian talent such as Joey Kola and The Doo-Wops.

As well, a special "Headliners" series will be hosted at Mark Breslin's Yuk Yuks from July 23-26. For six shows (two each July 25-26), two comedians will each perform 30-minute sets. Majumder, Liebman, Dee, Hart, Hills and Comedy Central's Al Madrigal are some of the acts already confirmed.

Other events include The Sketch Show happening at Second City July 24-25 hosted by Craig Robinson featuring local and international talent. And Last Comic Standing's Debra DiGiovanni hosts The Best of Homegrown Comic Competition 2008 at Toronto club Absolute July 25 with nine promising Canadian comics performing.

As for the outdoor events, July 25-26 will see French troupe Transe Express Circus, Italy's Teatro Pavana, Spanish performers Sarruga and Los Galindos and Britain's Plunge Boom entertaining spectators at Yonge-Dundas Square.

More announcements and lineup additions will be made shortly and the complete lineup will be announced on the festival's website hahaha.com.