CBC ComedyCoup is “calling all Canadian comedy creators” to pitch them a bold idea for a comedy show. The contest helps trios of funny Canadians package and promote their show concepts, and a winner gets $500,000 of financing toward their project!

Three locals have gotten all clever about it. Matt Wright, Mike Fardy, and Deanne Foley recently posted a funny Kijiji ad that went viral for its catching title and backstory: Searching for Roomates to Fill Void Left by Awful Wench.

It was revealed yesterday that the ad was a clever hoax by the trio, to promote a show they’re trying to kick off, via CBC’s ComedyCoup. And the stunt is a direct tie-in to the concept of the show: “The show is a mockumentary, a la Office and Parks and Rec, Wright says, “About a guy who is forced to lease his house to Kijiji strangers after his girlfriend leaves him.”

Here’s how phase one of the competition works:

1.) Sign up your killer team of three Canadians who can create, execute and market original screen-based comedy

2.) Submit a 90-second teaser video that showcases your comedy show concept.*

3.) Create Facebook and Twitter accounts for your project and connect them to your ComedyCoup project

* They’re filming this this weekend.

Here’s the trio explaining their hoax, and reading funny comments from perplexed people on Kijiji.