Celebrity News

First wave of comedians announced for New York Comedy Festival

The New York Comedy Festival has set the initial batch of performers for its 14th annual edition, with Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson’s “2 Dope Queens,” Chris Hardwick, Kevin Smith, Nick Offerman, Bill Maher and Vir Das among the names on the lineup.

The six-day festival, produced by Carolines on Broadway in association with TBS, will encompass some 200 comedians spread across more than 60 shows at venues across New York City. Among the 2017 offerings are a week of Conan O’Brien’s TBS series “Conan,” recorded at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, as well as an episode of “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” performed before an NYCF audience.

The festival will also include acts like TruTV’s “The Impractical Jokers” starring The Tenderloins at Madison Square Garden; Brian Regan at Carnegie Hall; Jon Lovett’s “Lovett or Leave It” podcast as well as Nick Offerman and Ron White at the Beacon Theater; and Jim Norton, Tom Segura, Iliza Shlesinger and the “How Did This Get Made?” podcast at Town Hall.

This year NYCF has set the newly opened Public Hotel as the festival’s headquarters, where the TBS Comedy Hub will include live shows at hotel’s arts performance space. There will also be a Pop Up Training Center, with improv, writing and stand-up workshops presented by Second City and Carolines on Broadway.

The 2017 NYCF runs Nov. 7-12, with details available on the festival’s website. The full schedule, including additional comics and events, will be announced this fall.

NYFC’s past performances have included Aziz Ansari, Judd Apatow, Hannibal Buress, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Billy Crystal, Whitney Cummings, Larry David, Bridget Everett, Jim Gaffigan, Ricky Gervais, Kevin Hart, Marc Maron, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Tig Notaro, Patton Oswalt, Andy Samberg, Amy Schumer, and Sarah Silverman.