Back in 2021, very few comedians were looking to sign up for the New York Comedy Festival. With the Pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, the demand for a room filled with comedians and audiences was limited. Now, one year later, we're looking at a whole new comedic landscape where festival leader Louis Faranda is inundated with performance requests. From the biggest names in the industry to the lesser-known comedic newbies, the best of the bunch will perform November 7 -13 across the country in a range of venues and comedy clubs. Looking to catch some live-audience laughs? Here's everything you need to know...
The New York Comedy Festival 2022 will include "more shows than ever — more than 150 shows and way over 200 comedians," promised festival founder Caroline Hirsch. From arenas to bowling alleys, from the Queens - Nassau County border to Williamsburg, there are very few corners of New York that the festival won't reach. "I want to have the most eclectic festival, with a lot of weird stuff and a lot of young stuff," Faranda explained. "There's no city on the planet like New York City — you'll find every single genre of comedy in New York, and I want to show that with the most unique shows we can find."
One look at the lineup and it's clear Faranda has more than delivered on his promise. The handpicked roster includes ER doctors, nurses, fake Ted Talks, snake-holding comedians, married-couple sex talk, rap battles, and TikTok stars. In addition, Hirsch noted that the festival leaders made "a conscious effort to be diverse, to be all things to all people," ensuring every race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual identity is represented on the stages of New York.
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Of course, the highlight of the festival is always the annual Stand Up for Heroes event. Every year, millions of dollars are donated to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which works to help veterans and their families with issues such as unemployment and food insecurity. This year, the prestigious fundraiser will be held at the David Geffen Center in Lincoln Center and include guests such as Jon Stewart and Bruce Springsteen. Visit nycomedyfestival.com to see the full lineup and buy tickets for a show near you!
