Netflix is further tweaking its standup comedy strategy, this time by hosting its first-ever live stage comedy festival.
Called Netflix Is a Joke, the fest will feature major comedians including Wanda Sykes, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Cho, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, David Letterman, Ali Wong, Dave Chappelle, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart, and the cast of Schitt’s Creek. They and dozens of other comedians will perform at a weeklong set of live events hosted by Los Angeles venues like Largo, the Hollywood Bowl, the Wiltern, the Palladium, the Laugh Factory, and Dynasty Typewriter.
The fest runs from April 27 to May 3; tickets go on presale March 3 and on sale March 6. There aren’t any ticket prices listed for presale or sale periods yet, and it appears that there is no overall festival pass. Instead, attendees will need to separately purchase tickets for each show they plan to see.
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And for those unable to make it to the live events, no worries: Some of the performances will be recorded and made available for viewing on Netflix, Vulture reports. (In the list below, they’re marked with “recorded.”)
Every single incredible comedian you can see LIVE in LA at Netflix Is A Joke Fest 4/27-5/3: A Thread pic.twitter.com/MTK55LH8wl
— Netflix Is A Joke (@NetflixIsAJoke) March 2, 2020
This move is Netflix’s latest lean into the comedy space. The streamer debuted its first comedy special in 2013, and poured millions of dollars into producing more, paying headliners like Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld as much as $20 million for a single one-hour special, before slowing down last year to refine strategy. All of its top-watched comedy specials for 2019 featured established celebrity comedians (Chappelle, Hart, Sykes, Schumer, Ken Jeong, and Gabriel Iglesias, to name a few), and it invested in iconic comedian Eddie Murphy‘s dramedy film Dolemite Is My Name, but the company indicated its plan moving forward is to bring in lesser-known jokesters to focus on short sets and sketch comedy.
“This festival is a unique celebration of the art of comedy, and the role it plays in reflecting our lives and defining culture,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said in a statement. “It’s a chance for comedy lovers to come together and see their favorite artists as well as discover new ones, and for us to be able to share the electricity and excitement of the festival in Los Angeles with Netflix members around the world.”
You can check out the fest’s full lineup, as provided by Netflix, below.
THE THEATRE AT ACE HOTEL
• The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up: The best comedians of today honoring the greatest stand-up comedians of all-time. With appearances by Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, & Wanda Sykes. (recorded)
THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
• Chappelle’s: An evening of music and comedy featuring Dave Chappelle and very special guests.
THE GREEK
• STAND OUT: An LGBTQ+ celebration at The Greek Theatre: A Historic Celebration of the best in LGBTQ+ Comedy. Legends, headliners, and top emerging talent will share the same stage at The Greek Theatre for an unforgettable and unprecedented stand-up event with special guests and musical performances. Headliners include Alan Carr, Hannah Gadsby, Margaret Cho, Rosie O’Donnell, Sandra Bernhard and Wanda Sykes. Presenters include Demi Lovato, Graham Norton, Lily Tomlin, Ruby Rose. Featuring Bianca Del Rio, Fortune Feimster, Gina Yashere, Guy Branum, James Adomian, Joel Kim Booster, Judy Gold, Lea DeLaria, Mae Martin, Marsha Warfield, Matteo Lane, Patti Harrison, Rhea Butcher, Sam Jay, Scott Thompson, Solomon Georgio, Trixie Mattel and more. STAND OUT is produced by Page Hurwitz and Wanda Sykes for Push It Productions. (recorded)
THE FONDA
• That’s My Time with David Letterman: Legendary late night host David Letterman returns to his roots to showcase some of today’s finest stand up comedians to perform and then join him for a one-of-a-kind interview. (recorded)
THE PALLADIUM
• Netflix Is a Joke at The Palladium Hosted by Jamie Foxx: Megastar and Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx hosts this loaded lineup featuring some of his favorite comedians! (recorded)
• Netflix Is a Joke at The Palladium Hosted by Amy Schumer: Movie star and powerhouse standup Amy Schumer hosts this epic night filled with some of Netflix’s hottest comedians! (recorded)
• Netflix Is a Joke at The Palladium Hosted by Martin Lawrence: From Def Comedy Jam 25, superstar comedian Martin Lawrence returns to Netflix to host an evening of heavy hitting stand-up. (recorded)
• Netflix Is A Joke at The Palladium Hosted by Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Comedy icons and Grace & Frankie stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin host an evening of top notch stand-up from an all-lady lineup. (recorded)
THE WILTERN
• Sebastian Maniscalco live
• Ali Wong: The Milk and Money Tour live
• 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer live podcast
• The Degenerates Live Hosted by Jim Jefferies: The Degenerates is BACK and it’s LIVE. You loved the first two seasons of this no-holds-barred comedy show featuring the hottest rising stars of comedy. Now this crude and lewd show is hitting LA for a special Live edition hosted by Jim Jefferies featuring Big Jay Oakersen, Christina P, Ms. Pat, Robert Kelly and more.
• Ronny Chieng live
• Park Na-rae live
• Ken Jeong live
• Chelsea Handler live
THE ORPHEUM
• Kevin Hart in Conversation: A moderated Q&A session with comedy superstar and business mogul Kevin Hart.
• Iliza Shlesinger The Forever Tour
• Schitt’s Creek: The Farewell Tour with Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy , Noah Reid, Emily Hampshire. Join Schitt’s Creek cast members for a live, interactive evening that promises to be fun and insightful while giving fans an insider’s look into the making of the series.
• Jack Whitehall live
WILSHIRE EBELL
• Mike Birbiglia live
• Congratulations with Chris D’Elia live podcast
• Michelle Wolf live
• Middleditch & Schwartz improv live
PALACE
• Norm Macdonald live
THE AVALON
• Pete Davidson & Best Friends: Pete Davidson and his friends are doing stand-up comedy for you and your friends. (recorded)
• Los Comediantes de Latinoamérica: Los Comediantes de Latinoamérica is a loaded stand up show featuring a who’s who of Latin American comedians. Special guests include Fabrizio Copano, Liss Pereira, Ricardo O’Farrill, and Ricardo Quevedo. (recorded)
• The India All Star Show hosted by Vir Das: The India All Star Show is jam packed with the best stand up comedians from India featuring performances in both Hindi and English. Special guests include: Aditi Mittal, Amit Tandon, Kanan Gill, Kaneez Surka, Kenny Sebastian, Prashasti Singh, and Sumukhi Suresh. (recorded)
REGENT
• Marlon Wayans live
• Russell Howard live
• Deon Cole live
• Christina Pazsitzky live
• Vir Das live
LARGO
• Jacqueline Novak Get On Your Knees live
• Jenny Slate live
• Katherine Ryan live
• Tom Papa & Fortune Feimster live
• Whitney Cummings & Friends live
DYNASTY TYPEWRITER
• Cristela Alonzo live
• Taylor Tomlinson live
• Catherine Cohen live
• London Hughes live
• Mo Gilligan live
• The Endless Honeymoon with Moshe Kasher & Natasha Leggero live podcast
COMEDY UNION
• The Arsenio Hall Comedy Showcase: Arsenio Hall presents a lineup of the funniest comedians in LA at the legendary Comedy Union.
IMPROV
• Whindersson Nunes & Friends live
• They Ready Live live
• Luenell live
IMPROV LAB
• Janelle James & Friends live
• K. Trevor Wilson live
• Ms. Pat live
LAUGH FACTORY
• Best of Canada live
THE ROOSEVELT HOTEL
• Tim Dillon live
• Chad Goes Deep “Going Deep” live podcast
THE BELASCO
• Felipe Esparza live
