Streaming service’s massive comedy fest returns to L.A.
Netflix Is a Joke Fest announced its return next May after taking a year off in 2023.
Netflix, in association with Live Nation, will deliver another massive 11-day fest, dubbed the biggest comedy festival in North America, featuring stand-up performances from the top names in comedy at clubs and major L.A. venues, including the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek, the Dolby Theatre, the Forum, the Palladium, Orpheum Theatre and the Wiltern, from May 2 to May 12. The laughter will also extend to the city’s well-known comedy clubs, including the Hollywood Improv, Largo, Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store.
In 2024, the fest is offering a new al fresco twist with Outside Joke, which will act as the hub of the Netflix Is a Joke Fest where guests can enjoy a mix of late-night live stand-up, game shows and lawn games.
A few of the major names on the festival lineup so far include Ali Wong, Bert Kreischer, Bill Burr, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Kevin Hart, Iliza Shlesinger, Ralph Barbosa, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Matt Rife, Taylor Tomlinson, Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Segura, Trevor Noah, Wanda Sykes, Hannah Gadsby and many more.
The festival made history in 2022 when Gabriel Iglesias, became the first comedian to headline and sell out two shows at Dodger Stadium as part of the nearly two-week event. The relationship with the Boys in Blue continues in cheeky fashion this year with Cedric the Entertainer hosting a Dodgers comedy night at the Palladium with Dodger Will Smith (the catcher, not the slapper). It may or may not be a coincidence that Rock is also scheduled to be at the same venue at a different time doing a show called Chris Rock’s Table Reads, where he hosts table reads of his favorite films featuring an all-star lineup of talent.
Other highlights announced so far include a roast of NFL quarterback Tom Brady at the Forum and a live rendition of the hit Netflix series “Big Mouth” at the Greek Theatre.
Wong will be performing for four nights at the Wiltern (one of which on May 4 will be recorded for her upcoming Netflix special). Fans of Letterman will also get the chance to see Gods of Comedy with David Letterman, where the legendary former late-night host will sit down with comedy titans for a once-in-a-lifetime conversation for three nights. For the full lineup, visit www.Netflix IsAJokeFest.com.
Tickets for events across the festival will go on sale to the general public beginning 10 a.m. Pacific on Friday.
“This is a special time for comedy, both for Netflix and the genre at large,” Robbie Praw, Netflix’s vice president of stand-up and comedy formats, said in a statement. “We have the privilege of working with comedians who are selling out arenas, winning awards and building fandoms in the millions. In the 10 years that we’ve been doing stand-up, we’ve seen the art form reach levels we didn’t think possible. This festival aims to capture this moment by bringing together the world’s best comedians for an unforgettable 11 days.”
During its last installment in 2022, the festival featured 295 shows, with more than 330 comedians and 260,000 tickets sold, according to Netflix.
The streamer recently celebrated 10 years of creating original, streaming stand-up specials, as its members love the genre. More than 60% of U.S. members watched at least one stand-up title in 2022 and every 1 in 20 U.S. members watched at least 20 standup titles in 2022. Netflix has featured more than 200 comedians in more than 350 specials over the last decade, the streamer reported.