Your guide to the world of comedy: March 29, 2026
Welcome to The Jokebook, your Sunday update on comedy. This week:
Lion King Composer Sues Comedian
Interview: Comedy Wrestling Show Wins Big
Comedy Headlines
Festivals and Submissions
Lion King Composer Sues Comedian Mid-Set
Comedian Learnmore Jonasi is served a $27 million lawsuit on stage.
We’ve shared lots of concerning moments on comedy stages the past few months. Christian Zaragoza had salsa thrown at him at a Los Angeles comedy show. Jack Shaw was interrupted when an audience member rushed toward the stage in anger after a joke about fentanyl. An audience member jumped on stage with Adam Ray mid-show.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi was served a $27 million lawsuit live on stage at the Laugh Factory. Lion King composer Lebohang Morake sued the comedian for $27 million, alleging a viral joke about the music caused damages to his royalties and business relationships and is seeking punitive damages for what he calls a mockery of South African tradition. More recently, his legal team reached out to Jonasi to explore a structured settlement. Watch the clip below.
At age 17, Shane Hartline was a professional wrestler: a surfer named Rip Malibu who performed in front of anywhere from 10 to 500 wrestling fans.
Years later, he is the producer and creator of Nearly Average Wrestling (NAW), a live comedy show that blends stand-up, character work, and pro wrestling.
The show recently earned a spot at the 2026 Netflix Is a Joke Fest in Los Angeles, which will feature comedy guest Timmy No Brakes.
NAW has performers cut promos, showcase characters, and compete for a chance to headline a live wrestling match on stage. Watch a clip of the show here.
We spoke with Shane about how he built and is growing the show.
Mark Normand Spars with Netflix over Joke
Mark Normand revealed on his podcast Tuesdays with Stories (clip here) that Netflix pushed to remove a joke about Islam from his special and the accompanying promotional materials, fearing it would be too provocative for social media. Normand successfully fought to keep the bit in the full hour.
“[Netflix] said, ‘Send us a couple jokes you like, we’ll use them for social media.’ A week later they go, ‘We gotta do a conference call.’ And I’m like, uh oh…that’s not good. They said, ‘We reviewed the special again…we’d like to take out the Muslim joke.’ I go, ‘Why?’ And they said, ‘Last time a comic did a Muslim joke, we got bomb threats…people said they were gonna blow up the studio.’ Then they go, ‘We’ll keep it in the hour, but we gotta get it off socials.’ I said, ‘What’s the difference?’ And they go, ‘Socials is where all the shit starts, the pile-on, the retweets, the sharing.’”
The Hollywood Reporter notes that Netflix sources have since disputed his account, claiming no such "bomb threat" warning was ever issued by executives.
Comedy Headlines
TV & Film
Vince Vaughn criticized the current state of late-night television during an appearance on Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, arguing that the format has traded humor for a political "agenda."
Relatedly, CBS evaluated the future of its late-night programming as they look toward the post-Colbert era. The network is reportedly considering a shift away from the high-cost, single-host model in favor of a more "budget-conscious" or ensemble-led strategy.
The premiere of SNL UK had Tina Fey occupying the lion’s share of runtime, supported by cameos from Michael Cera and Graham Norton. Despite a technical glitch, the show included a Keir Starmer sketch that Donald Trump shared on social media.
David Zucker critiqued the digital strategy of the newly launched SNL UK, arguing that the decision to withhold full sketches from a dedicated YouTube channel and paywall top content is a major marketing failure.
Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film titled Shadow of the Past, set to arrive after The Hunt for Gollum (2027).
Eric André joined the cast of the upcoming sci-fi comedy Synergy Systems, a satirical take on corporate culture and artificial intelligence.
A new stoner comedy, Pizza Movie, is set for an April 3 release on Hulu and stars Stranger Things breakout Gaten Matarazzo and The Goldbergs’ Sean Giambrone.
The Scene
Bill Maher received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor this week at the Kennedy Center.
Ari Shaffir partnered with YMH Studios to release The End, a seven-episode revival of his signature storytelling comedy showcase. Debuting April 16, the series features 20 comedians, including Shane Gillis, Nate Bargatze, Mark Normand, and Ali Siddiq.
Comedian Matt Ruby shared filming advice for specials, including the necessity of early director collaboration on camera, audio placement, maintaining physical continuity with the mic handling position, and the "two-show rule" to catch technical unknowns during the first set.
Rizbot, a four-foot-tall humanoid robot, performed a set at Austin's Sunset Strip Comedy Club and is claiming to be the first-ever live stand-up set by a robot. The bot also roasted comic Joe DeRosa.
Carly Hoogendyk highlighted the Bergamot Comedy Festival as a "small but mighty" alternative to the massive, looming presence of the Netflix Is A Joke festival in Los Angeles. Hoogendyk frames the festival as one that prioritizes authentic community and comedic arts education over industry networking and cut-throat commercialism.
Josh Johnson secured the hosting slot for the 30th Annual Webby Awards, scheduled to take place this May in New York City.
Tours and Specials
Beth Stelling (YouTube, March 31), Aaron Chen (Netflix, March 31), Carly Ballerini (Prime/Apple, March 31) release new stand-up specials.
Josh Johnson lands his first HBO comedy special, Symphony, set to debut this spring.
Chris Turner adds a European Tour.
Comedy Fests This Month
Glasgow International Comedy Festival · March 11–29, 2026 · Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Melbourne International Comedy Festival · March 25–April 19 · Melbourne, Australia
Alaska B4uDie · March 26–April 5 · Anchorage, Alaska
Laughing Buddha · March 4–April 12 · New York, New York
The Riot · April 1–4 · Houston, Texas
Festival Submissions
Rogue Island Comedy Festival · May 21–24, 2026 · Newport, RI. Paid spots; lodging, food, drinks, and after-parties. Deadline: March 29. Submit here.
North Carolina Comedy Festival · Sept 23–27, 2026 · Greensboro, NC. Stand-up only; shows, open mics, industry access. $35 fee. Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
iO Fest 2026 · July 23–26, 2026 · Chicago, IL. Improv, sketch, stand-up, musical, solo. $30/act; weekend pass included. Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
High Tide Comedy Festival · June 5–7, 2026 · Providence, RI. Stand-up, musicals, magic, improv/sketch Fee: $20–$40 tiered. 3 shows + workshops. Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
Philly Sketchfest · June 4–13, 2026 · Philadelphia, PA. Sketch acts + comedy short films. Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
Laugh Riot Comedy & Music Festival · July 11–Aug 29, 2026 · Cincinnati, OH. Stand-up + music competition; weekly showcases. Fee: $5–$10. Finals Aug 28–29. Deadline: March 30. Submit here.
The Jokebook’s Joke of the Month · March 2026 · Digital Contest. Submission fee: $0 (free). Prize: $50. Submission deadline: March 31 at 11:59pm. Submit here.
Jersey City Comedy Festival · June 9–13, 2026 · Jersey City, NJ. 4-min showcase sets; finalists compete for $500 + bookings. 5+ min unedited video required. $40 fee. Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
Yellow & Co. Comedy Competition · May 22–23, 2026 · Mahomet, IL. 16 comics; 5–7 min prelim / 8–10 min finals. $400/$100 prizes. $20 fee (refundable). Deadline: March 31. Submit here.
Full list of festival submissions on our site here.
That’s The Jokebook — your Sunday comedy update. Have something to share? Message us at [email protected].