Your guide to the world of comedy — March 8, 2026
Welcome to The Jokebook, your Sunday update on comedy. This week:
Why Unique Shows Sell
Interview: India Loves Stand-Up
Comedy Headlines
Festivals and Submissions
Why Unique Shows Sell
There’s lots of open mics out there. Many of them are great. But the shows that break through often do something a little different.
We’ve covered formats that tweak the traditional stand-up show in creative ways. Soup of the Day blends improv and stand-up in one show. Kill Tony gives comedians one minute on stage before they’re roasted and interviewed by a panel. Roast Battle turns insult comedy into a competitive format that now tours internationally.
Often the innovation doesn’t have to be complicated. Even small change can make a show stand out. That’s exactly the idea behind The Big Blind Comedy Show, hosted by comedian Chad Sinclair at Halifax Comedy Club in Nova Scotia. In Sinclair’s show, comedians perform their sets blindfolded. We asked Sinclair a few questions about this idea and how it works.
1. What inspired you to create a comedy show where comedians perform blindfolded?
I’m a blind/low-vision comedian living with a rare degenerative eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). I wanted to give my fellow comics a small taste of what it’s like to perform without the ability to see, while also supporting the programming of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
2. When you first pitched the idea, were most comics open to it?
Overall, the comics loved the idea. They were excited about the concept and the potential for some fun chaos on stage.
3. Do comics typically adjust their material or delivery for this format?
Once the lineup was set, some comics asked about doing blindness-related material. I told them they were welcome to write new material if they wanted, but they could also perform their regular act. The purpose of the show is to experience performing without sight, so there’s no pressure to create entirely new material. It definitely creates a unique energy and connection with the audience.
4. Would you ever experiment with other sensory twists on comedy in the future?
Absolutely! I love the idea of pushing the limits of how a comedy show can be presented and exploring new ways for audiences and performers to experience stand-up.
Comedy has exploded across India over the past decade, filling theaters, trending on YouTube, and creating a new generation of full-time comedians. But improv comedy is still carving out its place.
Vishal Agarwala is part of that growing movement. A Mumbai-based improviser who has lived across India, Agarwala found improv later in life after years working in creative fields. What started as a weekend class quickly became a passion.
In this conversation, Agarwala explains how improv is developing in India and why stand-up dominates the comedy scene.
Comedy Headlines
TV & Film
SNL UK releases its first official teaser ahead of the show’s March 21 premiere. The international offshoot revealed a 20-person writing staff led by Jonno Johnson, with Charlie Skelton serving as Weekend Update head writer. The show will air weekly at 10 p.m. GMT on Sky One, with episodes streaming on NOW in the UK and Crave in Canada. Watch the first teaser here.
A new documentary about Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels is on the way. The film, Lorne, directed by Morgan Neville, promises a behind-the-scenes look at the famously private comedy kingmaker, with interviews from Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, Chris Rock, and Maya Rudolph. The documentary premieres April 17. Watch the trailer here.
Bobby Lee will appear in Season 3 of Shane Gillis’ Netflix comedy Tires.
Ryan Gosling has become one of the most reliable modern SNL hosts. Ahead of his fourth time hosting, the show released a new promo teasing his return as Gosling promotes the upcoming film Project Hail Mary.
SNL rookie Veronika Slowikowska leads the cast in screen time, a rare feat for a first-year performer. Slowikowska logged 20% of last week’s episode, becoming only the third rookie in eight years to top the cast in a single episode. She was followed by Sarah Sherman (15%), Colin Jost (14%), and Marcello Hernández (12%) in the Connor Storrie-hosted show. See the full breakdown here.
Connor Storrie’s SNL debut delivered mixed ratings. The episode drew 4.6 million viewers, down 4% from the previous live show, but the key 18–49 demo rose 8% to 1 million viewers. The numbers rank as the fourth-highest total audience and third-highest demo performance of the season so far.
The Scene
Comedy UO hosted the first-ever comedy show at the Empire State Building on March 6. The NYC-based producer held the pop-up event this past Friday to a sold-out crowd, catering Katz’s Deli of course.
As covered by David Zucker, blended-style video podcasts keep evolving. Zucker looks at Friends Keep Secrets, the new YouTube show hosted by Lil Dicky, Benny Blanco, and Kristin Batalucco, which blurs the line between podcast and living-room talk show. The series leans into a cinematic, fly-on-the-wall format that reflects a broader shift toward higher-production video podcasts. Zucker argues that audiences increasingly want watchable conversations, not just recorded ones.
Writer and talent manager Carly Hoogendyk says comedy festivals are increasingly reflecting the internet era. She highlights the newly announced SXSW 2026 Comedy Festival lineup, which leans heavily on digital-first comedy brands like Don’t Tell, Dropout, Funny or Die, and Reductress. Her takeaway: the comedy ecosystem is shifting toward online-native creators, indie productions, and experimental live formats that blur the lines between internet content and stage performance.
As highlighted by Matt Ruby, Jerrod Carmichael says many comedians fail because they focus on the wrong things. Carmichael argues that aspiring comics often obsess over branding, websites, headshots, and business cards instead of the actual work of becoming funny.
Kill Tony regular Jack Shaw was interrupted mid-set when an audience member at Tacoma Comedy Club rushed toward the stage in anger after a joke about fentanyl.
Mario Adrion (YouTube; Trailer), Matt Koff (Veeps), and Joe Dombrowski (800lb Gorilla) set premiere dates for new stand-up specials.
Comedy Fests This Month
Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival · March 4–15, 2026 · Toronto, Canada
Gilda’s LaughFest · March 11–15 · Grand Rapids & West Michigan
Canberra Comedy Festival · March 11–22 · Canberra, Australia
Glasgow International Comedy Festival · March 11–29, 2026 · Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
SXSW Comedy Festival · March 13–16 · Austin, Texas
Cannon Beach Comedy Festival · March 13–14 · Cannon Beach, Oregon
Festival Submissions
Introducing: The Jokebook’s Joke of the Month
Each month, we’ll announce a new prompt to get you writing. Sometimes it’ll be a topic. Sometimes a constraint. The goal is simple: sit down and write a joke. This month’s topic: water.
To enter, just upload a video under two minutes making a joke about the topic. That’s it. It can be from an open mic, your bedroom, a character bit, a puppet, clown sketch—whatever format. We’re generous about how it connects to the topic. Just make it funny. One winner each month gets $50 and a feature on The Jokebook Instagram. Submissions open March 1 and close March 31 at 11:59pm.
Submit here.
Other Submissions Closing Soon
Coconut Grove Comedy Festival · April 24–25, 2026 · Miami, Florida. First 100 submissions are free (currently at 75), then submissions cost $5. Submission Deadline: March 13 at 12 PM EST. Submit here.
Detroit Women of Comedy Festival · May 15–16, 2026 · Hamtramck, Michigan. Submission Deadline: March 15 at 11:59 PM CT. Fees: Improv/Group $60; Stand-Up/Solo $35; Podcast $35; Video $20. Submit here.
Lookout Comedy Competition · May 22–24, 2026 · Chattanooga, Tennessee. Submission Fee: $15. Submission Deadline: March 15. Submit here.
Skankfest · November 13–15, 2026 · New Orleans, Louisiana. No submission fee. Submission Deadline: March 17 at 12 PM EST. Submit here.
The Elysian’s Spaghetti Festival · July 2026 · Los Angeles, California. No submission fee. Submission Deadline: March 20 at 11:59 PM PT (extended). 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].