Your guide to the world of comedy — May 31, 2026
This week:
Interview: The Comedian Who Chose Chaos
The Writing Habits of 54 Comedians
Late-Night for $30,000 an Episode?
Comedy Headlines
Specials, Jobs, Fests, and Submissions
Ricky Downes is pacing around the stage with a puppet. That’s normal for him. He’s a bubbly, chaotic entertainer, at times entering a wild frenzy when performing. He’s almost impossible to describe without watching him. You kinda just have to see it.
Based in New York City, he’s a comedian, puppeteer, voice actor, clown, and producer (a bit hard to pinpoint, you see?). He is creator and host of The Duck Show, a monthly comedy showcase that recently celebrated its ninth year.
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The Writing Habits of 54 Comedians
Can You Build a Late-Night Show for $30,000 an Episode?
Last summer, The Wall Street Journal reported that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was losing around $40 million annually. While the economics of traditional late-night TV may have become more difficult, the audience story is more complicated: while Colbert's nightly viewership fell from roughly 4 million viewers in 2018 to about 2.5 million in 2025, his clips continued to draw millions of views on YouTube.
Meanwhile, creator-led alternatives like Ben Gleib's new YouTube series Good Night are trying a low-cost “late night” model, which costs around $25,000–$30,000 per episode. While they are in early stages, viewership is far below traditional late-night levels (~14,000 YouTube views for their first episode this week). Whether YouTube-first late night can match the reach of network television remains an open question.
The Scene
Vulture dives into Los Angeles's thriving clown scene, where performers are building a DIY comedy movement fueled by performers like Natalie Palamides and venues like The Elysian Theater.
In a YouTube video, comedian John Ajodah argues that AI has flooded comedy promotion with low-quality, often misleading flyer designs that prioritize flashy visuals over useful information. Ajodah reviews and roasts some AI-generated comedy posters.
Comedian Ben Palmer reacted in a YouTube video after the Department of Homeland Security circulated a nationwide "Be On the Lookout" alert tied to his viral anti-ICE parody campaign.
In a new episode of YouTube series Page to Stage, Mark Normand documents his six-week quest to write a clean joke for a show featuring Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, and Jon Stewart. The episode follows Normand through green rooms and rewrites.
Comedian Drew Lynch shared a video where an audience member threw a lemon at him the last time he performed in Arizona.
Comedians Conan O'Brien and Ronny Chieng addressed Harvard graduates during the university's 2026 commencement celebrations.
Punchup Live launched a podcast subscription platform. The rollout debuts with Tuesdays With Stories (Joe List and Mark Normand) and Bein' Ian with Jordan (Ian Fidance and Jordan Jensen).
Variety reports that Tom Segura's YMH Studios entered a production partnership with Fox Creator Studios to develop and finance new projects for YMH's existing podcast and digital audience.
Filmmaker Aaron criticizes the growing practice of independent theaters charging filmmakers high upfront rental fees rather than offering ticket-split arrangements.
TV & Film
SNL UK showrunner James Longman and some cast members reflect on the show's successful debut after months of industry skepticism. Despite declining linear ratings, the series generated more than 200 million social media views.
Barack Obama and Larry David are partnering on HBO's Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, a seven-episode sketch comedy series celebrating America's 250th anniversary.
Comedian and actor Ramy Youssef argues on Instagram that Saturday Night Live has become more valuable in an era shaped by artificial intelligence.
Just one day after signing off from The Late Show, Stephen Colbert returned to Only in Monroe, the Michigan public-access show he famously hijacked before his CBS debut in 2015.
Early reviews for Nate Bargatze's feature-film debut, The Breadwinner, are mixed.
Specials, Signings, Tours
New specials from Jeff Foxworthy (Fox, June 1), Rory Dunn (YouTube, June 1), Jen Kober (Prime Video/Apple TV, June 2), Rob Anderson (YouTube, June 3), Hannah Berner (Hulu, June 5), and Alaina Bamfield (YouTube, June 7).
Festivals This Month
FunnyFest · May 28–June 7 · Calgary, Canada
Cat Laughs Comedy Festival · May 29–June 1 · Kilkenny, Ireland
Exeter Comedy Festival · June 3–7 · Exeter, England
New York Laughs Festival · June 4–7 · New York City
LGBTLOL Queer Comedy Fest · June 4–7 · New Orleans
Submissions
Milwaukee Comedy Festival · October 5–11, 2026 · Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Early bird submission fee ends May 31. Submit here.
Laugh Out Loveland Comedy Festival · July 30–August 2, 2026 · Loveland, Colorado. Deadline: May 31. Submit here.
NEPA Comedy Festival · October 8–10, 2026 · Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Deadline: June 1. Submit here.
Big Diamond Comedy Festival · October 22–24, 2026 · Bentonville, Arkansas. Deadline: May 31. Submit here.
Full list of festival submissions on our site here. We’ve also partnered with Inside Comedy to track festival submissions!
Comedy Jobs
Nationally Known Comedy Writer Social Media/Video Intern – New York, NY (Midtown East). Part-time internship. Compensation TBD; earnings from successful content creation, plus out-of-state travel, meals, and free comedy shows.
Athletes Global Corporation Improv & Comedy Instructor – Lemoyne, PA. Part-time. $25–30/hr. Lead a week-long youth improv and comedy camp (July 27–31) for children ages 9–12.
American Comedy Co. Sound Techs, Door/Host – San Diego, CA. Part-time. Door/Host: $23/hr; Line Cook: $24/hr + tips; Sound Tech: $24/hr.
Casting Calls / One-Offs
Sidewalk Experiences Comedy Tour Host/Guide – New York City. $25/hr. Lead a stand-up comedy walking tour through the West Village on weekends, June 6–September 7. Applications close June 2.
Hardscrabble Theater Stand-Up Competition – Farmingdale, NY. Unpaid (prizes awarded). Perform 5 minutes of stand-up in a fundraising talent show on Sunday, July 19 at 3:00 PM. Panel of local celebrity judges and networking opportunities with local comedy clubs. Interested comedians contact [email protected].
That’s The Jokebook — your Sunday comedy update. Have something to share? Message us at [email protected].