Andrew Stevens is owner and operator of Sports Drink, a café by day and comedy club by night, tucked near the Garden District in New Orleans. The venue opened in 2023 and is drenched in color with sports action figures and tangling plants.
By day, the café slings breakfast tacos, king cake pastries, and 30 Rock inspired sandwiches like The Rural Juror.
By night, national headliners perform with a backdrop of Gatorade orange water coolers. Comedians like Sam Tallent and Caitlin Peluffo perform there. “New Orleans doesn’t really have a traditional club,” Andrew says. “We're trying to bring comedians that could do a theater to a very intimate venue.”
They hold local shows on Thursdays, national headliners on Fridays and Saturdays, and an open mic on Sundays. The club seats about 50.
Andrew worked in traditional sports media and later started a sports blog, then a podcast. That turned into hosting live podcasts and comedy shows.
Initially, he thought Sports Drink would be a multi-use space for this, but met an old friend who wanted to open a café. “He said, ‘I'll run the café by day. You can run the events by night.’ But he got out of it pretty quickly after that. So I took over the café and club.”
Andrew learned that the club is “what the bread is being buttered here. People in New Orleans clearly wanted something that hadn't been serviced at that time.”
He also found that targeting locals for shows is more important than tourists.
“We have to cater to the people here 12 months a year. New Orleans is a big tourist destination. We definitely pick up out-of-town people. But we wouldn't survive the four dead months of summer when students leave and not a lot of tourists come. We have to cater to our neighborhood and those around us who can support us all year...having the café gives us a local presence.”
Comedy Central revives its stand-up development pipeline Stand-Up Selects, a digital showcase that features 14 rising comedians and premieres this fall on Comedy Central YouTube. This is Comedy Central’s first major stand-up showcase in years.
Gianmarco Soresi and Jay Jurden present the 2026 Just For Laughs State of the Industry Comedy Address, offering a satirical look at the stand-up business and the year in comedy. Watch here.
Indonesian comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono launches a new US tour on August 1 while continuing to fight blasphemy allegations in Indonesia after his Netflix special Mens Rea, a case that has ignited debate over free speech under the country's new criminal code.
Forbes shares its list of the highest-paid podcasters of 2026, with comedians Joe Rogan ($82 million), Amy Poehler ($24 million), and Hannah Berner ($18 million) among this year's top earners.
Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson reunite for a 9/11 comedy benefit at Madison Square Garden on September 10, featuring Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, and Nikki Glaser, with proceeds benefiting 9/11 charities.
Louis C.K. discusses his evolving approach to stand-up on Rick Rubin's Tetragrammaton podcast.
Matt Ruby highlights Tom Segura's advice for developing comedians, such as talking more and embracing silliness.
Luke Girgis argues that comedians should treat their careers like businesses and tour strategically instead of waiting for Netflix to validate their success.
Weird Al Yankovic turned down a seven-figure offer to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Jeff Arcuri shares why following Nikki Glaser on stage is a hard comedy assignment.
Donnell Rawlings shares a stand-up bit in which he heckles himself on stage.
Author Paul Myers will write the first major biography of Catherine O'Hara.
Byron Allen's CBS late-night shows shed millions of viewers after Colbert, but they outperform in audience retention, with Comics Unleashed keeping 53% of its opening audience through the 11:35 p.m. hour versus 40% for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert a year earlier. At 12:35 a.m., Funny You Should Ask holds 81% of its viewers, compared to 56% for Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Richard Pryor will be featured in a new film inspired by his daughter’s memoir, Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me. No release date has been set.
The Edinburgh TV Festival launches Funny Business, a new comedy-focused programming track featuring a Saturday Night Live UK discussion on August 28 with cast members and staff.
CBS returns Funny You Should Ask with new episodes beginning September 21 after the Byron Allen-produced comedy game show resumes production August 11.
Sketch comedy troupe Simple Town earns strong reviews for its feature film debut, Big Break.
Specials and Tours
New specials from Connor Burns (Gorilla Comedy+, August 3), Sohrab Forouzesh (Prime Video/Apple TV, August 4), and Brendan Eyre (YouTube, August 4).
Atsuko Okatsuka is developing a new comedy series at Amazon MGM Studios.
Michael Che will tape his third Netflix stand-up special on August 28-29.
Joanne McNally set her debut Netflix special, Pinotphile, for a 2027 release.
Festivals This Month
Windy City Comedy Fest · August 6–9 · Chicago, Illinois
Lucille Ball Comedy Festival · August 6–9 · Jamestown, New York
Asheville Comedy Festival · August 6–8 · Asheville, North Carolina
Festival Submissions
St. Pete Improv Festival • September 10–12, 2026 • St. Petersburg, Florida. Seeking 23 improv teams for a weekend of performances and workshops. Submission fee: $15. Submission deadline: August 3, 2026. Submit here.
Floodwater Comedy Festival • October 16–17, 2026 • Iowa City, Iowa. Volunteer-run festival featuring stand-up, improv, sketch, and experimental comedy. Submission fee: Not listed. Submission deadline: August 3, 2026. Submit here.
Boston Comedy Festival Contest • November 10–14, 2026 • Boston, Massachusetts. 72 comedians compete through rounds for a $7,000 prize pool. Submission fee: $45. Submission deadline: August 15, 2026. Submit here.
Ha Ha Harvest Comedy Festival • October 2–4, 2026 • Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey. Grassroots festival for comedians and produced shows. Submission fee: $25–$45. Submission deadline: August 7, 2026. Submit here.
(Full list on our website here, updated weekly. We also partner with Inside Comedy to track submissions!)
Comedy Jobs
Stage3 Agency · Pasadena, CA. Host for Coffee & Travel YouTube Series (Contract/Freelance). Stand-up or improv experience required. $500–1,000/day.
Upwork Client · Remote. Comedy Writer for Blog and Podcast. 4–10 hours/week. $12-30/hour.
Upwork Client · Remote (U.S.). Comedy Special Edit for YouTube. $30–50/hour.
Upwork Client · Remote (U.S.). Comedic Tourism Blog Writer. Up to 30 hours/week for 3-6 months. $20/hour.
The Gold Studios Ltd · New York City. Partnerships Manager. Manage brand partnerships for comedians and creators. Compensation not listed.
CollabroArt, LLC · Sanford, FL (Hybrid). Venue Booking & Tour Manager. Book comedy clubs for live productions. Flexible schedule. Commission-based.
Casting Calls / Gigs
Kevin Hart opens casting for Season 2 of Netflix's Funny AF with Kevin Hart.
Private Event · Naperville, IL. Bad Clown for Adult Birthday Party. Aug. 22; 30-60 minute performance. Compensation depends on experience.
Independent Production · Las Vegas, NV. Looking for a Deadpan Comedian for a Paid Bit. Perform an in-character comedy bit at a conference for up to eight hours; improv required. Auditions Aug. 4; performance Aug. 7. $1,200 plus $300 bonus.
Heartland Comedy Cup is August 5, 2026 in Norfolk, Nebraska. Year-long tournament with $10,000 prize. No submission fee. Deadline: Rolling until qualifier is full. Email [email protected] for process.
Battle of the Bay takes place September 3, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and is seeking Pasco County comedians to compete. Message Brandi Joy (here) if interested.
Go Off Show Off in Los Angeles invites stand-up, improv, sketch, and others to perform a one-hour show. Professionally recorded footage. No submission deadline. Submit here.
Comfy Clash is September 11, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Qualifying round for a NYC comedy competition. Top two comics advance to the semifinals in New York, competing for a $500 cash prize and a residency with Tight Pants Comedy. Submission deadline: Rolling until the lineup is full. $10 entry fee per round. Submit here.
Flappers Comedy Club & Restaurant hosts weekly auditions every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Burbank, California. Perform a two-minute set for the club's bookers and owners. Successful auditions make comics eligible for Flappers' open mics and club bookings. Sign up here.
Private Casting Production · West Hollywood, CA. Paid Casting – Comedians & Improv Actors Needed. Comedians and improv performers needed for a 30 minute bar conversation. $50 plus a complimentary drink.
(Full job/gig list on our website here, updated weekly)
That’s The Jokebook — your Sunday comedy update. Have something to share? Message us at [email protected].