Private equity has come for comedy. As with everything from ski passes to New York bagels, parts of comedy have become more commercialized. For example, live events platform Fever, which produces comedy events, raised more than $100 million in 2025.
Comedy festivals aren’t immune. “It’s the same challenge occurring everywhere,” says Raj Suresh, co-founder of Big Diamond Comedy Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas. “You see creative systems consolidating upwards…the middle is gone.”
Big Diamond is trying to counter this trend.
But they’re also facing larger trends in Bentonville. One of the festival’s former venues, a historic punk-rock club, converted to a new-wave nightclub, forcing them to pivot to a new location. “With that theater going the nightclub route, it’s going to be a challenge because we’ve got to find a way to now fill a very big room,” Raj says.
When profit is not the primary goal, Raj and others can focus on other priorities. “I would rather we make no money, but every show is packed and it’s a good time, versus up the pricing, make more money on it, but the comics are not getting as good of an audience.” They also want audiences to trust the festival’s selection rather than come for a specific comedian. “We’re training this audience to understand that it doesn’t matter who they watch since the selection criteria are so tough,” says Raj.
That also means trying to make the festival better for comedians, who sometimes see festivals as “kind of scammy.” “I try to impress upon the industry that’s visiting like, ‘Hey, go watch the features. The headliners have made it.’”
Comedians and fans, this is what you want: salt-of-the-earth comedians putting on a festival for other comedians and caring about doing it the right way.
The Los Angeles Times highlights 15 under-the-radar L.A. comedy nights.
Punchup and the Chicago Cubs launch Fastball Comedy Festival, a new comedy weekend at the Chicago Cubs’ spring-training stadium in Mesa, Arizona.
The Comedians’ Choice Awards announce their 2026 shortlists on comedians performing at Edinburgh Fringe.
Stavros Halkias releases Fat and Loaded in Las Vegas on YouTube, the second episode of his documentary-style Road to the Special series. Watch here.
Jamie Foxx discusses his recovery from a 2023 stroke on Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, saying comedy helps him cope and “find” himself again.
Jon Stewart and Hasan Minhaj headline the 20th annual Stand Up for Heroes at Lincoln Center on Nov. 9.
Comedy historian Gemma Ross releases Herlarious in February, a new book on the history of women in comedy.
The Los Angeles Times profiles Zach Zucker and how he turned clown-comedy show Stamptown into a Netflix special.
Bassem Youssef postpones his shows after Australian authorities request additional background checks, amid calls to deny his visa over material about Israel and Palestine.
Comedian Jon Forward was fired from his high school job over students discovering his adult comedy online.
Robin Ince releases The Future of Jokes on Nov. 5, a new book exploring why humans need jokes.
Laughter Is the Cure returns Sept. 1 at The Cat’s Crawl in Los Angeles, with ticket sales going toward back-to-school supplies for kids.
Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald premieres on Netflix Oct. 16, using archival footage and rare home videos to chronicle the late comedian’s career, with Judd Apatow producing the documentary.
We covered how Comics Unleashed unexpectedly topped Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon among adults 18–49 on Aug. 24. But Kimmel and Fallon still led in total viewers.
Sky commits to Saturday Night Live UK for the “long run” after its first season becomes the network’s biggest show among viewers ages 16–34, with Season 2 premiering Sept. 12.
Top Gear returns to the BBC, with comedian Jimmy Carr reportedly in talks to join the revived motoring show as a host.
Nate Bargatze launches No Pictures, a new film and TV production label focused on edgier projects for older audiences.
YouTube offers some of its top creators millions to stay off rival streamers like Netflix, with deals reportedly ranging from $1-$10 million.
Ali G: Who Iz I? brings Sacha Baron Cohen back as Ali G in a new comedy hitting theaters Oct. 23. Watch here.
Rick Ellis recounts a story from Chicago stand-up days that Arsenio Hall performed another local comic’s material on national television.
Jon Stewart’s old Daily Show couch goes up for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $1,500.
Kenan Thompson joins America’s Got Talent as a guest judge.
Blake Griffin launches a weekly late-night sports comedy show premiering Oct. 20 on Prime Video and YouTube.
Jimmy Carr argues that anyone can become funny.
Dauood Naimyar shares a kit on the actual content restrictions for a recent corporate gig he did.
Evaldas Karosas parodies the Edinburgh Fringe with a festival simulator skit.
This Week in Comedy discusses our survey on comedians’ views on bringer shows.
Specials and Tours
New specials from Michael Ian Black (Comedy Dynamics, August 25), James Austin Johnson (Gorilla Comedy+, August 31), and Jared Freid (Netflix, September 1).
BET brings Chris Powell’s stand-up special Sunday After Six to the network on September 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Festivals Next Week
Baltimore Comedy Festival · September 2–7 · Baltimore, MD
Let’s Fest · September 3–6 · Indianapolis, IN
Bend Comedy Festival · September 4–6 · Bend, OR
Dublin Fringe Festival · September 5–20 · Dublin, Ireland
Festival Submissions
Plano Comedy Festival • November 10–15, 2026 • Plano, Texas. Submission fee: $40. Deadline: August 31, 2026. Submit here.
Tower City Comedy Festival • January 28–30, 2027 • Paris, Texas. Submission fee: $45. Deadline: August 31, 2026. Submit here.
Vermont Comedy Festival • December 3–6, 2026 • Various Vermont towns. Submission fee: $50. Deadline: September 1, 2026. Submit here.
SF Sketchfest • January 14–31, 2027 • San Francisco, California. Submission fee: $20. Deadline: September 2, 2026. Submit here.
Don’t Tell Comedy Competition • September 18–19 & October 23–24, 2026 • Nationwide. Submission fee: $1 with Cash App. Deadline: September 4, 2026. Submit here.
(Full list on our website here, updated weekly)
Comedy Jobs
Whiplash Comedy · Atlanta, GA. Hiring Bartenders, Servers, Cooks, Cashiers, Door People, Sound Booth & Showrunners. Email resumes to [email protected].
Tsunami Creator Network · Springfield, MO. Looking for Entertainers — Comedians Included. Part-time. $25,000–$59,000/year.
Astronaut City · Arcadia, CA. Comedy Club Bartender — Astronaut City. Part-time. $17/hour plus tips.
Drunk Shakespeare · Los Angeles, CA. Stage Manager. Part-time. $26/hour / $124/show.
Comic Relief · New York, NY. Director, Marketing. Full-time. $145,000–$150,000/year.
Casting Calls / Gigs
Fear City Comedy Club · Lower East Side, New York, NY. Seeking Producers for Comedy Shows. Email show pitches to [email protected].
Upwork Client · Remote. Comedic Writer - Consistent work. Freelance. $45–$70/hour.
Craigslist Client · Brooklyn, NY. Looking for Tom Cruise "sound-alike" actor for comedy video. One-time. $100 cash.
Laughing Buddha Comedy · The Stand, New York, NY. Perform for a Spot in the LBC Summer Fest Finals. One-time. Manager Jason Steinberg of Steinberg Talent Management will be watching.
Craigslist Client · Los Angeles, CA. Screenwriter Wanted - Feature Comedy Film. $2,500.
Pulse Components LLC · Tulsa, OK. Celebrity & Political Impersonators wanted for funny short advertising videos. Contract. $35/hour.
(Full list on our website here, updated weekly)
That’s The Jokebook — your Sunday comedy update. Have something to share? Message us at [email protected].