Created by Val Parker and Andrea Popova, Ask a Fuckboy is a New York City comedy show that’s consistently selling out. At each show, female comedians present unhinged dating stories through PowerPoint presentations while a panel of "fuckboys" (all comedians) weighs in with jokes and commentary. The show consistently sells out and has expanded to festivals and showcases in other cities.
The unique concept helped it gain immediate traction, but sustaining that momentum is hard work. What impresses me is the amount of marketing Parker and Popova take on behind the scenes. They post daily on Instagram and TikTok, hand out and tape flyers throughout New York City, track QR code performance with A/B testing, collect emails and share ticket information through a weekly newsletter, and sell merchandise. I spoke with Parker and Popova about the strategies behind its growth.
Most comedians (78%) have tried flyers. “I’ve run flyers with just names and also run flyers with names AND photos. The flyers with photos seem to draw the eye and be more effective,” says Danny Niquette, who runs a monthly comedy show in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood. “I mostly know they are effective because we get several people at every show saying, ‘We just saw your flyer on the corner and thought it looked fun.’”
Danny also finds that flyering “builds a sense of community among the people who attend because it makes it feel like a real local event. The act of flyering is a nice way to get out into the community and meet people.”
For Ask a Fuckboy, flyers also seemed to work. Besides posting them on street poles, they also hand them directly to people before shows. In fact, I found out about the show while walking through Brooklyn last month after spotting one of their flyers.
That inspired me to run my own experiment. Last Sunday, I printed 15 flyers with a QR code that linked to the newsletter website and the phrase “Join a Comedy Cult” and placed them on street corners around downtown Austin, near comedy venues including The Creek and the Cave, Comedy Mothership, and Shakespeare's.
After one week, the QR code on the flyers had been scanned 40 times.
There are several things I'd change next time. I'd use brighter colors, include a photo, and make the purpose of the flyer clearer with more information. I also think handing flyers directly to people, while awkward at first, would be more effective. To better measure results, I'd use different Bitly links or QR codes for each location to see which intersections or comedy clubs generate the most scans. I'd also make sure flyers are posted on multiple sides of a pole so they're visible from different directions.
My takeaway is that flyers can be really effective if done right, especially for smaller venue shows. Place them in tourist-heavy or high-foot-traffic areas and track QR code scans to learn which placements are most effective. Handing out flyers may work even better. Beyond marketing, it's also a chance to meet people, who are often more open to chatting when you're inviting them to something fun. But the show or concept has to be compelling!
Flight of the Conchords reunite for their first live performances in nearly a decade after years of turning down reunion offers.
Matt Ruby argues that today's attention economy rewards comedians for either 30-second clips or three-hour podcasts rather than traditional sets. He also predicts AI-generated comedy club audience clips could become more common.
Variety reviews Louis C.K.'s new Netflix special Ridiculous, calling it a strong hour of stand-up as C.K. returns to a major streaming platform after years of self-distribution.
Jason Zinoman highlights four standout stand-up releases for the holiday weekend, recommending new specials from Nikki Glaser, Ryan Hamilton, Ali Siddiq, and Ophira Eisenberg.
The Onion debuts its new comedy-driven version of InfoWars with Tim Heidecker despite an ongoing legal dispute over control of the platform.
Indiana Production launches a new comedy content factory with Buen Camino director Gennaro Nunziante to develop Italian stand-up and other original comedy projects.
Bill Maher accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, using his acceptance speech to defend political comedy. The event featured tributes from Whitney Cummings, Louis C.K., and Jay Leno. It will stream on Netflix July 21.
Mel Brooks celebrates his 100th birthday while still working on a Spaceballs sequel. Brooks also recently donated thousands of documents and photographs to the National Comedy Center.
LateNighter makes the case that Netflix could be a compelling buyer for NBCUniversal, arguing that Saturday Night Live would be a uniquely valuable asset as SNL's comedy pipeline and talent ecosystem align with Netflix's ambitions in live programming and comedy.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert sign finds a new home in West Hollywood after it was purchased at auction for $102,100 by WeHo Bistro owner Jeff Douek.
Ali Wong teams with Ashley Tisdale and Sabrina Jalees to develop Toxic Moms, a new Netflix dark comedy.
A24's The Invite posts one of the year's strongest limited openings, earning $379,000 from seven theaters. The comedy stars Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, with a nationwide release on July 10.
Specials, Signings, Tours
New specials from Brendan Eyre (Gorilla Comedy+, July 6; YouTube, August 4), Jeff Arcuri (Netflix, July 7), Chris Porter (Prime Video/Apple TV, July 7), and Matt Richards (Hulu, July 10).
Stand Up NY's K-Comedy Showcase with Friends brings a lineup of Korean American comedians to Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland on July 12.
Festivals This Month
Oxford Comedy Festival · July 1–31 · Oxford, England
Greater Manchester Fringe · July 1–31 · Manchester, England
Grindstone Comedy Festival · July 2–12 · Edmonton, Alberta
Nantucket Comedy Festival · July 8–11 · Nantucket, Massachusetts
Fun & Dumb Improv Festival · July 9–12 · Brooklyn, New York
Festival Submissions
Comedy Prize at Prize Fest • October 14–18, 2026 • Shreveport, Louisiana. $2,500 grand prize plus $500 for finalists, hotel, and VIP festival passes. Submission fee: Not listed. Submission deadline: July 7. Submit here.
PunchlineKang Comedy Festival • August 4–6, 2026 • Orlando, Florida. Multi-round stand-up competition with paid bookings and a Carnival Cruise performance opportunity. Submission fee: $35–$50. Submission deadline: July 10. Submit here.
Short Com International Comedy Film & Animation Festival • September 25, 2026–August 2027 • London & UK/Europe. BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying comedy film festival. Submission fee: $25. Submission deadline: July 10. Submit here.
Full list of festival submissions on our site here. We’ve also partnered with Inside Comedy to track festival submissions!
Comedy Jobs
High Line Comedy Club · New York, NY. Comedy Club Show Runner. $20–$23/hour. Part-time (Fridays–Saturdays, 5–11 PM).
Comic Relief US · New York, NY (Hybrid). Senior Director, Individual Giving. $160,000–$190,000/year. Hybrid.
Upwork · Remote. YouTube Script Editor – Comedy Commentary. Ongoing (30+ hrs/week, 6+ months). Paid test edit; 8–16 scripts/month.
Upwork · Remote. Comedy Writer for Social Media. Ongoing (under 30 hrs/week, 1–3 months). Original comedy concepts, skits, scripts, and captions.
ADZ Enterprises · North Hollywood, CA. Livestream Host. $25–$30/hour. Full-time. Host live Whatnot and TikTok auctions.
Upright Citizens Brigade · New York, NY. Event Staff Lead. Up to $20/hour. Part-time.
Upwork · Remote (U.S. only). Comedy Writer – Product Label Punch-Up. $20–$60/hour. One-time project.
Casting Calls / One-Offs
Mile Mark Entertainment’s Comedy Showcase takes place September 5, 2026, in Columbia, South Carolina. They are seeking comedians to perform alongside touring comics. Submit clips by email to [email protected] for consideration. More information here.
Gotham Comedy Club · New York, NY. New Talent Showcase (Note: site loads slow!). Showcase opportunity for emerging stand-up comedians. Apply by July 17.
Bryan Zavala's FIFA Comedy Showcase is July 12 in Richardson, Texas. Bryan is seeking three comedians to perform 15-minute sets at a 1pm show inspired by the World Cup. Material should be PG-13. Contact Bryan here.
Faith Pasch Productions · New York, NY. Clowning Around (After Hours) Performer. Apply by July 10, 5:00 PM.
Drunk Shakespeare/Brass Jar Productions · Washington, DC. Drunk Shakespeare DC Actor. $20.60/hour. Auditions by invitation July 13.
Jonathon Hills LIVE · Austin, TX. Live Comedy YouTube Satire Performer. $70/show (2 hours). Weekly opportunity (Tuesdays or Thursdays).
Comedy Night Club · Orlando, FL. Female Background Singer/Comedy Actress. Paid per gig.
Independent Series · Las Vegas, NV. Comedy Actor/Comedian/Improviser. $300/day. Recurring roles in a comedy shorts series for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.
Independent YouTube Comedy Series · Lake Forest, CA. Female Lead – YouTube Comedy Series. $20/hour. Monthly shoots. Local Orange County performers preferred.
(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].