The week-long Brooklyn Comedy Festival is closing out this year with a bang. The closing weekend at Brooklyn Bazaar will feature multiple stages each hosting various events from live podcasts to films, stand-up, panel discussions, and plenty more.
The four-day closing weekend kicks off this Thursday, September 20, and will run until Sunday, September 23. The festival has a reputation for being an overall great time, with special guests and surprise drop-ins a common occurrence. In previous years they’ve hosted before-they-break comedians like Trevor Noah prior to him hosting The Daily Show, and Phoebe Robinson, who went on to do 2 Dope Queens. Other comedians that have made appearances at the Brooklyn Comedy Festival include Nikki Glaser, Michelle Wolf, and Michael Che—so you never know who might decide to just drop in!
A highlight of the event will be the Las Culturistas Live podcast, where 50 comedians will Go Off on culture, each with only one minute to do so. The full weekend lineup is listed below:
Thursday 9/20:
Film: Thunder Road
Flawed police officer Jim Arnaud (Jim Cummings) lives a shambolic life made worse by his mother’s passing. Unable to change his life for the better, his only stability comes in the shape of his daughter (Kendal Farr) who he tries to her father in the best way he can.
BKCF Presents: Nimesh Patel featuring Nataly Aukar, Petey DeAbreu, Paris Sashay, + special guests!
Nimesh Patel works as a writer for Saturday Night Live. In 2017, he became the first Indian American writer on SNL. He has written for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Comedy KO, the 2016 Oscars with Chris Rock, and lots of other cool stuff.
Live Podcast: Kevin McDonald’s Kevin McDonald Show with special guest Julie Klausner & music by Sister Sparrow
Kevin McDonald (The Kids In The Hall) performs a live old-school variety hour that features famous friends, musical acts, new sketches, and uninhibited tomfoolery! “Pairs the type of sketch comedy that made Kids in the Hall such a cult phenomenon with guests that don’t often make the podcast rounds.” -Paste
Bitches Brew
A stand-up show with performances by Mark Normand (Comedy Central Half Hour, Conan), Liza Treyger (Comedy Central Half Hour, Late Night with Seth Meyers), Jordan Carlos (The Colbert Report, The Nightly Show), + more!
Brett Davis Presents: John Gentle, A Lone Man Show
Special guest Eudora Peterson. John Gentle, a pitiable former adjunct college professor and self-published poet from New Jersey, presents his delusional one-man show, an unfortunate collection of gauche stories and lewd poems about his past lovers and his, ugh, “Mama.” Written by and starring Andy Kaufman Award-winning comedian Brett Davis.
Friday 9/21:
The Daily Show Writers Stand-Up Tour
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Writers Stand-Up Tour makes a stop at the Brooklyn Comedy Festival for a night of political-ish comedy, featuring performances by David Angelo, Matt Koff, Jospeh Opio, and Kat Radley.
The Special Without Brett Davis
The NYC public access variety show The Special Without Brett Davis is returning to the airwaves on 2/26 and to celebrate, we’re partnering up with the Brooklyn Comedy Festival to kickoff the new season with a big show and party! Special guests: Chris Gethard, Colin Burgess, Sally Burtnick, Dan Chamberlain, Lena Einbinder, Nick Naney, Clare O’Kane, Lorelei Ramirez, music from Luxardo (aka Simon Hanes with STRING QUARTET), and host Brett Davis, along with other surprise guests!
Fim: DRIB
DRIB is a cinematic re-enactment of the entire story, a no-holds-barred satire of L.A. advertising culture told by Amir Asgharnejad, the person who lived it all. To avoid a lawsuit from the brand in question we invented our own: DRIB.
Live Podcast: Turner Masters Memory Hospital
Hilarious and unrelenting, Turner Masters Memory Hospital is a vicious new satire from Catherine Cohen and Steven Markow.
Joe Pera & Conner O’Malley: Thank you Viacom!
Through song and dance, Joe and Conner will say thank you to the $6.035 billion gentle giant Viacom. Performances by Joe and Conner’s friends, Annie Donley, Dan Licata, Carmen Christopher, and Devin Bockrath.
Saturday 9/22:
Las Culturistas: I Don’t Think So, Honey!
LAS CULTURISTAS is a weekly podcast (and live show, “I DON’T THINK SO, HONEY”) hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang featuring 50 comedians doing one-minute rants on any pop culture pest of their choosing. The show has been featured at the New York Comedy Festival and the Brooklyn Podcast Festival. In the words of Guy Branum (Pop Rocket): “Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers are fucking culture warriors and we don’t deserve them.”
Comedy and Animation Panel, Presented by HBO
Featuring HBO’s Animals creators Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano, John Lee (PFFR, Xavier: Renegade Angel), and H. Jon Benjamin (Bob’s Burgers, Archer).
Live Podcast: Myq Kaplan’s Broccoli & Ice Cream
Comedian and human Myq Kaplan (pronounced Mike Kaplan) has conversations with friends about the work of their lives (as represented by broccoli) and the joys of their lives (as represented by ice cream). Everyone has the best time and learns a lot forever. Enjoy!
Brooklyn Comedy Festival Presents: Josh Johnson with Logan Nielsen
Josh Johnson, is a standup, writer and performer from Louisiana by way of Chicago. He is currently a writer on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and has been featured on Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City. Josh’s next stand-up special will be released on Netflix in 2018.
Picture This!
The ONLY live animated comedy show where comedians perform while animators draw along with them live on a screen projected behind them. It’s a really fun mix media showcase of both comedian Talent and local animator/artist talent! Hosted by Ian Fidance, with performances by Krystyna Hutchinson, Samantha Ruddy, Lorelei Ramirez, Marie Faustin, Nore Davis, Pat Regan, + more! Animation by Bryan Brinkman, Lorelei Ramirez, Josh Howell, Elena Ferri, Gabe Pinto, Dan Pinto, + more!
The Big Weird
Check out rising stars and established comedians working their best material at the Big Weird comedy show. Hosted by Casey James Salengo (Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central Half Hour) and Will Winner (The Good, The Dad, and The Ugly Podcast, HuffPost), with performances by Ryan Beck, Ahri Findling, Courtney Maginnis, Carmen Lagala, Chris Cotton, and Matt Wayne.
Cheap Date
Stand-up hosted by Sharron Paul and Calvin Cole. Lineup TBA.
Improv: The Law Firm
UCB Theatre’s long-running improv show serves you an hour of criminally insane comedy.
Film: Comedy Short Films
Screenings TBA.
Sunday 9/23:
BKCF Presents: Julio Torres
Julio Torres is a Brooklyn-based comedian and Space Prince who currently writes for Saturday Night Live. His abilities have also been put to use in the most recent seasons of The Chris Gethard Show and Billy on the Street. As a standup Julio was named a New Face of the Montreal Comedy Festival, a Comedy Central Comic to Watch and a finalist for Standup NBC. The New York Times has called him “avant-guarde,” “intriguing,” but most importantly: “young.”
Podcast for Laundry with Brett Davis
Special guest Janeane Garofalo. A man who loves laundry starts an abrasive and sad niche podcast. Andy Kaufman Award Winner Brett Davis brings us this aggressive, frustrating, brilliant audio project.
Late Night Writers Panel, Presented by NBC
Featuring writers from the most popular late night television shows.
Homeschooled: A Comedic Lecture Series
Comedians perform short, humorous PowerPoint presentations on a diverse variety of subjects (Black holes! Taxidermy! Genghis Khan!) guaranteed to entertain and educate you. Hosted by Doogie Horner.
Always Happy Video Comedy Bop
Never Sad presents a night of never-before-seen comedy videos and shorts, submitted each month by NYC’s top comedians and filmmakers. Curated and hosted by Jed Feiman and Nehemiah Markos (The New Yorker, Funny or Die).
Film: Comedy Short Films
Screenings TBA.
Improv: We Will Turn You Gay
You are going to turn Gay, and you are going to love it. You will also enjoy the improv show we put on for you. Cast: Aaron Jackson, Josh Sharp, Brandon Scott Jones, Jeff Hiller, Brian Faas.
The lineup for each day will have additional appearances that are yet to be announced, but it’s pretty clear this year’s festival is already expected to be hilarious. The single day badges can be purchased here!
What: Brooklyn Comedy Festival
Where: Brooklyn Bazaar
When: September 20-23
Tickets: Grab your tickets here
