2023 Artists
We take humor seriously!
Ali Macofsky
Ali Macofsky is a stand up comedian, actress, and writer who began her comedy career at the age of 7 when she would join Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM every weekday morning and prank call listeners as her character “Lil Ally” and has continued to pursue comedy ever since. Shortly after high school, Ali quickly established herself in the Los Angeles comedy scene where she became the first regular to perform on over 100 episodes of the Comedy Store’s weekly Kill Tony podcast. This provided further opportunities leading Ali to headline venues across the country, as well as open for huge names in the comedy world like Russell Peters and Joe Rogan. Most recently, Ali was named a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs Comedy festival in Montreal. She also just completed a tour opening for rock musician, St. Vincent. Ali’s stand up has been featured on Just For Laughs digital receiving over 3 million views and her stand up has been seen on TikTok over 10 million times. She has a popular series on her Instagram (@notalimac) where she talks to strangers online and she hosts a weekly podcast called Resting Bitch. Ali’s voice on and off stage has captured a wide range of fans who gravitate toward her honest, relatable sense of humor and unique perspective on life.
Bert Kreischer
Bert Kreischer’s career has evolved from earning Rolling Stone’s 1997 "Number One Partier in the Nation," to one of the top grossing stand-up comics in the business. In 2022, Pollstar listed Bert as #4 in the “Top 10 Highest Grossing Tours,” performing to sold-out arenas around the globe. He is currently on his 2023 Tops Off World Tour.
As one of the best storytellers of his generation, Kreischer seamlessly and sincerely shares anecdotes about his family and fatherhood while proving “that there’s a way to take his [party-boy] antics into middle-age,” (Forbes).
On March 14th, Kreischer released his highly anticipated 5th stand-up special, Razzle Dazzle on Netflix. Shameless — and shirtless — as ever, Bert spills on bodily emissions, being bullied by his kids, and the explosive end to his family's escape room outing. His stand-up specials, Secret Time, The Machine, and Hey Big Boy are currently streaming on Netflix.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kreischer started this summer as the star and producer of the Legendary/ Sony picture film, The Machine, premiering exclusively in theatres across the country on May 26th. The film, based on his signature stand-up set, recounts his true experience with Russian mobsters while on a booze-soaked college trip. Now, 23 years later, that trip has come back to haunt him as he and his estranged father (Mark Hamill) are kidnapped back to Russia by the mob to atone for something they say he did. Together, Bert and his father must retrace the steps of his younger self (Jimmy Tatro) in the midst of a war within a sociopathic crime family, all while attempting to find common ground in their often-fraught relationship.
Kreischer is currently on the second annual Fully Loaded Comedy Festival that will be hitting sixteen of the most iconic ballparks and arenas across the country. The biggest comedy event of the year with a “Fully Loaded” line-up that includes Bert Kreischer, Mark Normand, Shane Gillis, Tiffany Haddish, Stavros Halkias, Fortune Feimster, Dave Attell, Lewis Black, Jim Norton, Andrew Santino, Bruce Bruce, Big Jay Oakerson, Jay Pharoah, Dan Soder, Chad Daniels, Luis J. Gomez, Rich Vos, Ralph Barbosa, Rosebud Baker, Shane Torres, Tammy Pescatelli, Mark Smalls, Maddy Smith, Steel Beans, Cipha Sounds and Carter Cruise. Additionally, Bert is taking the festival at sea with the Fully Loaded at Sea Cruise October 27th-31st from Miami with stops in Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. The highly anticipated event is already sold-out. Kreischer will continue his Tops Off World Tour on September 14th at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC and continue through December.
In addition to a successful stand-up career, Kreischer is a world-renowned top podcaster hosting Bertcast, where he shares his wisdom and life with fans and has recorded over 500 episodes. He also co-hosts Two Bears One Cave with Tom Segura, which consistently charts in the top 10 comedy podcasts worldwide. Bert also hosts the YouTube cooking show, Something’s Burning, which has gathered close to 10 million views.
Bert also founded Berty Boy Productions, the production home to the entire video and podcast solar system that orbits Bert Kreischer, his friends and colleagues, and the Fully Loaded Comedy Festival. Berty Boy provides a platform for podcasts specializing in the worlds of stand-up comedy and live comedy entertainment, and was distinctly created to provide production services, publicity, and support to Bertcast, Wife Of The Party, Something’s Burning, and many more to come.
Brian Simpson
Brian Simpson is a stand-up comedian based in Austin, TX. His background as a foster child and Marine Corps veteran has led to a rare combination of life experiences that he manages to channel into a refreshingly unique point of view. Brian is a paid regular at the World-Famous Comedy Store as well as The Comedy Mothership, and was named a New Face 2021 at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, and most recently Variety’s Top Comics to Watch 2023. Brian made his TV debut on Comedy Central’s Lights Out with David Spade, and you can catch him currently streaming on Netflix’s Season 3 of The Standups as well as That’s My Time with David Letterman. Brian’s debut one-hour Netflix special will premiere on the platform later this year.
Brad Williams
Pound for pound, Brad Williams is the funniest comedian in the country right now, and has become one of the most in-demand comedians working today. Williams started doing stand-up comedy as a teenager and has been touring successfully ever since, routinely selling out prestigious venues all over the country and world. Williams has parlayed his live performances into a multitude of stand-up television appearances, including The Tonight Show, Dave Attell’s Comedy Underground, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. His first one-hour special, Fun Size, was the highest rated special on Showtime, and a year later, he followed that up with his second one, Daddy Issues, which was even more successful than the first. His third special in three years was an uproarious one, hosting some of the edgiest comedians in the country from the prestigious Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. His last groundbreaking special on Netflix, The Degenerates, garnered more huge ratings and rave reviews. Also an accomplished actor, Williams has appeared on numerous TV shows and feature films, including FX’s Legit, Sam and Cat, Mind of Mencia, Pitboss, a recurring role on the Hulu original show Deadbeat, and memorable roles in a plethora of movies, including Little Evil, produced by Scott Stuber (Ted), as well as the Netflix original Christopher Guest film, Mascots, and most recently Reno 911: It’s A Wonderful Heist.
Recently, Brad became the first stand-up comedian to headline a Cirque de Soleil show in their 30 year history, when he agreed to launch—and do a three month run of—their newest show Mad Apple, at the magnificent 1200 seat New York New York Theater in Las Vegas. The show became an immediate smash hit to rave revues, singling out Williams for his incredible ability to captivate his audiences with his extraordinary performances.
In addition to stand-up and acting, Williams co-created and co-hosted one of the most successful podcasts in the world, with friend and fellow comic Adam Ray, entitled About Last Night, which was always a mainstay on the iTunes charts during their five year run.
Additionally, he is also a regular contributor with a series of incredibly funny appearanceson several national radio and podcast platforms, including KROQ’s Kevin and Bean Showand The Adam Carolla Show. Williams’ humorous and inspiring observations on disability, relationships, sex, and race consistently win over audiences; proving anyone can overcome their shortcomings. His high energy live performances frequently produce standing ovations from audience members; which prompted the late Robin Williams to call him “Prozac with a head.”
Carolyn Taylor
Carolyn Taylor is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer, director and showrunner. She is one of the creators, executive producers and stars of CBC/IFC’s hit comedy Baroness von Sketch Show. To date, the series has received national and international critical acclaim in The New York Times, IndieWire, and Vogue, won 20 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Sketch Show/Series, Best Writing in a Sketch Show/Series (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), an ACTRA Award for Best Ensemble (2018), two international Rockies for Best Comedy (2019, 2020), The Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content (2019, 2020), and an international Rose D’or.
Carolyn honed her skills in improvisation and social satire at The Second City in Toronto, starring in 5 original mainstage revues and garnering 4 Canadian Comedy Awards. She’s written and performed political commentary for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, The Hour and CBC Radio’s Because News and This Is That. Recent credits include playing the off-kilter owner of a haunted AirBnB on Workin’ Moms (CBC/Netflix, 2022), an off-kilter Camp Director on Detention Adventure (HBO Max, 2022) and as a (somewhat less) off-kilter lesbian organic farmer opposite SNL’s Punky Johnson on the hit CBS comedy Ghosts (2023).
Upcoming projects include a collaboration with the team at Kelly and Kelly on a TV adaptation of the hit podcast This Sounds Serious, a full-length experimental queer pop album The Untitled Carolyn Taylor Project, and as star/creator of the quixotic figure skating factual-comedy I Have Nothing (Crave, 2023).
Chris Sullivan
CHRIS SULLIVAN (Shockwave) is a founding member of Freestyle Love Supreme and has appeared on Tick Tick BOOM, Worlds Best, The Electric Company, The Daily Show, SportsNation, The Real Housewives of New York City, The Hamilton Mixtape, and various programs for MTV and College Humor. Shockwave has trained and performed with The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre, The People's Improv Theater, Annoyance Theatre and Beatboxer Entertainment.
Cipha Sounds
After an illustrious career in New York radio with Hot 97, where he was responsible for breaking artists like Rhianna and Rick Ross, Cipha Sounds turned years of touring as a DJ for major artists into a respected career in comedy. Since becoming the official DJ for Comedy Central’s Chapelle’s Show, he has continued to work with Dave Chappelle, joining him on tours as both a DJ and opening comedian. He is a regular DJ at Saturday Night Live after parties, and appeared in Michael Che’s Netflix Special, Michael Che Matters. Having shared the stage with everyone from Jay-Z to Dave Chappelle, Cipha Sounds is truly a one-of-a-kind link between comedy and Hip Hop in New York.
Darcy & Jer
Together for over 20 years, Darcy & Jer are first and foremost proud dads to their daughter Grace and their golden retriever Yuma. And second, they’re idiots on the internet. Known for their hilarious videos around their relationship, ADHD, plants and more, Darcy & Jer have quickly become household names with a global audience.
After just 3 years creating content online they stand today with a combined total of over 4.5 million followers across platforms with an average of 50 million views a month. Darcy Michael and Jeremy Baer have become leaders in comedy content creation. Their comedy has allowed them to build a community that celebrates conversations around mental health, relationships, politics and living a happier life.
With Darcy having ADHD and the pair being members of the LGTBQ+ community, Darcy and Jer aim to create an inclusive, safe environment celebrating life with neurodivergence. Darcy and Jer’s sense of humour, joyful personalities, and unique content continues to build them an adoring fanbase.
Aiming to grow beyond their online content, in 2023 Darcy & Jer debuted their live comedy show at the Just for Laughs Vancouver Festival to a sold out crowd of 1200 fans. With plans for a full comedy tour across North America, they will also be following up their hit road-trip series “Darcy & Jer Do America” with season two “Darcy & Jer Do Europe” coming later this spring.
After launching many successful brand partnership campaigns with companies like Prime Video, Doordash, Trojan, Joe Fresh, Hulu, Proctor & Gamble, Spotify and more, Darcy and Jer are in high demand. “And Darcy is high?” I just wrote that last line this to see if Jer read this far.
For more visit: DarcyandJer.com
David Gborie
David Gborie is a Comedian, writer, podcaster and all-around thorough type dude based out of Los Angeles California. He’s appeared on MTV, Showtime, Viceland, NFL Network, Trutv, and was named one of Comedy Central’s top Comics to watch in 2015.
David Zucker
More than four decades after TV Guide called his first movie “vulgar and uproariously funny,” legendary filmmaker David Zucker is still pulling our leg. Zucker’s flagship film comedy, 1977’s The Kentucky Fried Movie, soon followed by the instant-classic Airplane!, served as a one-two punch to the funny bone, launching a singular career in satire and spoof for the prolific writer, director and producer. Through a string of box office hits and classic comedies, David Zucker, along with his brother Jerry Zucker (Ghost) and longtime friend Jim Abrahams (Hot Shots), has firmly established himself among the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, or at least their native Wisconsin.
A native of Milwaukee, Zucker attended University of Wisconsin-Madison, joining with Jerry and Jim to create the?Kentucky Fried Theater on campus while working toward a B.A. in Film. With a borrowed video tape deck and camera, after graduation he brought their quick-paced and often absurd sketch comedy to California in 1972, becoming the most successful small theater group in Los Angeles history.
After parlaying their live brand into?The Kentucky Fried Movie, a collection of raunchy short parodies directed by John Landis (one year before he helmed Animal House), the trio conceived the idea that would create a whole new film genre. Airplane! broke all conventions, featuring dramatic actors like Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen performing zany jokes with straight-laced sincerity. The New York Times called it “a splendidly tacky, totally tasteless…gooney bird of a movie that…surprises and delights with its free-spirited aerobatics.”
The spoof became the surprise hit of 1980, beginning a streak of film comedies including?Top Secret!?and?Ruthless People, after which David Zucker branched out on his own to direct?The Naked Gun franchise, BASEketball, Scary Movie 3 &?4, and many others, as well as writing and producing Scary Movie 5. He also produced the successful, if somewhat less hilarious?A Walk in the Clouds and Phone Booth. More recently, Zucker was brought in as creative consultant on the action comedy Mossad, which became one of Israel's biggest releases of 2019. He is currently producing a new feature project alongside his frequent collaborators Pat Proft?and Michael McManus, a film noir spoof, The Star of Malta.
Addionally, Zucker authored the memoir, Before The Invention of Smiling, an unexpected version of his own family's history. ?Like everything else Zucker has created, the memoir does not follow a traditional book format, resulting in a unique and original creation which combines Sarah’s story with accompanying family and contemporary period photographs. The book also features illustrations by award winning artists Cynthia Angulo and Gary Thomas to complete the visualization of the family’s history.
Outside of the entertainment world, Zucker has been a prominent advocate of environmental causes, serving on the board of the environmental nonprofit TreePeople and receiving myriad honors including its annual Evergreen Award. David Zucker resides in Brentwood, California.
Dino Archie
Dino Archie is a stand-up Comedian, writer and occasional actor born in America – in Fresno, CA. He now makes Vancouver, BC his home base.
His comedic influences include Robert Townsend, Patrice O’Neal, Larry David, Katt Williams and others.
Dino’s latest special, Toxic But Safe, is streaming now on YouTube.com/dinoarchie - here is a link.
Dino’s credits include the following
Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC (his late night stand up debut!)
Adam Devine’s House Party on Comedy Central
Kevin Hart’s LOL Network filmed at Just for laughs
Seattle International Comedy Competition Winner
Just For Laughs Festival New Faces
JFL North West Best Crowd Work Award
NPR’s Snapped Judgement - Storytelling With a Beat Tour
Dino has opened for the following artists:
Andrew Schulz
Hasan Minhaj
Hannibal Burris
Adam Devine
Bruce Bruce
Redman
DJ Quick
Dino has released the following comedy albums:
Choosy Lover
Settling old Scores
I’ve Changed
Live From Lockdown
For tour dates • Merch • Socials • Content
Visit www.dinoarchie.com
Eleanoe Kerrigan
Eleanor J. Kerrigan is the latest in a long line of historically funny women who cut their teeth at the World Famous Comedy Store. Starting out as a waitress there, Eleanor learned the ropes of comedy, all the while making the best comics in the country laugh, in the kitchen of the club. It would take several years and lots of pushing from one of her biggest fans, Andrew Dice Clay, to finally get her to take her comedic talents to the stage. After co-starring with him in “Dice Undisputed”, Dice invited Eleanor to go on the road with him to promote the show. “I’m an actress not a stand up!” she replied. After seeing her one woman show, Andrew would no longer take no for an answer. “You’re hysterical and everyone should know that!” he said, and Eleanor’s been performing stand up in clubs and theaters around the country ever since. Her hilarious take on life comes from her unique experiences growing up street-savvy in South Philly, as one of 10 children in a very Irish-Catholic family. She paints an uproarious portrait of her life experiences, beginning with her childhood in a three bedroom row home and moving to her adventures as an adult living in L.A... Eleanor’s shoot-from-the-hip take on life is both refreshing and exciting. She’s not afraid to give the audience a piece of her mind and they love her for it. She’s had audiences rolling as one of the motorcycle riding, pool cue wielding tag team called “Harley’s Angels” on UPN’s “Women of Wrestling” and has made countless appearances on other major networks such as Nickelodeon, VH1, Howard Stern & HBO’s Entourage, The Blue Show on Showtime. You can also catch her on The Ringers on Comedy Central with Bill Burr & The Comedy Store Documentaries on Showtime. Hear her share those crazy Comedy Store Stories as Co-host of the Comedy Store podcast. Eleanor Kerrigan is certainly one to watch. Don’t miss her!
Felipe Esparza
Felipe Esparza is a stand-up comedian and actor who has come a long way since winning NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” in 2010. While that may have opened doors and helped build his fan base around the country, his hard work and focus in more recent years has brought him longevity. With three successful stand-up specials on Netflix and HBO, his “What’s Up Fool? Podcast” holding steady as one of the top comedy podcasts for the last eight years, and his sold out tour dates all over the country, Felipe is now at a point where he is moving more into TV and film. He has been a recurring favorite on TV Shows such as “Superstore”, “The Eric Andre Show”, “Gentefied”, and “Victor and Valentino”, as well as appearing in films including “Guest House” with Pauly Shore, “7th & Union” with Omar Chaparro, “Daddy Daughter Trip” with Rob Schneider and “You People” with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill. Felipe is currently on tour and working on his fourth stand-up special.
George Civeris
George Civeris is a comedian and writer in Brooklyn. He was most recently a senior editor at Gawker (RIP). His standup has appeared on Comedy Central, and he was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. He has written for FOX's Let's Be Real, Comedy Central's Drag His Ass, the BBC's Comedians vs. the News, and Roku's Gayme Show. Along with Sam Taggart, he co-hosts the comedy podcast StraightioLab, which was named the best comedy podcast of 2022 by Vulture.
Gianmarco Soresi
Gianmarco Soresi is a stand-up comedian, actor, and a little too much for some people. He’s told jokes on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Comedy Central, Netflix’s Bonding, Don't Tell, The Real Housewives of New York for some reason, and he was a JFL New Face in 2022. He's acted in Billy Crystal's Here Today, Hustlers, The Last OG, and in his theater days shared the stage with some people who've gone on to become huge real estate agents. You can see him post the kind of crowd work clips that are arguably destroying the artform of stand-up comedy everywhere @gianmarcosoresi and he obviously has a podcast called The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi.
Hannah Berner
One of JFL’s 2022 New Faces, Hannah Berner emerged on the comedy scene by directing, editing, and acting in videos on Instagram and writing viral tweets. She has two podcasts, Giggly Squad and Berning In Hell, with over 20 million combined downloads. She was a cohost on Bravo’s Chat Room, as well as a member of Bravo’s Summer House for three seasons, and has over 3.3 million followers across her social media platforms. She currently performs standup in NYC and at clubs and theaters all around the country.
Ian Lara
Ian Lara is a superbly talented Dominican-American stand-up comedian from Queens and one of the hottest rising comics in NYC. His sets touch on themes of growing up with immigrant parents, being unsure about his race and his born-again Christian father. He appeared on Comedy Central's “StandUP Featuring” (where his set has garnered over 7 million views on Facebook and over 10 million views total) and was a regular player on "This Week at the Comedy Cellar" on Comedy Central (where his set garnered 7.9 million views on Facebook during the pandemic). He was featured in season one of Bring The Funny on NBC and made his late night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2020, Ian performed his first 30min special for HBOLatino's Entre Nos titled 'LA Meets NY,' followed by being named a 2021 JFL New Face of Comedy. Ian was recently selected as one of Freeform's Black & Freeform Honorees and was named one of "10 Lesser-Known Great Black Comedians" by Screenrant. His Comedy Central ½ hour special GROWING SHAME debut on Youtube in February 2022, followed by his HBO Special IAN LARA: ROMANTIC COMEDY which was released in November 2022 and is currently streaming on Max. Ian has been featured on Charlamagne Tha God’s Hell of A Week and made his second stand-up appearance on The Tonight Show. He is currently developing a ½ hour single cam project with Chelsea Handler’s company.
Isabella Campbell
Isabella Campbell was raised in Toronto and attended Rosedale Heights School for the Arts. Originally, she was a music major but after a performance went terribly wrong, she learned how much she loved the sound of laughter, and she quickly turned her focus to comedy. But this real star was born when, at 18-years-old, Isabella started working as a wench at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Theater. Isabella was so hooked on kicking ass, taking names and getting laughs from the peasants of the makeshift Kingdom that she held her coveted position for five years until she graduated from the Comedy Writing and Performance program at Humber College.
It was at Humber that Isabella met Jillian Smart, who would later connect her to Shane and THE DESSERT. After Shane conducted an investigative deep dive into her TikTok, YouTube videos and live performances, he was able to confirm that Isabella had never dated, or cheated on, his mother and promptly invited the hilarious comedian to join THE DESSERT.
Jack Whitehall
Jack Whitehall is an award-winning actor, comedian, presenter and writer.
He most recently starred alongside Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE, and in CLIFFORD for Paramount. Both films are currently in development for sequels. He will next star alongside Shailene Woodley in ROBOTS, an independent romantic comedy directed by Academy Award nominee Ant Hines. Currently, he is filming the second season of the Apple TV+ hit comedy series, THE AFTERPARTY, opposite Tiffany Haddish, Zoe Chao and Sam Richardson. Before lining up JUNGLE CRUISE and CLIFFORD, Jack was seen in Lasse Hallstrom's THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS opposite Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman, also for Disney. His previous film work includes Garry Marshall’s MOTHER'S DAY opposite Julia Roberts and Jennifer Garner in 2016, and THE BAD EDUCATION MOVIE in 2015, which Jack also wrote.
On television, Jack is widely celebrated for his hit Netflix show TRAVELS WITH MY FATHER, which released its fifth season last fall. He also stars in GOOD OMENS opposite Jon Hamm and Michael Sheen for Amazon, and BOUNTY HUNTERS opposite Rosie Perez for Sky Television. His other television credits include: DECLINE & FALL (BBC), FRESH MEAT (C4), and BAD EDUCATION (BBC). Jack also served as writer on the majority of these films and shows.
An acclaimed comedian who loves the stage, Jack's Netflix special JACK WHITEHALL: I'M ONLY JOKING was released in 2020. His biggest-ever stand-up tour, JACK WHITEHALL: STOOD UP, sold out arenas across the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. It was the UK's largest comedy tour of 2019, with a ticketed audience over 450,000. Jack has previously sold-out venues across the UK on two earlier tours: JACK WHITEHALL GETS AROUND (2014) and JACK WHITEHALL: AT LARGE (2017), also filmed for Netflix.
As a presenter, Jack has hosted the BRIT Awards for the past four years (2018-21) and several other prestigious award ceremonies including the GQ Men of the Year Awards (2020), the BAFTA Britannia Awards (2015, 2017-18) and The British Fashion Awards (2014-17). He became the youngest-ever host of the Royal Variety Performance in 2015.
Jack began his career at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007, where he won both The Charlie Hartill Special Reserve Competition and The Amused Moose Laugh Off. A string of further awards followed, including The British Comedy Awards' King Of Comedy, as voted for by the public, three years in a row.
James Davis
James Davis is a force in comedy. James is an executive producer alongside Adam McKay on HBO’s Game Theory with Bomani Jones. His show, Hood Adjacent with James Davis premiered on Comedy Central in 2017 to rave reviews, where he explores contemporary urban topics and shares his perspective on the world he grew up in through a unique, hybrid style of comedy that bridges the gap between urban and mainstream comedy.
In 2021, James hosted Golf Road Trippin’ on NBC’s Golf Pass and ADORABLENESS on MTV, a spin-off of their insanely popular show RIDICULOUSNESS.
In 2019, James’ released his 1-hour special, James Davis: Live from the Town on Comedy Central and hosted Awake: The Million Dollar Game on Netflix. Prior to this, James was a recurring character on Kevin Hart's hit show Real Husbands of Hollywood, a cast member on the improv comedy show, Wild ‘N Out on MTV2 and VH1, and wrote for The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS.
Jasmeet Raina
Jasmeet Raina is a writer/comedian based out of Toronto, Canada. Stemming from producing sketch and skit-based content on YouTube for nearly a decade, much of Jasmeet’s content has focused on idiosyncrasies of the South Asian community and his upbringing as a firstgeneration South Asian Canadian. In addition to amassing millions of views on his channel and various online platforms, Jasmeet completed the Sundance Institute | YouTube Creator’s Intensive program in 2016 and has been passionate about going beyond his YouTube sketches and creating everyday character-driven stories that placed unheard voices in the middle of their narratives. Currently, Jasmeet has received an order from Bell Media SVOD Crave for his half-hour sitcom, "Late Bloomer” set to release in late 2023.
Jessi Cruickshank
Renowned for her humour and authenticity, comedian Jessi Cruickshank has been called “Canada’s most beloved personality” (Toronto Life) and “the internet’s funniest mom” (Today’s Parent). She launched her career in television, hosting the internationally syndicated The Hills After Show on MTV, CBC’s The Goods, Canada’s Smartest Person and Oh Sit! on The CW.
Jessi was the first Canadian creator to have her own comedy series on the global streaming platform Facebook Watch with New Mom, Who Dis? in 2018. It has since grown into an international online community and brand. In 2022, Jessi hit the road with her first live, cross-Canada Stand Up Comedy tour, “Up Close and Too Personal”, which sold out across the country twice. Most recently, she launched her own weekly podcast series, Phone a Friend which debuted as the #1 comedy show across all podcasts.
Jessica Kirson
Jessica Kirson is a powerhouse on stage. She’s a hilariously relatable performer of sheer silliness, vulnerability, and ridiculous characters. Jessica’s one-hour special Talking to Myself was executive produced by Bill Burr and debuted on Comedy Central. She has also been featured on Netflix, is a regular on This Week at the Comedy Cellar, and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The View, HBO’s Crashing, and Kevin Can Wait. Her countless comedic character videos have racked up over 200 million views on social media. Her audience is multigenerational, creating an excuse for large groups of friends and families to spend a night out together. In an era where only 10% of all touring comedians are female, Jessica stands out as one of the strongest comedians regardless of gender.
Jillian Smart
Jillian Smart grew up in Whitehorse, where she dreamed of becoming a professional dancer. At 16-years-old she sustained a serious injury that forced her to pivot from a life of dance. Always a jokester and committed to the bit – Jillian announced her post-dance career plans: COMEDY. Her artistic energy turned inward as she mined her Yukon soul for what would soon become comedic gold in the Comedy Writing and Performance program of Humber College.
After graduating, Jillian held a variety of roles in the industry, producing and performing all over Toronto - but she never expected that her incessant DMs to her favourite podcast hosts - Max Kerman, Mike Veerman and Shane Cunningham from The Best Hang Podcast - would lead to her first big break. When they invited Jillian to participate in a table read for the new sketch comedy show, she put on one helluva performance that ultimately secured her a place as a writer and co-star.
Joanne McNally
Described by the Sunday Times as a ‘truly gifted stand-up’, Joanne has been taking Ireland and the UK’s comedy scene by storm, enjoying sell-out Edinburgh runs with her stand-up shows Wine Tamer and The Prosecco Express. Both shows have toured in Ireland, and she has sold out over 50 nights at Vicar Street in Dublin, four nights at the London Palladium, and three nights at London’s Eventim Apollo.
She is the cohost of the hugely popular podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me, alongside her best friend Vogue Williams, which has over a million downloads a week.
Joanne created, wrote and presented the funny and insightful documentary Baby Hater which was broadcast in Ireland for TV3. Her first one woman show, Bite Me, a show about eating disorders, was nominated for multiple awards at the Dublin Fringe in 2016. She went on to perform Bite Me at the Vault Festival in 2019 where Lyn Gardner described her as ‘hilarious and brutal’.
Joanne’s numerous TV credits include ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show and Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Comedy Central’s Guessable and Comedians Solve World Problems, BBC’s Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, Richard Osman’s House of Games, Channel 4’s The Big Fat Quiz of Everything, and Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back.
She has been a guest on various radio shows including BBC Radio 4’s A Good Read, Radio 5 Live’s Sarah Brett Show, and also hit podcast Evil Genius.
In Ireland, she’s co-hosted RTÉ 2’s flagship comedy show Republic of Telly, and appeared on The Blame Game (BBC Northern Ireland), Women on The Verge (UKTV), The Late Late Show (RTÉ One), The Tommy Tiernan Chat Show (RTÉ One), and Clear History (RTE).
Joel Kim Booster
Joel Kim Booster is a Chicago-bred, Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who was recently named one of TIME100 Next (2022) as an emerging advocate and creative and a Variety Screenwriter to Watch (2022). Joel has also been recognized as one of The Queer Young Comics Redefining American Humor by the New York Times. Joel starred in the Fox Searchlight rom-com Fire Island, which the AV Club called an “instant classic”, alongside Bowen Yang. The film, which he also wrote, was released on Hulu in June 2022, and received a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay, a Dorian TV Award for Best TV Movie, and won Outstanding Film at the 2023 GLAAD Awards. His first hour-long comedy special for Netflix, called PsychoSexual, also premiered in June 2022. In his special, Joel explores his experiences and observations as a gay Asian American male with commentary on identity, sexuality, cultural expectations, and more. Joel currently stars on the Apple TV+ series Loot playing Nicholas, Maya Rudolph’s quirky assistant.
Jonathan Popalis
Jonathan Popalis is an award-winning writer, director and producer with over two decades of experience in both the commercial and independent filmmaking worlds.
Jonathan’s shorts have screened at numerous international film festivals, most recently the Portland Comedy Film Festival and the Austin Comedy Film Festival, and he was a 2020 Harold Greenberg Fund screenwriting grant recipient. His work blends high-minded headiness with off-beat absurdism, which he has brought to his role as Co-Creator, Head Writer and Co-Showrunner of THE DESSERT.
Jonathan has also served as a supervising producer at the Bell Media Creative Agency for nearly 15 years, where he’s written, directed and produced some of the company’s biggest spots.
Jonathan holds a degree in film from The Metropolitan University, a member of MENSA, and grew up watching and obsessing over sketch comedy. His favourites include THE KIDS IN THE HALL, MR. SHOW, MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS, CHAPPELLE’S SHOW, A BIT OF FRY & LAURIE, THE BEN STILLER SHOW and HUMAN GIANT, and he is thrilled to be able to add one of his own to the canon.
Jonathan Van Ness
Jonathan Van Ness is an Emmy-nominated television personality, 2x New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, comedian and hairstylist to the stars. He stars on Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning reboot series “Queer Eye,” where he shines as the hair guru and self-care advocate, and he is the host and executive producer of the Netflix series “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” based on Jonathan’s popular podcast of the same name. The series is nominated for a 34th Annual GLAAD Media Award for ‘Outstanding Reality Series.’ He was a 2022 Primetime Emmy nominee for 'Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program' along with his "Queer Eye" cast mates. Jonathan also starred on the Emmy-nominated web series “Gay of Thrones,” a witty social commentary series recapping HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” Launched in 2013, the series wrapped its eighth and final season last year and garnered Emmy nominations in 2016, 2018 and 2019 for ‘Outstanding Short Form Variety Series.’
Jonathan continues to work on his passion project, his podcast “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness,” a weekly exploration of all the things Jonathan is curious about, and recently celebrated its 300th episode. The podcast was named one of the Top Podcasts of 2018 by Time Magazine, won the iHeart Radio Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast, and was a 2020 People’s Choice Award nominee for Best Pop Podcast. Jonathan was also a 2020 People's Choice Award nominee for 'Favorite Reality TV Star' for the second year in a row.
Jonathan has completed two successful worldwide comedy tours, Jonathan Van Ness: Road to Beijing and Imaginary Living Room Olympian, which sold out theaters in 40 cities in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. In 2023, Jonathan will bring Fun & Slutty, A Night with Jonathan Van Ness to cities around the US, Canada and abroad.
In September 2019, he released his revelatory memoir, Over The Top: A Raw Journey To Self-Love, a New York Times Best-Seller. Over The Top won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Memoir & Autobiography and has been named a must-read book by The New York Times, TIME Magazine and NPR to name a few. His appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to discuss the book, living with HIV and HIV stigma earned a GLAAD Media Award for 'Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode.' Jonathan is passionate about using his platform and voice for change. As an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, he worked closely with Planned Parenthood and The Trevor Project on campaigns tied to the release of his book that focused on removing the shame and stigma that comes along with talking about sexual health, as well as the long-lasting effects of bullying and how to overcome it. His second book, Love That Story: Observations From A Gorgeously Queer Life, was released April 2022 and is now a New York Times Best-Seller. Jonathan is also the author of the children's picture book, Peanut Goes For The Gold, about a gender non-binary guinea pig who does everything with their own personal flare. In December 2019, Jonathan made history as the first non-female solo cover star of Cosmopolitan UK in 35 years.
In 2021 Jonathan launched JVN Hair, a haircare line that sees all beauty, serves all beauty, and honors the uniqueness in each of us. Driven to change the beauty industry from within, Jonathan worked with Amyris, a leading synthetic biotechnology company and bio manufacturer of clean, sustainable, natural ingredients. Together, they developed scientifically-backed haircare formulas, combining the best in effective and clean ingredients, creating an innovative, first of its kind haircare collection that celebrates hair health and the uniqueness of each person.
Judy Gold
Judy has had stand-up specials on HBO, Comedy Central and LOGO. She was a part of Netflix's Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration. She is the author of Yes I Can Say That: When They Come For The Comedians, We Are All In Trouble, a critically acclaimed book about free speech and cancel culture which debuted as the number one comedy release on Amazon and was featured in the New York Times Book Review. Judy is also host of the hit podcast, Kill Me Now with Judy Gold.
Judy TV acting credits include, City On A Hill (Cassndra Kassell), FX’s Better Things (Chaya). Showtime's The First Lady (Elizabeth Read). Judy also guest stars as Sophie in the much-anticipated Apple TV+ drama series Extrapolations. Other guest stars include Hulu’s Life and Beth, and Season 2 of Peacock’s Girls 5 Eva. She has had recurring roles on Comedy Central's Awkwafina, Netflix’s Friends from College and TBS’ Search Party. Her recent film credits include Love Reconsidered and the upcoming She Came To Me, and Eternal Buzz.
Judy is one of the main subjects in the Hulu documentary Hysterical. She has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show. From 1999-2010, Judy was the host of HBO’s At the Multiplex with Judy Gold. Judy also won two Emmy awards for writing and producing The Rosie O’Donnell Show. She was also a writer on the final season of Better Things.
Judy has written and starred in two critically acclaimed, Off-Broadway hit shows: The Judy Show – My Life as a Sitcom (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), and 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother (GLAAD Media Award – Outstanding NY Theater, Drama Desk Nomination – Actor). Judy received rave reviews as Gremio in The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park all-female production of The Taming of The Shrew. She also co-starred in Off-Broadway’s Clinton! The Musical, and Disaster! The Musical.
Judy has made numerous appearances on The View, The Today Show, The Drew Barrymore Show, and on MSNBC, CNN and NewsNation as free-speech advocate. She often pops up on The Food Network, but please do not mention Chopped All Stars or Rachel vs. Guy to her. Judy’s three albums, Conduct Unbecoming, Kill Me Now and Judith’s Roommate Had a Baby are available wherever you get your music. You can also check out her website, JudyGold.com or follow her on Twitter, Instagram or Tik Tok - @jewdygold
Kurtis Conner
A headlining comedian, podcaster, and global YouTube sensation, Kurtis Conner has sold out shows across North America and the world. After studying comedy writing and performance in Toronto, Conner quickly found an audience on Vine, later migrating to YouTube and growing that audience to over 4.2 million subscribers worldwide. His 2016 stand-up record Cuppla Jokes reached number 6 on the Billboard comedy chart and number 1 on iTunes, while his videos regularly hit the top ten trending page on YouTube. Conner has previously appeared on stage alongside collaborators Danny Gonzalez and Drew Gooden, and also hosts the Very Really Good podcast.
Langston Kerman
Langston Kerman is an LA based comedian, writer and actor. Langston can be seen starring in Bust Down (Peacock), a series that he also Executive Produced/Co-Created with Sam Jay, Chris Redd and Jak Knight. He is the head writer/one of the Executive Producers of PAUSE with Sam Jay (HBO), which was nominated for a WGA award for its first season and recently finished airing a second season. On screen Langston recurred as ‘Eagle The Archer’ in the second season of The Boys (Amazon). His other acting credits include starring alongside Lake Bell and Dax Shepard as ‘Brandon’ on the Bless This Mess (ABC) and recurring as ‘Jared’ on Insecure (HBO). Langston previously wrote for 2 seasons of South Side (HBO Max) and he recurs on the series as ‘Adam Bethune’. Langston’s podcast My Momma Told Me is part of Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network through iHeartMedia. His Comedy Central Half-Hour Special aired in September 2018 along with the release of his debut comedy album “Lightskinned Feelings.”
Leanne Morgan
Leanne Morgan, a veteran of the comedy community, is currently having a huge moment with the release of her first Netflix special, Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman, which premiered April 11, 2023 to amazing reviews and viewership. She will continue this summer on her sold out theater and arena tour, Just Getting Started. Her first book, What in the World?, is set to be published by Random House/Convergent in September 2024. Leanne will next be seen on screen in the Amazon feature, YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED, starring Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon, directed by Nick Stoller.
Maddy Kelly
Maddy Kelly is a young, super talented South Asian comedian. Maddy has been doing standup since she was 18 years old and has been featured on CTV’s The Standup Show with Jon Dore, JFL’s The New Wave of Comedy and is a regular on CBC Radio One’s The Debaters. She was also a writer/director on The Slowest Show (CBC Gem).
Mae Martin
Mae Martin is an award winning Canadian comedian, actor, writer, and producer who can be seen starring in Feel Good; a scripted, semi-autobiographical comedy drama series, which they also created and co-wrote. Co-starring Lisa Kudrow and Charlotte Ritchie, the series launched globally on Netflix and Channel 4 in the UK to widespread praise and a perfect 100% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mae’s performance earned them a RTS "Breakthrough Award" and Bafta TV award nomination as well as "Best Comedy Writer" again at RTS. Feel Good also won the Edinburgh TV award for “Best Comedy” as well as the “Best Comedy Drama series” at the C21 award and "Best Scripted Representation of LGBQT+" at the Mipcom Diversify Awards.
Mae's last stand-up show, Dope, focused on addiction and was nominated for "Best Comedy Show" at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards while earning four and five star national reviews in the UK. The show has since been turned in to a stand-up special for Netflix as part of their first global stand-up series, Comedians of the World.
Mae Martin's Guide To… series about sexuality and addiction were both BBC Audio Drama Award nominated and are available to listen to on BBC Sounds.
Mae is also the author of Can Everyone Please Calm Down?: A Guide to 21st Century Sexuality, published in May 2019 by Hachette imprint Wren and Rook.
Mark Chavez
Mark Chavez is a writer, actor, and comedian from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is one half of the Pajama Men, a narrative-sketch comedy duo that The Guardian hailed as “one of the most influential comedy groups of a generation,” as well as a member of the hugely popular Vancouver-based improv group The Sunday Service. Chavez has written & co-written numerous screen and teleplays for studios including the BBC, HBO, Scott Free, Film 4 and CBS and has appeared in television series such as The Twilight Zone, A Million Little Things, and Disney+’s The Mighty Ducks.
Mark Forward
Mark Forward has done stand-up on John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show (Comedy Central) The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) Funny As Hell (HBO) and Just For Laughs: All Access (The Comedy Network)
His TV work includes “Coach" on the Crave/Hulu Comedy series Letterkenny, Donny Mashman on Season 3 of Fargo on FX.
Mark also has 2 one hour Comedy Specials titled “Mark Forward presents Mark Forward” or “Mark Forward wins all the awards” which can be seen on Crave Tv.
Max Kerman
Fronting the unstoppable rock’n'roll band Arkells, Max Kerman is considered one of the most passionate and dynamic frontmen in the country. The band has racked up nine JUNO Awards, and countless #1 singles to date, with hundreds of millions of streams worldwide. Max’s keen awareness of politics and social activism have inspired the lyrics to many of Arkells’ most popular songs, which have propelled the band to being Canada’s most played Alt-Rock act. Their live show is second to none, having sold-out Scotiabank Arena and Budweiser Stage multiple times.
Arkells unique distinction in popular culture has received note and praise from fans, peers and the greater entertainment industry for their ability to authentically connect with their audiences. Max’s personal relationships with community advocates and business leaders in sports, tech and mental health have helped shape his worldview. His storytelling surrounds themes such as creativity, team building, and a joyful hustle.
Max is a keen observer of media at large. He spends his time outside of the band on The Best Hang Podcast - a rollicking weekly show that comments on sports, entertainment and comedy. Max is currently an executive producer on Crave’s THE DESSERT, a new sketch comedy show for which he’s also contributed the music. He co-owns a restaurant called ODDS, a community focused sports bar, and is a member of The Nick Nurse Foundation board – an organization that helps underserved youth in sports, literacy and music.
Mike Veerman
Mike Veerman is an award-winning commercial writer, director, producer, and composer. He is the co-creator and co-host of “Mike on Much: In Conversation With…” on Crave and “The Best Hang Podcast” on Acast. His natural ability to expertly lead and frame a conversation has led to over 200 long form interviews with the biggest names in entertainment (Sting, Dave Grohl, Camilla Cabello, Bill Hader, Noel Gallagher) and a reputation for being one of the best interviewers in the country. His award-winning music has appeared in multiple national campaigns and he has written or directed commercials for The MuchMusic Video Awards, The Grey Cup, CTV, MTV and TSN. Mike most recently co-created “The Dessert” on Crave.
Nath Valvo
The 2022 & 2023 host of Just For Laughs, Australia TV series - Nath is one of the fastest rising stars in comedy.
After storming the 2019 JFL stage in the Tiffany Haddish Gala, Nath Valvo now returns with his debut solo show.
Nath was nominated for Most Outstanding Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Nath’s razor-sharp wit and high-energy style has clocked over 10 million views on TikTok (and counting)
Don’t miss your chance to see one of Australia’s funniest strutting his stuff.
“Loved Nath Valvo tonight! A total natural.” Graham Norton
“A perfectly honed set that spans long-term relationships, retired parents and the annoyingly good life choices of others” ????? Sydney Morning Herald
'Valvo is relatable and very funny.' ???? The Scotsman
Neal Brennan
Three-time Emmy nominated writer, director, producer, and standup comedian Neal Brennan has become a force in the comedy world. An across-the-board talent, Neal has found success in almost every creative vein in the comedy community. Neal’s newest podcast, The Blocks Podcast - based on his newest comedy special, can be heard on all podcast platforms. That latest Netflix comedy special Neal Brennan: Blocks premiered globally on November 8, 2022.
Neal Brennan: Blocks was adapted from Neal’s hit one-man show Unacceptable. Beloved Magician/Artist Derek Delgaudio (HULU’s In & Of Itself) directed both the Netflix special and the theatre run. The stage show had a sold-out NYC residency in the Fall of 2021, with Interview Magazine lauding “together, Brennan and DelGaudio have crafted a genre-bending show focused as much on fun and laughter as it is on intimacy and honesty” and Theatermania gushing “The comedians Neal Brennan has written for is insane… Even more insane (in the best way), is the material Brennan writes for himself.” Neal’s critically acclaimed first off-Broadway one-man show 3 Mics also enjoyed a sold-out NYC run in 2016 with superstar musician John Legend serving as Executive Producer. 3 Mics was taped as a stand-up special, which premiered on Netflix in 2017, with Paste Magazine offering “It will floor you in the best way possible.”
As in-demand behind the camera as he is in front of it, Neal was recently a writer, creative consultant, and on-air correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He is a longtime collaborator of iconic comedian Dave Chappelle, with whom he has created multiple comedy fan favorites including the legendary Chappelle’s Show and the Emmy-winning Saturday Night Live episode immediately following the 2016 presidential election. Neal served as Executive Producer on Chris Rock’s recent standup special Chris Rock: Tamborine and as Director on fellow Daily Show Correspondent Michelle Wolf’s HBO special Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady. He has helped create and performed in numerous TV series and films, developing what The New York Times calls his “hip-hop and Frontline aesthetic.” He regularly headlines the good standup venues in the good parts of America.
For more information go to www.nealbrennan.com
Follow Neal on Twitter and Instagram - @nealbrennan
Nimesh Patel
Nimesh Patel is a comedian and Emmy-nominated writer who has risen the ranks to some of comedy’s biggest stages due to his unassailable joke writing, prolific output, and innovative marketing. In the past 2 years Nimesh has self-released three stand-up specials and has charted a path from sold out comedy clubs to major theaters.
Nimesh most recently appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and before that made his late night debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers. His self-released specials “Jokes To Get You Through Quarantine,” “Thank You, China,” and “Lucky Lefty” hav amassed millions of views.
His first writing job came after Chris Rock saw him perform standup and hired him directly to write for The Academy Awards in 2016 and tour with him. Since then, he has written for “Saturday Night Live,” “A Little Late with Lilly Singh,” The White House Correspondents Dinner, and was a producer for “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.”
Please Don't Destroy
Please Don’t Destroy is made up of Ben Marshall, John Higgins and Martin Herlihy. They are currently writing and making videos for Saturday Night Live – favorites include “Three Sad Virgins” featuring Taylor Swift and Pete Davidson, “Good Variant,” “Hard Seltzer”, “The Stakeout”, “Hangxiety” and more. They’ve been beloved repeat guests at NBC’s annual Miley Cyrus’s New Year’s Eve Party. Even before their viral videos online, the guys performed live sketch together all over NYC – since then they’ve headlined at the Netflix is a Joke Festival, the New York Comedy Festival, were featured at The Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, and consistently sell out colleges and marquee shows across the country. Ben, John, and Martin wrote and will star in their first movie, produced by Judd Apatow, coming out on November 17th on Peacock.
Quinta Brunson
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Quinta Brunson has been named one of Time 100’s Most Influential People in 2022, Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment, The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Gen Rising Young Stars, and dubbed “the new queen of sitcoms” by New York Magazine, Emmy award-winning actor, producer, writer and creator Quinta Brunson has quickly made a name for herself as a powerful force and game changer within the entertainment industry.
Brunson recently made history as the first Black woman to receive three Emmy nominations and the second Black woman to win an Emmy in the category of “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series” for her smash-hit, ABC series “Abbott Elementary,” which she stars in and serves as creator/showrunner, head writer, and executive producer.
Since its launch Brunson and “Abbott Elementary” have garnered a slew of awards season wins and nominations: seven 2022 Emmy nominations for its freshman season including Outstanding Comedy Series, with Brunson individually nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (win), five 2023 Golden Globe nominations including Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Brunson and Best Comedy Series, six 2023 Critics Choice Awards nominations for Best Comedy Series and Best Actress in a Comedy Series, a nomination for Brunson at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards for Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series, and becoming an AFI Honoree at the 2023 AFI Awards for Outstanding Television Program of the Year (to name a few).
Rachid Badouri
With over 17 years in comedy under his belt, Rachid Badouri is one of Canada and Quebec’s funniest exports to ever grace the world’s biggest stages.
Rachid burst onto the scene in his home province with a bang, being named “révélation” (top French-language newcomer) at the world-renowned Just For Laughs Gala in 2005 and Les Olivier, Quebec’s highest honor in comedy, in 2006.
This momentum helped propel the creation of his first one-man show, Arrête ton cinéma, which sold over 325,000 tickets to 420 performances across Quebec during its first run and garnered him six Olivier nominations.
In 2011, he took Arrête ton cinéma overseas for the first time to other major francophone markets, including Paris and throughout France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Morocco. The critical and commercial response in Europe and around the French-speaking world has grown so overwhelmingly that, since 2016, over 900,000 tickets have been sold to Rachid’s shows.
In 2013, Rachid’s second one-man show, Badouri rechargé, proved to be another smash hit, to the tune of over 250,000 spectators at 299 shows in all corners of Quebec.
Rachid is a mainstay of the Just For Laughs festival, having appeared numerous times between 2005 and 2017, and hosted five galas, both in English and French.
In 2015 and 2016, he was offered the role of host of JFL’s “The Ethnic Show,” a yearly gala featuring top comics from around the world — two performances that earned him TV tapings for JFL All Access and for Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, respectively. The following year, in 2017, Rachid delivered his first performance during JFL’s main English television gala in front of a packed house at Montreal’s Place des Arts.
Away from the stage, Rachid’s knack for performing has helped him lend his acting and voice talents to big and small screens alike. His most prominent roles to date have been in the animated world, voicing lead roles in French adaptations of Surf’s Up, The Angry Birds Movie, and Disney Pixar’s Up, alongside singing legend Charles Aznavour.
In front of the camera, Rachid is best known for his roles as host of Peut contenir des Rachid, a weekly, half-hour hidden camera show on Quebec’s TVA Network, and for his starring role in the Quebecois film Père fils thérapie!
In 2020 he launches his new show entitled Les fleurs du tapis, this third one man show by Rachid will end in December 2023.
In 2022, he hosts a new type of talk show called “Les imposteurs” on Noovo that is situated halfway between an interview program, a game show, and an improvisation battle!
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson is an Emmy nominated and SAG award-winning actor, writer, producer, and NY Times Best-Selling author who has found himself in a variety of comedic and theatrical roles throughout his career. His first breakthrough role came when he played assistant mortician “Arthur Martin” on HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” winning him and the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Wilson is best known for playing the inimitable ‘Dwight Schrute’ for nine seasons on NBC’s Emmy award winning comedy, “The Office,” a role which garnered him three Emmy Award nominations.
Wilson’s book, Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution published on April 25th and became a NY Times Best Seller. In the book, he explores the possibility and hope for a spiritual revolution, “a Soul Boom,” in order to address today’s greatest issues – mental health, racism and sexism, climate change, and economic justice.
This spring, Wilson hosted a six-part travel docuseries “Rainn Wilson and The Geography of Bliss” in which he traveled around the world to discover how different cultures find happiness. The docuseries is based on Eric Weiner’s novel “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World” and is produced by Radical Media alongside Weiner and Wilson.
In the past year, Wilson appeared in Roku’s “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story.” Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood also star. He also starred opposite Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening “Jerry & Marge Go Large” which premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival and was released on Paramount+ in June 2022. The film is based on the true story of retiree ‘Jerry Selbee’ (Bryan Cranston) who discovers a mathematical loophole in the lottery and wins million of dollars.
The same year, Wilson appeared in AMC’s thriller “Dark Winds,” based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman. The story follows Navajo police offers navigating a murder case and their own spiritual beliefs based in the Navajo Nation during 1971. Wilson played ‘Devoted Dan,’ a pious and morally bankrupt used car salesman.
In 2020, Wilson hosted a six-part docuseries, “An Idiot’s Guide to Climate Change” on YouTube that he created with SoulPancake, his digital media company. In the series, Wilson embarks on a quest to better understand climate change basics and how individuals can help combat its dangerous effects on the planet. That year, he also starred in Gillian Flynn’s series “Utopia” for Amazon and Alexander McAulay's “Don’t Tell A Soul.”
In 2019, he can be seen on “Star: Trek Discovery” as the iconic conman, ‘Harry Mudd’ and Roger Michell's “Blackbird” as ‘Michael’ opposite Kate Winslet.
In 2018, Wilson co-starred in Warner Brothers’ “The Meg” opposite Jason Statham and Ruby Rose. The same year, Wilson appeared onstage in Chicago, in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s “The Doppelganger” as well as the HBO series “Room 104” from the Duplass Brothers.
In 2013, the Emmy award winning sitcom “The Office” came to a close after 9 successful season producing Wilson’s most memorable character, ‘Dwight Schrute.’ This role earned him eight SAG Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble and three wins. Wilson was nominated three years in a row for an Emmy award in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The show earned forty-two Emmy nominations and five wins.
In 2009, Wilson founded the digital media company SoulPancake. The channel has over 3.5 million subscribers and over 100 million views. SoulPancake discusses religion, art, science, philosophy, culture, etc. and is designed to “open your mind, challenge your friends, and feel damn good.” As an extension of the site, Rainn wrote his first book, SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions in 2010, which was a New York Times best-seller. In November 2015, Wilson followed SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions with his autobiographical memoir titled The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy which was published by Dutton. Through SoulPancake, he co-hosted a weekly podcast, “Metaphysical Milkshake” alongside scholar Reza Aslan.
In 2005, Wilson made his directorial debut with “The New Bozena,” a sketch comedy and post-modern clown show about the challenge of dealing with a shallow world and the trial of learning how to act when you are in way over your head.
Additional television appearances include “Backstrom,” “Law & Order,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Entourage,” “Charmed,” “Monk,” “Numb3rs,” “Reno911!,” and a cameo as Dwight Schrute in “Family Guy.
Additional film credits include “Shimmer Lake,” “The Boy,” “HESHER,” “Cooties,” “Sahara,” “My Super Ex-girlfriend,” “Juno,” “Monsters vs. Aliens,” “BAADASSSSS!,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Super,” “Galaxy Quest,” “Almost Famous” and “The Rocker.”
Wilson pursued his acting career by studying acting at NYU’s graduate acting program. From there, he spent years doing theatre on Broadway and on tour with the Acting Company. He was on Broadway in “The Tempest” with Patrick Stewart as well as the Tony nominated “London Assurance.” Rainn worked off-Broadway at The Public Theater and Playwrights Horizons, and performed regularly at The Arena Stage, The Guthrie. The comedy show he created, “The New Bozena,” had a successful off-Broadway run at The Cherry Lane, and later played in Los Angeles at The Hudson Guild and The Tiffany. Wilson performed the critically acclaimed one-person monologue “Thom Pain (Based On Nothing)” at The Geffen; and most recently, he was the lead role in the political farce. “The Doppelganger,” at Steppenwolf Theater.
Wilson is the co-founder of a non-profit in Haiti called “The Lidè Foundation,” along with his wife, author Holiday Reinhorn, that provides arts and literacy education for at-risk adolescent girls.
In 2022, Wilson changed his name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson to protest climate change.
Ramy Youssef
Ramy Youssef is an award-winning Egyptian American creator, actor, producer, director, and comedian who brings his unique voice and perspective to his storytelling. Youssef created, produces, directs and stars in the hit Hulu show “Ramy,” inspired by his own experiences centering around a first-generation Egyptian-American Muslim on a spiritual journey in his politically divided New Jersey neighborhood. He won a Golden Globe® in 2020 on behalf of “Ramy” in the category of “Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy.” In 2020, the Television Academy nominated Youssef for two Emmy Awards® in the categories of “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series” and “Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series” on behalf of the second season of “Ramy.” He also won the Peabody Award on behalf of the series. The third season of Youssef’s widely celebrated “Ramy” premiered on September 30th, 2022.
Youssef was also nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award and a Writers Guild Award for his one-hour HBO comedy special “Ramy Youssef: Feelings” produced by A24.
Youssef is a co-creator and executive producer of Netflix’s new series “Mo,” a semi-autobiographical series inspired by Amer’s life as a Palestinian refugee growing up in Houston. “Mo” recently debuted to critical acclaim and was produced with A24 and Youssef’s new production company, Cairo Cowboy. The show premiered in August of 2022. The series won the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Series Under 40 Minutes, and was recognized by AFI as one of their Top Television Programs of the year.
On the feature front, Youssef will also star alongside Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo in Yorgos Lanthimos’ highly anticipated film POOR THINGS for Searchlight, which will make its debut in 2023.
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye is an award-winning comedian, singer, and writer.
Reuben made his TV debut in Australia, performing twice on ABC Australia’s Melbourne Comedy Fest, as a guest on SBS Australia’s Celebrity Letters & Numbers, and on ABC Australia’s Spicks and Specks. Reuben has also appeared on UK television shows including BBC’s The Apprentice: You’re Fired, Channel 4’s Kids React to Drag, and given a lauded keynote at TEDxCurrumbin titled When Your Child Comes Out.
Reuben is an internationally renowned cabaret host, with previous residencies in London, Berlin and Stockholm. In 2022, his comedy cabaret show The Butch Is Back won three Green Room Awards: for Best Cabaret Artist, Best Production and Best Musical Direction. In 2021, both Perth Fringeworld and the Adelaide Fringe awarded Reuben their Best Cabaret award, and Melbourne Comedy Festival nominated him for the Most Outstanding Show award.
Rick Ingraham
Rick Ingraham, originally from Kansas, has been a stand-up comedian and actor for over 20 years. Onstage, he specializes in crowd work and insult comedy. He can be seen performing several nights a week at the Comedy Store and other Hollywood clubs and also co-hosts the Comedy Store podcast.
River Butch
River Butcher is a Los Angeles-based standup comic, actor, and writer. His first half-hour special "A Different Kind of Dude'' debuted on Comedy Central's Youtube channel and was called "a masterclass in culture war commentary" by Esquire.com. The special also garnered the title of "Some of the Best Jokes of 2022 So Far." River recently wrote and produced on the FX pilot "Belated," previously wrote for "A League of Their Own," and created/starred in/wrote the critically acclaimed and GLAAD award nominated "Take My Wife." You may have also seen them as nonbinary standup comic LB Brady on "Good Trouble" and Adam Conover's sibling on "Adam Ruins Everything" or queer dinner guest Denim in the hit "Friendsgiving." They've done stand-up all over the country, the globe, and the screen, including Ellen, Conan, Comedy Central, and HBO.
Ronny Chieng
Ronny Chieng is a stand up comedian, actor and Correspondent on "The Daily Show". He starred in "Crazy Rich Asians", Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", Disney's "Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.", NBC's "Young Rock" and "M3GAN". He has two stand up comedy specials on Netflix. He will next be seen in the Disney Plus series "American Born Chinese" and Hulu’s upcoming series "Interior Chinatown".
Ryan Beil
Ryan Beil is an actor and comedian born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Best known for a wildly successful run of commercials for the fast food chain A&W and his legendary improv troupe the Sunday Service. He has appeared in films such as Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, and TV shows like X-Files, My Little Pony, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and The CW’s Charmed.
Sabrina Wu
Sabrina Wu (They/Them) is a Brooklyn-based comedian, writer, and actor who can soon be seen starring as a lead in the upcoming UNT. ADELE LIM feature for Point Grey/Lionsgate.
On the writing side, Sabrina is staffed on DYING FOR SEX at FX, based on the hit Wondery podcast. They recently sold their pilot, IT GETS BETTER, to 20th and were previously staffed on DOOGIE KAMEALOHA M.D. for Disney+ while still being a full time student at Harvard.
On the stand-up front, Sabrina was just selected as a JFL New Face at the 2022 festival in Montreal, they also regularly perform all over New York City, at venues such as Union Hall and the Bell House. Their stand-up has been selected for the New York Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival, and Laughing Skull Comedy Festival.
Sam Taggart
Sam Taggart is a comedian, writer, and actor living in Brooklyn. He has appeared on Search Party, Los Espookys, and Ziwe, for which he was also a writer. He was part of Comedy Central’s Digital Creators Program in 2020, named one of the Up Next comedians for Comedy Central’s Clusterfest in 2018, and was included on Vulture’s list of "Comedians You Should And Will Know for 2021."
Sasheer Zamata
Sasheer Zamata is a comedian, actress and writer who can be seen on ABC's Home Economics, Hulu's Woke, Comedy Central's Robbie, the horror comedy film Spree, and Lionsgate's romantic comedy The Weekend. She was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for four seasons, and has appeared on This American Life and Late Night with Stephen Colbert. Her stand up special Pizza Mind is available to stream online and she is one half of the weekly podcast Best Friends, with her best friend Nicole Byer.
Shane Cunningham
Born and raised in “The Hammer,” Shane Cunningham grew up obsessed with cameras, filmmaking and making people laugh. While most 15-year-olds were off playing sports and exploring their sexuality, Shane was busy stalking his mom’s new boyfriend. At 15, he made a documentary about confronting his mother’s cheating boyfriend — an experience that brought him Internet fame (with 1 million views) and a belief that filmmaking could be a viable career option. After completing a semester in TV Broadcasting at Mohawk College, Shane entered and won an international MTV intern contest but took a job at MuchMusic instead, where he works as a director and producer.
Shane’s inspiration to create THE DESSERT came from his lifelong love for sketch comedy and an unyielding belief that his unique brand of humour would resonate with audiences on a conventional platform – because let’s be honest, when it comes down to it, we’re all a bunch of weirdos.
Steph Tolev
Steph Tolev caught fire on the “BILL BURR PRESENTS: FRIENDS WHO KILL” Netflix Special, that was taped as a part of the Netflix is a Joke Festival. She was named a COMEDIAN YOU SHOULD AND WILL KNOW by Vulture, which recognized her one of Toronto’s funniest exports. She was featured on Comedy Central’s THE RINGERS stand up series, and season two of UNPROTECTED SETS. Steph will appear in the upcoming feature DRUGSTORE JUNE, as well as OLD DADS starring Bill Burr, Bobby Cannavale, and Bokeem Woodbine. She has appeared in Comedy Central’s CORPORATE, and starred in an episode of the Sarah Silverman-produced PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME. Steph has been well-received at festivals all over the world, she can be seen performing all around LA, including The Comedy Store where she is a paid regular, and headlines clubs across the country.
Zarna Garg
Zarna Garg is “One in a Billion”, and that's not the just name of her first comedy special. She’s also the only Indian mom comedian taking on her mother-in-law. She was recently profiled as one of the gutsiest women in comedy on Apple TV’s new “Gutsy Women” series, and featured on “This American Life” with Ira Glass. When she’s not doing 15 shows a week at Comedy Cellar in New York City, she is touring the world with her show. She is the winner of Kevin Hart's Lyft Comics, the winner of the 2021 Ladies of Laughter Award, and has over a million followers across social media platforms. Her debut feature screenplay, ‘Rearranged’ won Top Comedy Feature award at Austin Film Festival in 2019 and was a 2019 Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist.