20 Things You Didn’t Know about the New York Comedy Festival

20 Things You Didn’t Know about the New York Comedy Festival

The largest and longest running comedy festival in the U.S. celebrates its 20^th anniversary in 2024

1. In 2004, the New York Comedy Festival was launched by Caroline Hirsch as part of a post 9/11 initiative to rebuild and revitalize New York City and took place over five days with more than 50 comedians, including Drew Carey, Denis Leary, Mo’Nique, and Steven Wright.

1. The first film screened as part of the NYCF was Jeff Ross’ Patriot Act in 2005.

1. Also in 2005, “Cool Comedy, Hot Cuisine,” a benefit for the Scleroderma Research Foundation made its NYCF debut. Co-Creator Caroline Hirsch would receive the inaugural Bob Saget Legacy Award at “CC, HC” eighteen years later in 2023.

1. Dane Cook became the first standup comedian ever to sell out back-to-back Madison Square Garden shows in one night in 2006.

1. Artie Lange performed the festival’s first-ever show at Carnegie Hall, which sold out in under two hours. The show paused for five minutes with Artie’s opening act on stage to accommodate a prolonged standing ovation for a late-arriving Howard Stern.

1. The New York’s Funniest Stand-Up Competition launched in 2007, spotlighting up-and-coming talent and the headliners of tomorrow. Future comedy stars including Nate Bargatze, Michael Che, Ricky Velez and Tim Dillon would all go on to win in later years.

1. The first Stand-Up for Heroes show took place at Town Hall featuring Conan O’Brien, Lewis Black, Robin Williams, and Bruce Springsteen in 2007. Created by Caroline Hirsch, Andrew Fox and Lee and Bob Woodruff, the event benefited the Bob Woodruff Foundation and has become a signature event of the festival. To date, Stand-Up for Heroes has raised over $85 million to support veterans, service members, and military families.

1. In 2011, the NYCF expanded beyond Manhattan and into Queens and Brooklyn.

1. In 2012, Kevin Hart taped his concert film “Let Me Explain” at Madison Square Garden as part of the NYCF.

1. In 2013, the NYCF marked its 10^th anniversary with 80 shows across all five boroughs.

1. In 2015, the festival expanded to six days. Headliner Judd Apatow performs at Carnegie Hall with surprise guests Adam Sandler and Mike Birbiglia.

1. In 2016, Eric Andre headlines the NYCF for a set of shows at Carolines on Broadway, where he once worked in the box office when he first came to NYC.

1. In 2017, the festival features a Second City Pop-Up Training Center, bringing the famed Chicago improv enterprise to The Big Apple.

1. At the 2018 NYCF, TBS, the title sponsor of the Festival, took over Sony Hall with Team Coco to establish a pop up comedy club with comedy programming curated by Conan O’Brien.

1. In 2020, the global pandemic forces the cancellation of the NYCF. The show went on for Stand-Up for Heroes, which was presented virtually with performances by Nate Bargatze, Ronny Chieng, Sheryl Crow, Jeannie Gaffigan, Mickey Guyton, Tiffany Haddish, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Brad Paisley, Ray Romano, Patti Scialfa, Iliza Shlesinger, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Stewart. 

1. In 2021, the NYCF returned in-person! First responders and frontline workers are honored in the festival’s official announcement video. The festival’s return was announced by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and festival founder Caroline Hirsch at a City Hall press briefing.

1. NYCF expanded beyond the five boroughs of NYC for the first time, featuring John Mulaney at the UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Nassau County, Long Island.

1. NYC Mayor Eric Adams proclaimed August 16, 2022 as “Caroline Hirsch Day” in New York City at a press conference at the Hard Rock Hotel New York, the official hotel of the NYCF.

1. In 2023, the Festival presented its highest number of shows ever – producing 318 events.

1. Now in its 20^th year, NYCF will run from November 8 to 17, 2024, featuring headliners including Judd Apatow, Jeff Arcuri, Dave Attell, Zarna Garg, How Did This Get Made?, Gabriel Iglesias, I’ve Had It, Joe List, Bill Maher, Matt McCusker, Tracy Morgan, Nurse John, Ms. Pat, Adam Ray is Dr. Phil, The Rest Is History, Justin Silva, JB Smoove, Dan Soder, Sommore, Jimmy O. Yang, Jaboukie Young-White, and more. Fun fact on Headliner Judd Apatow – while he may have a well-known movie directing career today, when Judd was a teenager, he snuck into Carolines in Chelsea as a reporter and ended up interviewing Pee Wee Herman.

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ABOUT THE NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL

Launched in 2004, The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) was created by Caroline Hirsch and Carolines. The NYCF has brought together the country’s top comedians including Judd Apatow, Bill Burr, Margaret Cho, Larry David, Kevin Hart, Jo Koy, Nick Kroll, Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, Tracy Morgan, and many others to venues throughout the five boroughs of New York City. In 2007, NYCF launched the “Stand Up for Heroes” event to benefit The Bob Woodruff Foundation, which has featured performances by Stephen Colbert, Jim Gaffigan, Ricky Gervais, John Mayer, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, John Oliver, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Ross, Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, and many others. To date, Stand Up For Heroes events have raised over $85 million. For more information, visit https://nycomedyfestival.com and follow on social media Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #MakeNYLaugh.