Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
Comedians Gabriel “Spongy” Iglesias and Taylor Tomlinson will headline the 2023 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, the National Comedy Center has announced. The festival will take place from August 2 to 6 this summer.
Iglesias, the world’s best-selling comedian in 2022 and one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with more than 1.1 billion views, will perform on Thursday, August 3. He continues to sell out theaters around the world and has over 25 million fans on social media, his immense popularity uniquely spanning all age groups.
Iglesias is one of a number of elite comedians who have headlined and sold out Madison Square Garden, Staples Center and the Sydney Opera House and became the first comedian to perform at Dodger Stadium, selling out 45,000 seats in 2022. He is the star and executive producer. from the Netflix original comedy series Mr. Iglesias and numerous Netflix specials. He will co-star in the upcoming second season of the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.
Tomlinson, who is currently breaking box office records set by Jerry Seinfeld and selling out venues around the world after his two critically acclaimed Netflix specials, will perform on Friday, August 4 as part of his current “They have everything” turns
He has recently had several sold out shows in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Dublin and more. In Boston, it eclipsed a mark previously set by Seinfeld with 14,000 tickets sold at the Bosh Center. Tomlinson was named the “Rising Comedy Star of the Year” in 2022 by Just for Laughs and Variety named her one of the “Top 10 Comedians to Watch. TIME magazine selected her for their TIME100 Next list and Forbes named her to their “List of 30 under 30″ Hollywood and entertainment.
Taylor Tomlinson
Tomlinson’s second Netflix special, Look at You, was recognized as the top comedy special of 2022 by The New York Times, Vulture and The Los Angeles Times. He has performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Mornings and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“I am very excited to be a part of this summer’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown,” Tomlinson said. “Can’t wait to see you all at the National Comedy Center in August.”
Both Iglesias’ Aug. 3 performance and Tomlinson’s Aug. 4 performance will take place at Jamestown’s Northwest Arena, adjacent to the National Comedy Center complex.
“The National Comedy Center is pleased to welcome these two record-breaking comedies: Gabe Iglesias, who sold more tickets than any other stand-up artist last year, and Taylor Tomlinson, who is selling out crowds shows all over the world.” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center. “It’s only fitting that the National Comedy Center festival is headlined by both a legend and the future of comedy. We’re thrilled to have them.”
The festival’s popular Stand-Up Showcase will take center stage on Saturday, August 5. Comedy Late Night will take place every night from Thursday 3rd August to Saturday 5th August. The festival will feature more than 20 of the most popular artists today. performing in comedy clubs and appearing on late-night television.
A free family comedy and variety event will take place on Wednesday, August 2, featuring performer Nels Ross at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, followed by “Lucy Under the Stars” — a free block party featuring a screening of classic I Love Lucy episodes presented on the jumbo screens in front of the National Comedy Center.
To become a member of the National Comedy Center, visit ComedyCenter.org/membership or call the National Comedy Center at 716-484-2222. Memberships start at $75 and offer year-round benefits including a “season pass” to visit the acclaimed National Comedy Center in Jamestown.
The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is presented by the National Comedy Center and embodies Lucille Ball’s vision for her hometown to be a destination for celebrating the comedic arts and showcasing new comedic talent from around the country. The festival attracts more than 15,000 attendees annually from almost every state in the country.
Now in its 33rd year, the festival has featured comedy’s top stars and up-and-coming young comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld, Lily Tomlin, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Jay Leno, Sebastian Maniscalco, Amy Schumer, Brian Regan, Ellen DeGeneres, Lewis Black, W. Kamau Bell, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, the Smothers Brothers. and more than a hundred other comic artists.
Last year’s festival featured comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Margaret Cho and Saturday Night Live alumni David Spade, Kevin Nealon and Rob Schneider.
Tickets for the shows, along with other festival events like the Stand-Up Showcase, will go on sale in advance for National Comedy Center members only from noon on Friday, May 12 through Wednesday, May 17 at ComedyCenter .org. The public sale date will begin on Friday, May 19 at noon.
Late Night Comedy Shows and Lucy’s Legacy events will also go on sale at that time in a lineup celebrating contemporary comedy stars, rising voices and historic legacies. There will also be a free family event of variety and comedy, as well as evening parties with live music.
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