By Jessica Schultz
We could all use a few laughs; it’s been a strange couple of years. Things are starting to return to a semblance of normal and getting to go out and enjoy a festival or two is high on everyone’s list of priorities. The National Comedy Center (located at 203 W. 2nd Street in Jamestown NY) agrees that it’s time to have a little end of summer fun. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival returns for 2022 August 3-7, 2022.
The Villager had the opportunity to discuss this year’s event with Gary Hahn, The Comedy Center’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications and he had a lot of great information to share.
The Villager (V): The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is back for 2022, what’s new this year?
Gary (G): “The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is live and in-person for the first time in three years. The 2022 event marks the milestone 30th year for the festival as we celebrate comedy’s greatest stars and rising talent. The headliners this year include Margaret Cho, who was recently listed as one of Rolling Stones 50 Best Comics; Jeff Foxworthy, one of the top selling comedians of all time; and Legends of SNL David Spade, Rob Schneider and Kevin Nealon, which is has now sold out. Not to mention I Love Lucy legacy events, block parties, live music, a family comedy show, and so much more will be available for you to enjoy at the festival this year.”
V: What is the cost of admission and where can you purchase tickets?
G: “Tickets are available to purchase at ComedyCenter.org/Festival. Ticket prices vary by event. There are free events as well as ticketed events and live performances with pricing starting at $17.50. Both the Lucy Desi Museum and National Comedy Center have extended hours during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. While reservations are not required, we do recommend purchasing tickets for a particular arrival time in advance at ComedyCenter.org to ensure that you can visit at the best time for you.”
V: Who are the featured performers for this event?
G: “Margaret Cho is our first headliner to perform during the festival and it will be held at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on Thursday, August 4. Cho is a trailblazing comedian, actress, musician, and activist and we are so excited to have her performing at the festival.
Jeff Foxworthy is our second headlining act at the festival this year. Foxworthy will be performing two shows at Northwest Arena on Friday, August 5 — the first show is now sold out but there are still tickets available for the second show. Foxworthy is beloved for his ‘You might be a redneck…’ jokes, and he’s truly one of the best stand-ups performing today, finding humor in everyday family interactions and human nature with a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s.
During our Stand-Up Showcase on Wednesday, August 3 comedy fans will be able to see comics from across the country with credits including America’s Got Talent, Last Comic Standing, Conan, Fallon, Colbert, and more. Performers include JC Currais, Angel Gaines, Kevin McCaffery, Caitlin Peluffo, and Francisco Ramos.
Legends of SNL: David Spade, Rob Schneider, and Kevin Nealon, three of the best talent from Saturday Night Live, will be reunited on stage and performing live at Northwest Arena on Saturday, August 6. This show is now sold out.”
V: There is a lot happening at the festival, what do you think are the highlights?
G: The headliners this year are simply incredible and will be sure to be a hit at the festival this year. The Stand-Up Showcase is another great event to see some of the best up-and-coming talent in the comedy world.
The festival’s Comedy Late Night performances that take place August 4-6 are always crowd favorites. Rising comedians will be performing their newest, and sometimes blue-est material. These shows will contain adult content.
Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy legacy events are also huge hits with festival goers. We’ll offer multiple Lucille Ball Hometown Tours on both Friday and Saturday. We’re also presenting “Lucy Under the Stars,” on Wednesday and Thursday night, where you can join us outside the National Comedy Center for a free showing of classic Lucy episodes on our two 350-square-foot video screen. We recommend you bring your own chairs and blankets as available seating is limited. Another crowd favorite are the “Lucy and Ethel” Shows taking place at the Robert H Jackson Center on Friday and Saturday where you can enjoy Lucy and Ethel – and one of the most iconic friendships in TV history – as these characters are brought to life by actors Diane Vincent and Rhonda Medina. All the event details as well as tickets for the events can be found on our website: comedycenter.org/festival.”
V: Is this a family friendly event? If yes, are there things geared directly towards the younger members of the family?
G: “Absolutely. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is meant to be enjoyed by the entire family with something for everyone. We hope families will join us for our FREE family comedy show on Saturday, August 6 featuring one-of-a-kind comedy, juggling, and stunts performed by comedian and variety entertainer Nels Ross. It’s fun for the whole family.”
V: What are the center’s plans for the rest of 2022?
G: “The National Comedy Center recently opened our new Carl Reiner exhibit: Carl Reiner Keep Laughing. This exhibit showcases hundreds of never-before-seen archival materials spanning Reiner’s remarkable seven decades as a writer, director, producer, author, and performer. We were honored to have the Reiner family, including director/actor Rob Reiner, visit the National Comedy Center last week to cut the ribbon as we officially opened this exhibit.
In the coming weeks, the National Comedy Center will be celebrating the 30th anniversary since Johnny Carson’s final Tonight Show with a new, theatrical presentation: Johnny Carson: The Immersive Experience, in the National Comedy Center’s state-of-the-art theater. This experience will feature rare archival video of Johnny’s remarkable 30-year run as the host of The Tonight Show, plus wardrobe and artifacts, including the original, iconic rainbow curtain.”
Thank you, Gary, for taking the time to speak with us about the upcoming festival and a huge thank you to the whole National Comedy Center team for hosting such a spectacular community event. And another special thank you to all the comedians coming out to perform for our communities.
Caption: Headliners this year include Margaret Cho, who was recently listed as one of Rolling Stones “50 Best Comics”; Jeff Foxworthy, one of the top selling comedians of all time; and “Legends of SNL” David Spade, Rob Schneider and Kevin Nealon, which is has now sold out.
Continuation Caption: Along with all the celebrity comedians, I Love Lucy legacy events include block parties, live music, a family comedy show, and so much more will be available for you to enjoy at the festival this year.