South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 9-18, 2018) has announced an initial list of SXSW Comedy Festival participants and shows. For over a decade, the festival has pulled guests from all corners of the entertainment industry — hosting hundreds of acclaimed comedians and entertainers. With an established history of featuring tomorrow’s celebrated performers, the festival introduces film and media icons to the next wave of groundbreaking comedic talent. Along with a list of rising stars, this year’s festival hosts performances from the industry’s brightest comics and a catalogue of diverse programming, including showcases, podcast recordings, conversations, and more.
“We hope to bring together compelling voices in comedy and provide them a place to shine within SXSW’s diverse media landscape. The unique gathering from all reaches of entertainment so often leads to surprising moments and lasting relationships.” said Charlie Sotelo, Head of SXSW Comedy Festival. “It’s exciting to watch our performers thrive in that environment and we can’t wait to see what happens.”
2018 SXSW Comedy Festival Participants
Adam Lustick • Adam Pally • Aparna Nancherla • Baron Vaughn • Beth Stelling • Betsy Sodaro • Bill Hader • Chris Garcia • Conner O’Malley • Dave Anthony • Dave Hill • David Gborie • Dick Cavett • Doug Benson • Gareth Reynolds • Godfrey • Horatio Sanz • Ian Abramson • Ian Karmel • Jake Weisman • James Adomian • James Davis • Jermaine Fowler • Jim Gaffigan • Jo Firestone • Joe Pera • Jon Gabrus • Lauren Lapkus • Leonard Maltin • Liza Treyger • Lynne Koplitz • Maeve Higgins • Martha Kelly • Matt Besser • Matt Ingebretson • Matteo Lane • Matthew Broussard • Monroe Martin • Nick Thune • Nick Offerman • Orlando Leyba • Pat Bishop • Rachel Bloom • Ramon Rivas • Robin Thede • Ron White • Roy Wood Jr. • Sam Morril • Scott Aukerman • Sean Patton • Stuart Goldsmith • Vanessa Gonzalez • Willie Barcena and more
2018 SXSW Comedy Festival Special Programs Featuring ASSSSCAT • Butterboy • Comedy Bang! Bang! • Comedy Central’s Corporate Retreat • Doug Loves Movies • improv4humans • James Davis and Friends • Loud Village Live • Maltin on Movies • The Comedian’s Comedian • The Dollop • Witch Taint and more!
This year’s festival opens on Friday, March 9th with WFMU’s Dave Hill hosting, Cavett on Comedy, a conversation with broadcasting legend and pop icon, Dick Cavett. From his start as a writer on Jack Paar’s The Tonight Show, Cavett kept close to comedy through his run on The Dick Cavett Show and throughout his distinguished career. He’ll share stories from his nearly 60-years entwined with some of comedy greatest figures.
The lineup includes collaborations highlighting current works by relevant presenters and performers. Comedy Central’s Corporate Retreat will celebrate the season-one finale of “Corporate,” the network’s dark, incisive take on cubicle life — featuring creators, Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman, along with co-stars Adam Lustick, Aparna Nancherla, and Baron Vaughn. The delightfully subdued Joe Pera will lend his best indoor voice to this year’s list of live performances. He’ll join Jo Firestone (The Tonight Show) and Conner O’Malley (Late Night with Seth Meyers) for a showcase performance and sneak peek of his new Adult Swim, live-action comedy, “Joe Pera Talks With You.” Nancherla, Firestone and Maeve Higgins host Brooklyn’s newest must-see show, Butterboy. Higgins and Nancherla, backed by DJ Donwill’s musical-stylings, will welcome Roy Wood Jr. and a lineup of hilarious friends to a special SXSW edition of Butterboy. And Adam Pally will host Rachel Bloom and the cast of Most Likely to Murder (a SXSW Film world premiere) for an evening of music and stories about growing up.
This year’s roster also includes several festival favorites. Upright Citizen Brigade (UCB) cofounder, Matt Besser, returns with his hit podcast improv4humans. He’ll also lead UCB’s flagship show, ASSSCAT (improv based on true tales from celebrity guests), riff on hit songs in the Sing-A-Long Comedy Experiment, and provide weed comedy for stoners and friends of stoners at The 420 Show. The Laugh Button returns with New York’s Gotham Comedy Club to present a lineup of favorites from the iconic club’s stage. Dave Hill and musician Phil Costello, as the faux black metal band Witch Taint, will read the viral email exchange that almost landed the band a real Norwegian record deal and close with a performance from Witch Taint’s terrifying catalog. (Assuming you can handle it.)
Following a morning SXSW Conference discussion between Jake Tapper and the real Bernie Sanders, comic and expert impressionist, James Adomian (Bernie vs. Trump), will hold a Bernie Sanders Town Hall as the 2016 presidential hopeful. Later in the week he’ll perform his Edinburgh Fringe show, “Lacking in Character,” a uniquely detached critique of masculinity in our culture and the circus fire of today’s American politics.
The schedule also features a slate of live podcast recordings. Scott Aukerman returns with Comedy Bang! Bang! featuring an all-star lineup of actors and improvisors, and Doug Benson will record his hit game-show podcast, Doug Loves Movies. Renowned film historian Leonard Maltin will lead several interviews with comedic guests, including Bill Hader, for Maltin on Movies, and Dave Anthony will surprise Gareth Reynolds with historical absurdities on their wildly successful podcast, The Dollop. Robin Thede will tape an episode of The Randown — the companion podcast to BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede. Stuart Goldsmith’s podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, has grown into a giant on the UK comedy scene attracting a who’s who of British comedy. Curious and insightful, he’ll bring his distinct style stateside to interview fellow performers James Davis, Ron White, and others.
In partnership with the SXSW Music Festival, AUDIBLE IMPACT in support of The Ally Coalition, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ equality. Nick Offerman (Hearts Beat Loud at SXSW) will host a special night of music and comedy at ACL LIVE featuring Jim Gaffigan (You Can Choose Your Family at SXSW) and headliners from across the festival.
truTV has long supported SXSW Comedy by creating an inviting green room experience for festival comedians. This year, the network will expand its sponsorship to also bring its distinct, original touch Esther’s Follies, the beloved Austin theater and SXSW Comedy headquarters, enhancing the festival-going experience with a comedic art installation.
Stay tuned for further announcements from SXSW Comedy, which will include information about additional performers, showcases, and events. Full details and lineups will soon be live at sxsw.com/comedy/2018.
The SXSW Comedy Festival is open to all SXSW Badges, Music Festival and Film Festival Wristband holders.
Source: SXSW Comedy
