SXSW recording first-ever stand-up special during 2015 comedy fest

The SXSW festival’s comedy lineup always boasts an array of big names, but this year’s festival (March 14-21, 2015) features something brand-new that you’ll be able to enjoy later even if you couldn’t make it to Austin, Texas.

A recorded SXSW stand-up special!

The festival announced today that it’ll feature two live broadcast tapings, each hosted by W. Kamau Bell and spotlighting a different lineup of phenomenal comics. SXSW didn’t say yet whether its first recorded special will be of the CD, DVD, cable TV or streaming (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu) variety.

The festival previously announced it’ll be hosting the broadcast or movie premieres of the following during the Interactive and Film portions of SXSW 2015:

  • Angie Tribeca (TBS)
  • The Comedians (FX)
  • Get Hard, co-starring Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart
  • Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy
  • A work-in-progress version of Trainwreck, written by and starring Amy Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow
  • Hello, My Name is Doris, directed by Michael Showalter
  • Documentaries Knock Knock, It’s Tig Notaro and BRAND: A Second Coming
  • Plus a panel with the stars of HBO’s Veep
  • And a keynote address from Mark Duplass

So be on the lookout for appearances by some of those comedians in the late-night SXSW comedy showcases.

You’ll definitely also see the “world premiere” of James Adomian and Scott Aukerman’s IFC sitcom The Embassy, with a very specially-cast live script reading.

Plus:

  • An edition of ASSSSCAT led by UCB co-founders Matt Besser and Matt Walsh
  • An Above Average Evening benefiting The Ally Coalition, raising funds for Austin-based nonprofit OutYouth.
  • All Things Comedy’s Bill Burr and Al Madrigal talking in a panel, Owning Your Work: The Future of All Things Comedy, followed by a live recording of their flagship podcast, and appearances on The Laugh Button Live with Gotham Comedy Club.
  • Comedy Central hosting showcases of What’s Your Fucking Deal?! with host Jay Oakerson, as well as This Is Not Happening with host Ari Shaffir
  • Two episodes of Doug Loves Movies with Doug Benson
  • Three late-night editions of Roast Battle with Jeffrey Ross as judge

The SXSW comedy lineup includes confirmed performances from: Adam Cayton-Holland • Al Madrigal • Allen Strickland Williams • Amy Schumer • Andrew Orvedahl • Andrew Santino • Ari Shaffir • Ben Roy • Beth Stelling • Bill Burr • Bob Saget • Brent Morin • Brooks Wheelan • Chris D’Elia • Dan Harmon • Dave Ross • Doug Benson • Eliot Glazer • Eric Andre • Erin Whitehead • Glenn Wool • Horatio Sanz • Iliza Shlesinger • Jake Weisman • James Adomian • Jay Oakerson • Jay Pharoah • Jeffrey Ross • Joe DeRosa • Jon Huck • Judd Apatow • Katie Dippold • Lauren Lapkus • Liza Treyger • Mary Holland • Matt Besser • Matt Braunger • Matt Walsh • Mark Normand • Mike O’Brien • Nate Bargatze • Nick Kroll • Nick Thune • Pat Bishop • Paul Virzi • Rachel Feinstein • Rick Glassman • Ron Funches • Sasheer Zamata • Scott Aukerman • Shannon O’Neill • Stephanie Allynne • Tim Robinson • Todd Glass • Vanessa Bayer • W. Kamau Bell • Wyatt Cenac

Go to sxsw.com/comedy for the full lineup and schedule.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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