WHAT A JOKE: Comedians organize festival of shows nationwide over Inauguration Day Weekend to support ACLU

If you think Donald J. Trump becoming President of the United States of America is a gift to comedians, well, not exactly.

In fact, some comedians are rallying against Trump and raising money for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), staging a nationwide festival of shows over the Inauguration Day Weekend (Trump formally takes office on Jan. 20, 2017). They’re calling it WHAT A JOKE.

Produced by Emily Winter and Jenn Welch, their mission statement is simple: “In response to our President-elect’s repeated threats on our human rights, comedians in over 20 cities are coordinating shows to raise money for the ACLU on Inauguration Day Weekend. From Thursday, January 19th, through Saturday, January 21st, we’re covering the country with comedy. Because seriously, what a joke.”

Winter writes for TV Land and judges the NBC Late Night Writers Workshop scripts, in addition to running parody twitter accounts @Feminist_Bro and @TrumpFeminist. Welch hosts The Half-Hour Hour at The Creek and the Cave, teaches improv at The PIT and is co-creator of The Stand-Up Showdown. They’re based out of New York City, but already have comedians and events organizing in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (in Maine and in Oregon), Salt Lake City, Seattle, Tucson, Washington D.C., and across the pond in Oxford, England.

If you’d like to get involved, get in touch with the What A Joke Fest folks.

Here’s the current information for the NYC shows…

1/19 lineup at The Stand: 
Janeane Garofalo (Wet Hot American Summer, 24)
Subhah Agarwal (Comedy Central)
Kerry Coddett (MTV2’s Joking Off)
Martin Urbano (Bridgetown Comedy Festival)
Jenn Welch (New York Comedy Festival)
Emily Winter (Writer at TV Land, Fusion TV)
Petey DeAbreu (New York Comedy Festival)
1/20 lineup at The Annoyance Theater:
Josh Gondelman (Last Week Tonight writer, Conan)
Jo Firestone (Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon writer) and Brett Davis (The Special Without Brett Davis)
Langston Kerman (Comedy Central, Insecure)
Mike Recine (Conan)
Rob Haze (Adam Devine’s House Party on Comedy Central)
Maria Wojciechowski (Seeso’s Schtick or Treat)

Carmen Lagala (Bridgetown Comedy Festival)

Hosted by Jenn Welch (New York Comedy Festival) and Emily Winter (Writer at TV Land, Fusion TV)
1/21 lineup at Rough Trade:
Laurie Kilmartin (Last Comic Standing, Conan, Best-Selling Author of Shitty Mom)
Dave Hill (@midnight, Inside Amy Schumer, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee)
Jordan Temple (MTV’s Decoded, Brooklyn Magazine’s 50 Funniest)
Rae Sanni (Comedy Central)
Jenn Welch (New York Comedy Festival)
Emily Winter (Writer for TV Land, Fusion TV)
hosted by Fusion TV’s Chris Calogero
WHAT A JOKE is not an affiliated with the ACLU, but exists as an independent effort donating its proceeds.
List of participating cities:

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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