Here are your headliners for the 2019 New York Comedy Festival

This year’s New York Comedy Festival, happening Nov. 4-10, 2019, will feature headlining performances from Nate Bargatze, Nicole Byer, Stephen Colbert, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Vir Das, Kathleen Madigan, Bill Maher, Demetri Martin, Norm McDonald, Trevor Noah, Randy Rainbow, Tom Segura, Benito Skinner, Jenny Slate, Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes, No Such Thing As A Fish, and Betches Media’s U Up? Live.

Noah will become the latest comedian to headline Madison Square Garden when he performs in the arena during the festival. Noah said: “Nothing beats being able to perform stand-up comedy in New York to some of the best audiences in the world, and that’s what this festival is. I can’t wait.”

Additional performers and shows will be announced in the run-up to the fest, per usual.

In some previous years, this fest (and others) have been called out for not including enough women on the marquees. This year’s NYCF is making a more concerted effort, aligning in partnership with The Female Quotient (The FQ), a woman-owned business committed to advancing equality in the workplace — including comedy stages. They’ll host The FQ Lounge at Bloomingdale’s flagship store on East 59th Street in Midtown Manhattan, with events there Nov. 7-8.

“As we mark 16 years of the New York Comedy Festival, we celebrate the varied and diverse talent – both up-and-coming and established stars – who continue to come out to put on a great show each and every year,” said Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival and Carolines on Broadway. “We’ve always supported and championed those in the industry, and we’re excited to continue to bring the very best comedic talent to entertain comedy fans this November.”

THE 2019 NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE (so far)

TUESDAY, NOV. 5

  • JENNY SLATE – TOWN HALL

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6 TBA

THURSDAY, NOV. 7

  • KATHLEEN MADIGAN – TOWN HALL 
  • NORM MACDONALD – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
  • TOM SEGURA – BEACON THEATRE 
  • BEHIND THE LAUGHTER: AN EVENING WITH STEPHEN COLBERT AND PRODUCERS OF THE LATE SHOW – CARNEGIE HALL
  • NORM MACDONALD – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY

FRIDAY, NOV. 8

  • NICOLE BYER – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
  • VIR DAS – TOWN HALL 
  • NORM MACDONALD – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
  • DEMETRI MARTIN – BEACON THEATRE 
  • TREVOR NOAH – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
  • BENITO SKINNER – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
  • U UP? LIVE – TOWN HALL  
  • COMEDY BANG! BANG! LIVE! STARRING SCOTT AUKERMAN W/ GUESTS – BEACON THEATRE

SATURDAY, NOV. 9

  • NATE BARGATZE – TOWN HALL 
  • NO SUCH THING AS A FISH – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
  • RANDY RAINBOW LIVE – BEACON THEATRE  
  • NORM MACDONALD – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
  • AN EVENING WITH BILL MAHER – HULU THEATER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
  • THE JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOT ROADSHOW – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SUNDAY, NOV. 10

  • NORM MACDONALD – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY

Since Citi is a festival sponsor, Citi cardmembers can purchase pre-sale tickets beginning Aug. 7. Tickets for all shows become available to the general public starting Aug. 12.

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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