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Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers, comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart, and Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidell are among the comedic performers slated to appear in Jamestown, New York for annual The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. It runs this year from August 7 to 10.
If the town of Jamestown rings a bell, chances are you are one of the endless fans of the beloved Lucille Ball, who was born and raised there. In 1996, The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum opened in the heart of Jamestown, followed by The National Comedy Center in 2016. Through immersive experiences, The National Comedy Center documents the history of comedy and the artists, producers, writers, cartoonists, and other notable figures who have influenced its historical development.
Each year and in conjunction with Lucille Ball’s birthday, The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, now in its 35th year, is presented by the National Comedy Center in celebration of Jamestown as the hub for the comedic arts. The festival attracts over 15,000 attendees annually.
On the docket at the next Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is “An Evening with Jon Stewart” on Saturday, August 9.
“I’ve said comedy is an iterative business and a grind; and that the best amongst us just keep at it. I’m glad there’s a museum and national archive that strives to honor that, and I look forward to seeing how the National Comedy Center tells the story of this great art form that survives every moment,” said Jon Stewart in a statement.
On Sunday, August 10, a Stand-Up Showcase will be followed by a Rock ‘n’ Blues concert featuring Bill Murray and His Blood Brothers along with comedy from various artists across the country.
“Jon Stewart is one of the most influential comedic voices of our time — providing his signature social commentary at a pace responsive to the news cycle, while deeply thoughtful about our shared humanity,” said Journey Gunderson, National Comedy Center Executive Director in a statement. “Bill Murray entered our comedy consciousness in 1977 and never left. Whether you encountered his genius as a sketch comedian on SNL or came to know him through films considered ‘required reading’ in many households including mine, from Caddy Shack to Stripes to Ghostbusters to Groundhog Day to What About Bob and more, he’s left an indelible mark and an incomparable legacy.”
The festival lineup will also feature Saturday Night Live cast member and writer Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidell on stage in a panel discussion.
“It’s an incredible honor to be invited to the National Comedy Center, along with my friend and writing partner, Mikey Day, to talk about the craft of comedy. And an even greater honor to have some of our work preserved in the Center’s archive alongside that of our heroes. That honestly seems like a mistake on the Center’s part but we’re going to roll with it until they realize their error,” stated Streeter Seidell.
Tickets to all of the events at The National Comedy Center go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 2.
