Now more than ever, comedy is getting serious -- from the late night circuit's coverage of our increasingly alarming political climate, to the popularity of confessional stand-up specials, humor is being used for a lot more than easy laughs.
It makes sense, then, that the National Comedy Center -- a Jamestown, New York-based organization that explores the more academic side of the craft -- is partnering with the upcoming Lucille Ball Comedy Festival to present a week of roundtable discussions on the topic of "Comedy and the Human Condition."
In a series of conversations held at Jamestown's historic Chautauqua Institution, comics including Lewis Black, David Steinberg, Robert Klein, and W. Kamau Bell will come together to talk about how comedy can have a very real impact on the world we live in. The week will also feature performances from Jim Gaffigan, Kevin James, Lisa Lampanelli, and the Story Pirates, among many others.
As a bonus, attendees will get a sneak peek of the Institution's upcoming exhibit on George Carlin, which features highlights from the comics' archives, acquired by the National Comedy Center last year. Comedy history nerds can also take tours of the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz museum throughout the fest.
"Comedy and the Human Condition" takes places from July 29th until August 5th, with the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival hosting shows from August 3rd through the 6th; view the full schedule of events, and score tickets and passes, over at lucycomedyfest.com.