In support of the series launch of The History of Comedy, CNN Original Series in partnership with the National Comedy Center, the first national non-profit cultural institution dedicated to comedy, will present Stand-Up Live! The showcase will feature some of today’s freshest and funniest stand-up comics and hit the legendary New York City comedy club Caroline’s on Broadway. The show will also visit Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.
The History of Comedy, executive produced by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner (Hazy Mills) with Emmy Award winners Mark Herzog and Christopher G. Cowen (Herzog & Company), will premiere Thursday, February 9th, at 9pm ET/PT on CNN, following a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Using archival footage punctuated by contemporary interviews with comedy legends, scholars and current stars, the new eight-part CNN Original Series explores what makes people laugh and how comedy has affected the social and political landscape throughout history.
The History of Comedy also features interviews with Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman, Senator Al Franken, Margaret Cho, Samantha Bee, Jimmy Kimmel, Kathy Griffin, George Lopez, Keegan-Michael Key, Conan O’Brien, Patton Oswalt, Dick Cavett, Ali Wong, W. Kamau Bell and more. The premiere episode, “Going Blue,” looks at groundbreaking comedians like George Carlin, Dick Gregory and Lenny Bruce who dared to embrace the risqué side of comedy. Additional episodes look at women in comedy, political humor, parody and satire, comedy ripped from the headlines, the dark side of comedy, comedy in race and culture, and comedy found in everyday life.
Stand-Up Live NYC edition will feature:
Judy Gold (The Rosie O’Donnell Show, All-American Girl, HBO’s At the Multiplex)
Michelle Buteau (Big Morning Buzz Live, Best Week Ever, Last Comic Standing)
Tony Deyo (Conan, The Late Late Show)
Emma Willmann (SiriusXM, The Late Show)
Marina Franklin (The Jim Gaffigan Show, Louie, The Late Show)
