Once upon a time in comedy folklore, the big bad monster known as Cancel Culture was defeated by the marketing prowess of the Netflix Knight.
In all seriousness, Netflix really has been going ham with their comedy content, lobbing millions of dollars toward stand-up specials and dedicating an entire campaign to the comedy genre known as Netflix Is A Joke. Now, the booming streaming platform is announcing an entire festival—aptly titled the Netflix Is A Joke Festival.
The festival, which takes place April 27 to May 3, will feature “stand-up shows, special events and activations with Netflix comedians and artists from around the world.” Among the black-ass headliners are Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx. Joining the lineup will be comedians such as Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Deon Cole, Wanda Sykes (who will be headlining as part of STAND OUT: An LGBTQ+ Celebration), Marlon Wayans, Gina Yashere and more.
Take that, cancel culture! In fact, given that comedy has evolved (or devolved) into waxing philosophical on the concept of cancel culture, I hereby nickname this festival the Cancel Culture Convention or “CancelCon,” for short.
Per Netflix’s press release:
Anchoring the Netflix is a Joke Fest is the May 3rd closing night inaugural edition of The Hall, a first-of-its-kind hall of fame honoring the greats of stand-up comedy. Today’s biggest names in comedy including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes and more will pay homage to and induct comedy legends George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Joan Rivers and Robin Williams.
“It’s our honor to transform LA for one week into the funniest place on earth,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement. “This festival is a unique celebration of the art of comedy, and the role it plays in reflecting our lives and defining culture. It’s a chance for comedy lovers to come together and see their favorite artists as well as discover new ones, and for us to be able to share the electricity and excitement of the festival in Los Angeles with Netflix members around the world.”
As for the debut festival’s location, shenanigans “will take place across over 20 venues in Los Angeles, including the Hollywood Bowl, Greek Theatre, Hollywood Palladium, The Largo and more, with much of the festival primarily centered in Hollywood.”
Select pre-sale tickets for the Netflix Is A Joke Fest will go on sale on March 3 and general public tickets will go on sale March 6 at 10 a.m. PT. Additionally, 11 of the shows will be recorded to be viewed on Netflix at a later date. For more information, head to netflixisajoke.com.