ANAHEIM, Calif. — Live-action comedy will take center stage for 12 days at more than 30 locations dotted across Los Angeles and beyond as the Netflix premiere is a joke: The festival kicks off April 27 and runs until to May 8.

The festival includes over 250 performances from some of the biggest names in the comedy world and features a diverse lineup with stand-up shows, live podcast recordings, comedy sketches, table reads, musical performances , roasts, screenings and comedic brunches.

What was originally planned for 2020 as a small, multi-day festival created to salute the pioneers of stand-up comedy has turned into a complete takeover of Los Angeles.

“Over the past two years, the show has grown tremendously,” Robbie Praw, director of stand-up comedy original programming at Netflix, said in a recent phone interview. ” It is a party. Let’s get out of our homes and see the comedians who have kept so many of us alive in recent years through comedy. It’s just at this point and it’s very exciting. Not to mention, we’re going to be able to take all that good stuff and release it to our members shortly after the festival, so people around the world can engage with it.

Of all the performances, Praw said about a dozen will actually be filmed for upcoming Netflix specials.

A few of the larger or more notable events include Gabriel Iglesias at Dodger Stadium on May 6-7; Kevin Hart at Crypto.com Arena on May 6; Dave Chappelle & Friends at the Hollywood Bowl April 28-30 and May 3; John Mulaney at the Forum in Inglewood on May 3 and at the Hollywood Bowl on May 7; Larry David at the Greek Theater on May 2; David Letterman at the Fonda Theater May 6-7; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in conversation at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood on May 7; Bill Burr at the Hollywood Palladium on May 4; Stand Out: AN LGBTQ+ Celebration with Eddie Izzard, Tig Notaro, Wanda Sykes and Margaret Cho at the Greek Theater on May 7; and Snoop Dogg hosts his comedy special at the Hollywood Palladium on May 5.

For comedian Taylor Tomlinson, who grew up in Temecula and currently lives in Los Angeles, having the opportunity to perform at the Ace Theater at the Ace Hotel as part of the festival on May 6 was a big deal. She currently has two specials on the streaming platform, including 2020’s “Quarter-Life Crisis” and “Look At You,” which debuted last month.

“I think anyone who’s ever done successful comedy will be at this festival,” she said in a recent phone interview.

Tomlinson said she was headlining clubs when she submitted her first-ever one-hour special to Netflix, but just a week after it was uploaded to the platform, the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted all live events.

“I was like, ‘Well, my luck is running out’,” she laughed. But when she finally got back on the road, she noticed she had started selling out club shows across the country.

“The special changed my life,” she said. “It was kind of like night and day. The greatest compliment I can get from people when I meet them on the road now or when I get DMs people say to me ‘Your special was my comfort watch during COVID.” I’ve had those too! I’m sure a lot of people who wouldn’t have had the time or wouldn’t normally take a chance on someone they’ve never heard of, watched this special because they were in quarantine.

Tomlinson said she’s grateful Netflix is ​​taking a chance with a promising comic and said she sees that reflected in the festival’s lineup as well. Although tickets for some shows have already sold out, Praw said he doesn’t want fans to be discouraged from attending the festival. He advises buying tickets to events at smaller venues or even attending the free outdoor festival at the Hollywood Palladium. Fans can RSVP for select dates and enjoy a range of live comedy, trivia, games, music, food, drink and other Netflix activations. There’s also the very real possibility that one of the megastar festival headliners could come along for a surprise set.

“I think part of the fun of what’s going to happen [at the outdoor festival] is that you’re going to see a big star that you can’t believe is performing for free outside right in front of you, but also you might discover this unknown gem that could very well become your new favorite comic,” he said. -he declares.

With so many events happening at the same time, Praw said the best way to navigate the festival is to use its website, which has a guide and the full lineup broken down by artist, date, time or location. plus all of the information on how to RSVP for the free outdoor festival at the Palladium at netflixisajokefest.com.

Praw said he and his team kept the diversity of Netflix users in mind to create an event that appealed to everyone.

“Comedy is the most subjective art form,” he said. “Being able to see yourself on stage or on a screen is particularly important for the genre. You could also grow up in the same household as someone else and have completely different tastes in comedy. So the only way to properly represent people’s tastes in comedy is to have great diversity and work with the best in class.

“That’s really what comedy is anyway,” he continued. “It’s very varied and it’s very difficult. The comedians are 10-year-old overnight hits in some cases, and we’re so excited to feature the people who have worked so hard for so long just to try to make people laugh. This is precisely something that we think the world desperately needs right now.

Netflix is ​​a joke: the festival

When: Various sessions from April 27 to May 8

Where: Multiple locations across Los Angeles

Tickets: the price varies according to the show; All shows can be found on netflixisajoke.com

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