Dave Chappelle is back working with Netflix and will be one of the headlining comedians featured as part of the streamer’s annual “Netflix Is a Joke” stand-up comedy festival coming to Los Angeles next April.
Chappelle is among a lineup of 130 comedians who will perform at various venues throughout LA between April 28 and May 8, all after the festival was postponed last spring due to the pandemic. Chappelle’s presence is notable after material in his most recent Netflix stand-up special “The Closer” landed him in hot water over transphobic material and even led to protests outside Netflix’s offices.
Chappelle’s performance will actually kick off the festival April 28, in a show at the Hollywood Bowl called “Dave Chappelle and Friends,” though no other acts or names have been announced just yet.
Set to perform or do fan events at the festival include: Ali Wong, Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, Aziz Ansari, Bert Kreischer, Bill Burr, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Conan O’Brien, Cristela Alonzo, Dave Chappelle, David Letterman, Deon Cole, Eddie Izzard, Ellen DeGeneres, Felipe Esparza, Fortune Feimster, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng, Iliza Shlesinger, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney, Jonathan Van Ness, Ken Jeong, Kevin Hart, Kevin Smith, Larry David, Margaret Cho, Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum, Michael McIntyre, Mike Birbiglia, Mike Myers and David O. Russell, Nick Kroll, Nicole Byer, Patton Oswalt, Pete Davidson, Ray Romano, Sandra Bernhard, Seth Rogen, Theo Von, Tig Notaro, Tim Robinson, Tina Fey, Wanda Sykes and more.
Other venues featured as part of the festival include Dodger Stadium, the Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theatre, The Forum, Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) Hollywood Palladium, The Theatre at Ace Hotel, The Orpheum Theatre, The Wiltern, TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, YouTube Theater, The Comedy Store, The Dynasty Typewriter, The Fonda Theatre, The Laugh Factory, The Troubadour, The Improv and more.
“It’s absolutely thrilling for Netflix to be hosting a comedy festival of this magnitude in Los Angeles,” Robbie Praw, director of stand-up and comedy formats for Netflix, said in a statement. “We were so disappointed to postpone the event last spring and our line-up of comedians can’t wait to bring much needed laughs to audiences in LA and around the world on Netflix. Netflix Is A Joke Festival is going to give comedy fans the opportunity to see the greats and discover new voices in one of the greatest cities in the world.”
Some of the highlights of the 2022 Netflix Is A Joke Fest include Gabriel Iglesias performing at Dodger Stadium, making him the first ever comedian to do so. There’s also an LGBTQ celebration at the Greek Theatre, new stand-up from John Mulaney at The Forum, a conversation series between Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and a separate sit down with Larry David, and a 50th Anniversary celebration of The Comedy Store.
Tickets go on sale to the general public here on Dec. 10, with pre-sales beginning Dec. 7. Select shows will be recorded and available in their entirety at a later date on Netflix. Highlights will also be available on the Netflix Is A Joke SiriusXM channel and on its social platforms.
