Carolines in Times Square press conference with NCC on Dec 29, 2022

The National Comedy Center will be receiving and displaying artifacts from Carolines Comedy Club.

It was announced in December that the New York City club would not renew its lease after 30 years of presenting stand-up comedy and was closing its renowned Times Square location at the end of 2022.

National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson said that, “Caroline Hirsch has been a vital force for nurturing comedic talent for 40 years now, and Carolines on Broadway has been one of the world’s most important venues for showcasing the art form of stand-up comedy.”

Items being preserved by the National Comedy Center include the iconic stage, the backdrop bearing the harlequin Carolines logo, showroom curtains, the microphone, signage, “barfly” stools and entry doors.

Carolines began 40 years ago in Chelsea and later moved to the South Street Seaport before calling Times Square home in 1992, playing an integral role in the resurgence of the Times Square area. Carolines has showcased the world’s greatest comedic talent through the years including Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, Margaret Cho, Jay Leno, and many more.

JAMESTOWN – The National Comedy Center has added a program with Emmy Award-winning actress Debra Messing to its lineup for the final week of its Lucille Ball Virtual Comedy Festival.

The final weekend will feature Jimmy Fallon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Aidy Bryant, Gilbert Gottfried, Lolly Adefope, Kate Flannery, Paula Poundstone, Lewis Black and more, in a festival that has featured Tiffany Haddish, Jay Leno, Margaret Cho and many others. Programs stream online from Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30. The Debra Messing conversation will stream on Thursday, September 3rd at 8 pm ET.

Hosted by author comedian, actor and journalist Frank DeCaro, the National Comedy Center conversation with Debra Messing will explore her work in comedy and discuss comedy legend Lucille Ball, who was a major influence on Messing’s career. One of the last episodes of Will & Grace this past April was a tribute to I Love Lucy entitled “We Love Lucy,” in which Messing portrayed beloved I Love Lucy characters Lucy Ricardo, Ethel Mertz and Fred Mertz. The episode was recently nominated for three Emmy Awards.

Debra Messing

Best known for her role as Grace in NBC’s Emmy Award-winning comedy Will & Grace, Messing captivated television audiences worldwide for eleven seasons spanning 22 years with her comedic brilliance as Grace Adler, an interior designer whose best friend and soul mate is Will Truman, played by Eric McCormack. For her work on the popular sitcom, which ended its three-season return engagement this past May, Messing won the 2003 Emmy Award, has earned a total of seven Golden Globe nominations, seven Screen Actors Guild nominations, winning the ensemble award in 2001, five additional Emmy nominations, two American Comedy Award nominations and one individual People’s Choice Award nomination. She also received TV Guide’s Actress of the Year in a Comedy Series honor in 2001.

The Sunday night, August 30, the virtual festival will also recognize founding National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member and comedy legend Carl Reiner, who passed away just eight weeks ago, by featuring a long-form interview with exclusive, never-before-seen footage with Reiner directly from the Comedy Center Archives. The program will be hosted by fellow National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member Paula Poundstone and executive producer of exhibit media for the National Comedy Center, Stephen J. Morrison.

For the past two weeks, the National Comedy Center’s Lucille Ball Virtual Comedy Festival has featured over 30 artists in all-new, candid, in-depth conversations about their work, careers, influences and the art of comedy, including Lolly Adefope, Lewis Black, Aidy Bryant, Kelly Carlin, Margaret Cho, Frank DeCaro, Anna Drezen, Ophira Eisenberg, Bill Engvall, Jimmy Fallon, Kate Flannery, Wayne Federman, Judy Gold, Gilbert Gottfried, Harrison Greenbaum, Tiffany Haddish, Sam Jay, Penn Jillette, Jay Leno, Howie Mandel, Charles McBee, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Flame Monroe, Paula Poundstone, Mark Russell, Dulce Sloan, Kenan Thompson, Roy Wood, Jr., Rutledge Wood, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Alan Zweibel, and legendary creative team members from Mad Magazine.

All programs will be available free online via live stream at the National Comedy Center’s new online platform, National Comedy Center Anywhere, at ComedyCenter.org/Festival as well as on the National Comedy Center’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/NationalComedyCenter. Following each live stream, these programs will remain available for free, on-demand viewing on the National Comedy Center Anywhere platform.

The non-profit National Comedy Center encourages donations to support the museum and the Center’s mission of presenting the vital story of comedy in America, preserving its heritage for future generations. Visit ComedyCenter.org/Donate.

Full Schedule and list of talent participating includes:

Friday, August 28th:

8pm ET – Mark Russell: Hosted by Lewis Black – Legendary political satirist and comedian Mark Russell takes on current events for the National Comedy Center with a performance of new musical parodies, plus a discussion of his career and legacy.
9pm ET – Aidy Bryant & Lolly Adefope: Hosted by Anna Drezen – Actress, comedian and SNL cast member Aidy Bryant and her “Shrill” co-star Lolly Adefope in conversation with comedian, actor and SNL writer Anna Drezen.
10pm ET – Gilbert Gottfried with special guest Penn Jillette: Hosted by Harrison Greenbaum – Voice actor and stand-up comedian Gilbert Gottfried sits down virtually with comedian Harrison Greenbaum to talk about his unique voice, crude humor, and the many aspects that go into telling a joke in this National Comedy Center Conversation. Special guest Penn Jillette joins the conversation.

Saturday, August 29th:

8pm ET – “Weird Al” Yankovic: Hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Lin-Manuel Miranda –  Singer/songwriter/producer “Weird Al” in conversation about his work, creative process and influences with The Tonight Show host and comedian Jimmy Fallon and composer/lyricist/producer/playwright/actor, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
9pm ET – Kate Flannery: Hosted by Ophira Eisenberg – Comedic actress Kate Flannery, best known for her work on The Office, reflects on her acting career and the 15th anniversary of the popular TV series in a National Comedy Center Conversation with comedian and NPR host Ophira Eisenberg.

Sunday, August 30th:

8pm ET – Carl Reiner Interview from the Archives: Hosted by Paula Poundstone and Stephen J. Morrison – An interview with comedy legend and founding National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member Carl Reiner from the Comedy Center Archives, featuring never-before-seen interview footage, plus a discussion about Carl Reiner’s genius with comedian Paula Poundstone and producer Stephen J. Morrison.
Thursday, September 3rd:
8pm ET – Debra Messing: Hosted by Frank DeCaro – An interview with Emmy Award-winner Debra Messing in conversation about her work and career, the art of comedy, and comedy legend Lucille Ball as a major influence on Messing throughout her career.

Now available for viewing on demand at ComedyCenter.org/Festival:

• Jay Leno – Hosted by Stephen J. Morrison (Part 1 and 2) – Legendary comedian Jay Leno discusses his extensive career in stand-up, writing and late-night television in a conversation with Stephen J. Morrison, Executive Producer of Exhibit Media for the National Comedy Center.
• Tiffany Haddish – Hosted by Flame Monroe – Actress, comedian, author, Emmy Award-winner, and two-time 2020 Emmy-nominee Tiffany Haddish discusses her work and process with comedian Flame Monroe on the Emmy-nominated Netflix variety special Tiffany Haddish Presents; They Ready, “Flame Monroe” as well as her personal nomination for Outstanding Variety Special for Netflix special Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah.
• Margaret Cho – Hosted by Judy Gold – Margaret Cho candidly discusses her craft and comedy’s vital role in issues of social justice and equality with comedian Judy Gold in this National Comedy Center Conversation.
• Roy Wood Jr. – Hosted by Wayne Federman – Roy Wood Jr. speaks about his multifaceted comedy career, including his experiences as a correspondent on The Daily Show, in a conversation hosted by comedian Wayne Federman for the National Comedy Center.
• Kenan Thompson – Hosted by Stephen J. Morrison – Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history and 2020 Emmy-nominee discusses comedy with Stephen J. Morrison
• Sam Jay – Hosted by Harrison Greenbaum – Sam Jay, stand-up comedian and Emmy-nominated writer for Saturday Night Live, discusses her creative process and new Netflix special, “3 In The Morning,” with comedian Harrison Greenbaum in a National Comedy Center Conversation.
• Bill Engvall – Hosted by Rutledge Wood – Comedian Bill Engvall discusses finding his unique comedic voice and the phenomenon of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour in a National Comedy Center Conversation hosted by Floor is Lava’s Rutledge Wood.
• Howie Mandel – Hosted by Harrison Greenbaum – Comedian, host and producer Howie Mandel discusses his vast career and his “say yes” philosophy with comedian Harrison Greenbaum in an exclusive National Comedy Center Conversation.
• Dulcé Sloan – Hosted by Charles McBee – Join stand-up comedian Dulcé Sloan and The Daily Show correspondent as she discusses her career and the importance of Black artistry in a National Comedy Center conversation with her former comedy collaborator, Charles McBee.
• Judy Gold – Hosted by Frank DeCaro – Judy Gold discusses her craft and the importance of comedy during these trying times with comedian and author Frank DeCaro in a conversation for the National Comedy Center.
• Alan Zweibel – Hosted by Kelly Carlin – Original Saturday Night Live writer and five-time Emmy winner Alan Zweibel discussed his new memoir, Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier, and his nearly five decades as an award-winning comedy writer with writer/producer/actress/radio host Kelly Carlin, the daughter of George Carlin.
• Mad Magazine – Hosted by Harrison Greenbaum – Legendary creative team members from Mad Magazine, including John Ficarra (former Editor-in-Chief), Joe Raiola (former Senior editor) and Sam Viviano (former Art Director) join in a National Comedy Center conversation with comedian Harrison Greenbaum to talk about the impact of comics, comedy for print, and the transition to becoming a digital humor magazine.

Jay Leno

CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (June 16, 2017) — Chautauqua Institution officials Friday announced acclaimed TV late night show host, comedian and Emmy Award winner Jay Leno will perform at Chautauqua Institution for the opening night of the 2017 season and the first performance in the Institution’s new Amphitheater.

Aretha Franklin was previously scheduled to perform. In a letter to Chautauqua ticket holders and friends, President Michael Hill said per doctor’s orders, Franklin cannot make the trip to Chautauqua for her scheduled performance.

“We, of course, express sincere get well wishes to Ms. Franklin on behalf of the entire Chautauqua family,” Hill said.

Leno is an admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, lovable TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder, philanthropist and Emmy Award winner.

Leno spent more than two decades as host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has been widely characterized as “the hardest-working man in show business.”

Leno was last in Chautauqua County in 2014 when he was the headliner of that year’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown.

All tickets to the sold-out Aretha Franklin concert will be honored for the Jay Leno performance. Individuals wishing to return their tickets and gate passes for a refund due to this change in the schedule may call the Chautauqua Institution Ticket Office at 1-888-688-1960. The institution will not sell additional tickets to the opening night festivities unless it receives cancellations from current ticket holders.  For more information about the Jay Leno performance and updates on ticket availability, visit www.chq.org/Leno.

“Jay Leno is both a national and regional favorite, and we couldn’t be more excited that a talent of his character and accomplishment will help us to ring in the 2017 season at Chautauqua,” Hill said.

Hill said the Aretha Franklin performance will not be rescheduled this season.

More About Jay Leno

Acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist…Jay Leno is widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business.”

Leno’s late-night television ratings domination included two decades as the host of the #1-rated “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” – he never lost a ratings year in which he served as host.

Leno, currently produces and is host of the CNBC Television series “JAY LENO’S GARAGE” now in its third season. “Jay Leno’s Garage” explores the world of cars, never forgetting that it’s the people behind the wheel who provide the real stories.  The series debuted in October 2015 and delivered CNBC’s most-watched first season in network history.  New episodes of “Jay Leno’s Garage” can be viewed on CNBC throughout the year.

The show is an outgrowth of JAY LENOS GARAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL which Leno produces and has an international following on the Web and has garnered several Emmy Awards and nominations for Outstanding Special Class–Short-Format Nonfiction Programs.

His new product line JAY LENO’S GARAGE ADVANCED VEHICLE CARE launched in December of 2016 and has been well received by the Automotive Industry worldwide. Products are available on www.lenosgarage.com.

When he’s not on TV, Leno performs more than 100 stand-up shows annually across the country and internationally; participates in numerous charity and corporate events, does voice-overs for animated series, pens children’s books, and writes a monthly columnist in Popular Mechanics. And in his “spare” time (as if he has any), he enjoys working on his collection of classic cars and motorcycles. In fact, he has built a number of cars, including an acclaimed eco-car in his eco-friendly green garage.

Leno is the recipient of other honors, including Emmy, People’s Choice, and TV Guide awards, Harris Poll selection as most popular star on television, the Hasty Pudding Award at Harvard University, a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, and being the first person to drive the pace car of all major NASCAR events.

He and his wife Mavis, an ardent human rights activist, live in Los Angeles.

Friday Night Block Party before Trevor Noah’s performance in Jamestown, NY during the 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. Details of the 2017 Comedy Festival will be announced on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 20. (Jamestown, NY; National Comedy Center​)

JAMESTOWN – A major announcement regarding the 2017 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival will be made on Tuesday.

Officials with the Lucy-Desi Center in Jamestown will hold a press conference at the Jamestown Gateway Train Station to provide an update on the National Comedy Center, including an announcement of a comedian coming to Jamestown in August 2017 to perform at the comedy festival.

Past festivals have featured Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Lewis Black, Trevor Noah, Joan Rivers, Ellen DeGeneres, Paula Poundstone, Nick Offerman, Ray Romano, and Bob Newhart.

Tuesday’s press conference begins at noon and WRFA will post updates on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/WRFALP.

America’s premier comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, will be performing his signature stand-up routine during the 2015 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena.  Seinfeld will actually be doing two performances that day – one at 7 p.m. and another at 9:30 p.m.

Seinfeld’s appearance this year comes on the heals of the 2014 sellout headliner, Jay Leno.

Tickets for Lucy-Desi Meseum and Comedy Center members went on sale last week, but  the general public will have the opportunity to buy tickets Monday – either online or at the Lucy-Desi box office.

Tickets and information are available at LucyComedyFest.com & 716.484.0800.

More details on the 2015 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival are expected to be made in the coming weeks.

Actress and Comedian Caroline Rhea will take the stage of the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, N.Y. on Thursday, Aug. 7 as part of the 2014 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.

JAMESTOWN – Thursday marks day number two of the 2014 Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy in Jamestown, with plenty of events and activities on the agenda for today and tonight, including a performance by a nationally known actress and comedian.

Tonight at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, Caroline Rhea will perform along with several other notable comedians during the Stand-Up Showcase, beginning at 8 pm.

According to Lucy – Desi Center executive director Journey Gunderson, Rhea is known for her past work on the TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch and other programs, as well as her work in stand up comedy.

“She is aware of the festival because she has a relationship with Costaki Economopoulos, who performed in 2011 here and she said, ‘I want to play your festival. I love Lucy!'” Gunderson explained. “I know Caroline Rhea from her successful standup career in the 90s and 2000s, but some younger people might remember her for her role on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

In addition to Rhea, tonight’s program at the Reg will also feature ‘Comedians on the Rise’ Carmen Lynch, Moody McCarthy, and Andrew Norelli – who have appeared on Leno, Conan, Letterman, and more.

While tickets range between $15 and $30 for the Thursday night show, an U.S. military veteran will have free admission to the performance. It begins at 8 p.m. at the Reg and tickets are still available.

Other events scheduled for today include the start of the Lucille Ball Hometown Tour, which will depart from the Gateway Train Station and take place at various times throughout the next four days, the Lucy Silent Auction which begins at noon at the Train Station, The Tropicana Room Lunch with Ret Turner and Comedy Late Night presented by the festival organizers and Rooftop Comedy, happening at the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Center, beginning at 10:30.

Other acts scheduled for later in the festival include an appearance by Tom Cotter at the Reg Lenna on Friday night, Late night TV legend Jay Leno on Saturday night and various other activities as well.

The complete schedule of events can be found online at LucyComedyFest.com.

Today’s highlights include the opening of the new exhibit and art show at the Dykeman-Young Gallery on 2nd Street in Jamestown entitled “Lucy I’m Home!”

The exhibit will feature furniture and other household items from Lucy’s Beverly Hills Home. You will also be able to view several pieces from Lucy’s personal art collection, and you will learn more about the artists who created the fantastic pieces that graced the walls of her fabulous abode.

The “Lucy’s Lasting Legacy Experience” will allow you to share your favorite Lucy memories while viewing the brand new “For the Love of Lucy” movie, featuring interviews with some of comedy’s hottest stars, including Bill Engvall, Kathleen Madigan, Martin Short, and others.

The exhibit is open for viewing today-Sat. 10am to 7pm and Sun. 11am to 5pm. There is no cost to see the exhibit.

Other downtown events on Wednesday include:

• Tropicana Room Lunch: Lucy’s Lost Movie
  12:30 pm
  The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Center
• Lucy Art Class with Gary Peters
  2:30 pm
  Infinity Performing Arts
• Tropicana Room Dinner: Finding Lucy
  5:00 pm
  The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Center
• Intro to Stand Up Comedy
  6:00 pm
  Infinity Performing Arts
• The Lucille “Ball”
  8:00 pm
  Crystal Ballroom – Hotel Jamestown

Later during the festival, stand up comedy will take center stage with appearances by Caroline Rhea, Tom Cotter and late night TV legend Jay Leno.

For a complete rundown of all events, visit www.LucyComedyFest.com.

Lucy – Desi Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson (left) and Board President Tom Benson stand next to a poster announcing Jay Leno as the headline act for the 2014 Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy.

(LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH LUCY-DESI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOURNEY GUNDERSON)

JAMESTOWN – The finishing touches are being made for this year’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which begins on Wednesday and continues through the remainder of the week and on into the weekend.

Highlighting the 2014 festival will be a sold out stand up performance by late nigh TV legend Jay Leno, along with an opening musical performance by Lucie Arnaz. Also on hand will be stand up comedian and Last Comic Standing Runner Up Tom Cotter, Comedian and actress Caroline Rhea, along with more than a dozen other comedians and entertainers and over 50 scheduled events.

According to Lucille Ball – Desi Arnaz Center Director and event organizer Journey Gunderson, the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first in a four-pillar vision for the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy, including a comedic arts education program, a comedy film festival and the establishment of the first National Comedy Center.

For more information on the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy or the National Comedy Center, Inc., visit Lucy-Desi.com.  To purchase tickets to comedy festival events, visit LucyComedyFest.com or call (716) 484-0800.

Lucy – Desi Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson (left) and Board President Tom Benson stand next to a poster announcing Jay Leno as the headline act for the 2014 Lucille Ball Festival of Comedy.

JAMESTOWN, NY – The Jay Leno performance, with featured musical guest Lucie Arnaz, set for Aug. 9 during the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival has sold out.

With tickets going on sale on April 18 and selling out in three weeks, it’s now the fastest headline show to sell out in Lucille Ball Comedy Festival history. The performance, taking place at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena, will also feature a pre-show and post-show party outside the Arena featuring live bands, beer, wine, classic cars and more.

Although tickets to the Jay Leno show are sold out, tickets are still available for over 50 other events taking place during the festival August 6-10, including performances by comedians Tom Cotter, who recently became the first comedian to reach the finals of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, and a Stand-Up Showcase featuring Caroline Rhea at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. To purchase festival tickets, contact the Lucy Desi Museum box office at (716)484-0800 or visit online at www.lucycomedyfest.com.

Jay Leno, just stepping down this year from two decades of ratings domination as host of The Tonight Show, will be performing in front of a sold-out audience in Jamestown on August 9th. Leno is an acclaimed TV late night show host, admired stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist.

Lucie Arnaz will return to the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival as the featured musical guest during Jay Leno’s performance on August 9th. Arnaz has had an extremely diversified career spanning over 45 years in show business, and has achieved success wearing the hats of producer, singer, actor and director. In 2012, Arnaz performed at the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival as a musical guest during the “Comics to Watch” showcase featuring Baron Vaughn, Tony Deyo, and Tammy Pescatelli.

Tom Cotter, who will be performing at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on Aug. 8, recently became the first comedian to ever reach the finals of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and his runner-up finish on the show has catapulted him to the comedic stratosphere. Before America’s Got Talent, Cotter won the Seattle International Comedy Competition, the grand prize at the Boston Comedy Festival and was voted “Best Stand-Up” at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.

On the evening of Aug. 7, the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy will bring back the popular Stand-Up Showcase back to the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, featuring some of the hottest rising comedians in the industry. Comedian Caroline Rhea, who starred in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and former host of The Biggest Loser, will host and perform during the showcase. Past festivals have featured then-rising comedians such as Ellen DeGeneres, Ray Romano, and Lewis Black, and this showcase aims to catch comics on a similar rise to the top.

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is the first pillar in a four-pillar Legacy of Laughter vision for the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy, including a comedic arts education program, a comedy film festival and the establishment of the first National Comedy Center. Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY honors the legacy of “The First Couple of Comedy” with the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy. The museum attraction is open seven days a week, and features replica sets, Lucille Ball’s Emmy awards, costumes, rare memorabilia, and much more.

Tripling in size in 2006, the mission of the museum and center for comedy is to preserve the legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and enrich the world through the healing powers of love and laughter through its commitment to the development of the comedic arts. For additional information on the Lucy Desi Museum & Center for Comedy, as well as its online gift shop, visit www.lucy-desi.com.