Lenny Bruce

JAMESTOWN, NY – The 2018 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and opening of the National Comedy Center (NCC) is just three weeks away.

A key exhibit that will be featured at the NCC will focus on the life and work of Lenny Bruce, whose provocative and – at the time controversial – stand up and commentary blazed a trail for First Amendment expression in the field of comedy.

Bruce was convicted in 1964 on obscenity charges and was posthumously pardoned by Governor George Pataki in 2003, the first in the history of New York State.

To highlight the exhibit, the NCC grand opening week will include a discussion on “Comedy and the First Amendment” and commence a fundraising partnership with the Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation.

“Comedy and the First Amendment: How far is too far and who decides?” will spotlight how comedians use humor to speak truth to power, but not without the consequence of censorship, lost work, and even criminal prosecution. Panelists include Kitty Bruce, First Amendment attorney Paul Cambria, and comedian Lewis Black.

This event will take place in Jamestown at the Robert H. Jackson Center on Thursday, August 2nd at 4 pm.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 716-484-2222, at the festival box office located at 2 W. 3rd Street, or by going to NationalComedyCenter.org.

The NCC will open Wednesday, August 1.

It is the first non-profit cultural institution and national-scale visitor attraction dedicated to the art of comedy.

Friday Night Block Party before Trevor Noah’s performance in Jamestown, NY during the 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival (Jamestown, NY; National Comedy Center)

JAMESTOWN – The numbers are in and the 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival brought in thousands of people from across the country. In fact, the four-day event drew attendees from 41 different states to downtown Jamestown.

That’s according to officials with the National Comedy Center, who say the weekend included performances by “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, the “king of the rant” Lewis Black, and one of this country’s premiere comedians, Brian Regan, in addition to National Comedy Center dialogues with comedy writer-director Peter Farrelly, and the daughters of comedy legends Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and George Carlin.

While comedians visited Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY, many of them, including Black, went on a private hard-hat tour of the future site of the National Comedy Center currently under construction, led by members of the design teams from Local Projects and Jack Rouse Associates.

“Comedy is one of the most overlooked of all the arts–it’s usually the dramatic stuff that gets all the attention & recognition,” said Peter Farrelly. “So to have a place that will celebrate comedy and the comics of the past is a great thing.”

The festival featured more than 50 events at a dozen venues throughout Jamestown, with highlights including the critically-acclaimed Story Pirates kids-comedy troupe, an appearance by the “Mutt Cutts Van” from the film Dumb and Dumber, four stand-up showcases and a special exhibition in honor of the 65^th anniversary of I Love Lucy.

Comedian Lewis Black takes the stage at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts during the 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown, NY (Jamestown, NY; National Comedy Center)

“If there’s any question whether people will come to Jamestown for the National Comedy Center, the fact that we had people from nearly all 50 states over just four days speaks volumes.  Jamestown is already a destination for great comedy,” said National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson.

The National Comedy Center, Inc. embodies Lucille Ball’s original vision for her hometown of Jamestown to become a destination for the celebration all of the comedic arts, not just a celebration of her own legacy. The organization also operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, and for the last 25 years has produced the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival with performers including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Joan Rivers, Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Newhart, Paula Poundstone, The Smothers Brothers and more than 100 other comedic artists.

The non-profit cultural institution recently announced the acquisition of the George Carlin archives for its forthcoming museum experience.  The Center is a $50 million project funded by public-private partnership and to date has been awarded more than $3.5 million from New York State, Empire State Development and I Love NY. Design of the immersive, interactive visitor experience has been provided by renowned creative firm Jack Rouse Associates and interactive specialist Local Projects, who was recently awarded a Cannes International Creativity award for its work on the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.

The opening day of the festival saw several events take place throughout Jamestown, including a sold out performance by comedian Lewis Black at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.

Today the festival continues with several events planned, including a roundtable discussion with the children of comedy legends Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, and George Carlin, as well as a sold out show featuring Daily Show host Trevor Noah.

More events are planned for Saturday, including a stand up performance by Brian Regan at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena and a stand up showcase at the Reg Lenna Center for the arts, plus a rountable discussion with the Farrelly Brothers – directors of the movie Dumb & Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, Kingpin, and more.

For a complete list of events and activities, visit www.LucyComedyFest.com.

The 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival Headliners: Lewis Black, Trevor Noah, and Brian Regan.

JAMESTOWN – The 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival headliners have been announced!

During a media conference Wednesday afternoon at the Jamestown Gateway Train Station (and future location of the National Comedy Center), Lucy-Desi Center executive director Journey Gunderson announced that comedians Lewis Black, Trevor Noah, and Brian Regan will be in Jamestown for this year’s festival, which will take place Aug. 4 through Aug. 7.

LEWIS BLACK

Black is a nationally recognized and award winning comedian known as the comedic king of the rant, skewering anything he sees—usually of the political variety. With the presidential election season expected to be in full swing this summer and fall, bring Black to Jamestown is a major coup for the comedy festival, said Gunderson.

This is actually Black’s return trip to Jamestown. He originally performed in the city during the early days of the Comedy Festival in the early 1990s when it was known as the Lucille Ball Festival of New Comedy. Black’s show will take place on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016.

TREVOR NOAH

South African-born Trevor Noah is an international stand-up comedian who in 2015 was named host of ‘The Daily Show,’ succeeding Jon Stewart. In 2012 Noah made his U.S. TV debut on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, becoming the first African comedian to appear on the program. The following year Noah had his own comedy special on Showtime, Trevor Noah: African American. And in late 2014, Noah landed yet another major gig, debuting as a correspondent for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.

After Stewart announced in February 2015 that he would be leaving The Daily Show, it was revealed in March that Noah would be his replacement. Noah had appeared on the program three times previously. Noah will perform in Jamestown on Aug. 5, 2016.

BRIAN REGAN

Brian Regan is a comedic workhorse who spent 25 years touring and building his act. During that time he’s become a huge success just for being a stand-up without ever branching off into sitcoms or movies. He primarily works clean, making his comedy accessible to all audiences, and specializes in observational comedy, commenting on shared experiences and questioning behavior and language. Regan’s high-energy delivery and tendency to push a joke to its breaking point could be seen as an influence on Dane Cook. Regan will be in Jamestown on Aug. 6, 2016.

Lucy-Desi Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson, announcing the 2016 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival headliners during a media conference Wednesday, April 13, 2016.

OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

In addition to the headliners, dozens of other events, activities and attractions will be taking place, including five separate late-night comedy shows featuring the best up-and-coming comedians from around the country.

Two special events seen only in Jamestown and recorded for the National Comedy Center archives will also take place this summer. One will be a look at the string of cinematic comedy movies directed by the Farrelly Brothers (Dumb and Dumber; There’s Something About Mary; Me, Myself and Irene), and will feature both Peter and Bobby Farrelly.

A roundtable discussion on the comedic influence of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin and Richard Pryor will also take place, featuring the children of those legendary comedians discussing their impact on the world of standup comedy.

Lucy Arnaz announced she will move the entire collection of Lucille Ball’s estate memorabilia to Jamestown this summer, where it will remain and where it will be exhibited at the Dykeman-Young Gallery in August, where it will be show in celebration of I Love Lucy’s 65th anniversary.

Gunderson announced that NBC’s cozy TV will also return to conduct a contest for the next great comic of the United States, with the prize being a spot to perform in Jamestown during the Comedy Festival.

There will also be the return of the Story Pirates program, comedy classes, and a variety of other events happening during the weekend with details to be posted at the Comedy Festival’s website.

Tickets for all festival events go on sale later this month at www.lucycomedyfest.com.