Burbank Comedy Festival to Feature Adam Carolla, Jeff Garlin, 200 Emerging Comedians and More, 8/17-23

Adam Carolla, Jeff Garlin, Wendy Liebman, and more than 200 emerging comedians from across the country will take center stage at the Burbank Comedy Festival, Sunday, August 17 through Saturday, August 23.

Hosted by Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant, the Burbank Comedy Festival will be packed with more than 50 special events including underground showcases, classes, workshops, industry panels, after parties, and live festival podcasts. This first-ever festival will highlight new and upcoming international talent, off-beat, variety, college, all-female, LBGT, cruise liner and kids comedy performers.

The festival is dedicated to discovering America's next comedy superstar. By pairing emerging comedians with established headliners, the Burbank Comedy Festival intends to give the next generation of talent the opportunity to perform and connect with top entertainment professionals, to encourage live comedy, and do some funny business.

Full schedule and descriptions are available at http://burbankcomedyfestival.com.

Performance Highlights

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Festival Kickoff Show, 7:00 PM

Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs, Curb Your Enthusiasm) opens the Burbank Comedy Festival, presenting a mix of celebrity headline comedians and rising stars from all across the country. New comics and special surprise guests will make an appearance.

Comics without Borders, 9:00 PM

Dat Phan (Original Winner of Last Comic Standing) presents a line-up of international comedians. Some are as from far away as India, Egypt, and Silverlake.

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Quirky Comedy and Variety, 8:00 PM

Comedian/Juggler Michael Rayner (The Late Show With David Letterman) presents an eclectic evening of alt stand-up, sketch, irreverent puppetry, and the most evil man in the world.

College Showcase, 10:00 PM

Comedian Geoff Keith (MTV's Jerks With Cameras) introduces some of the funniest, freshest, freshman stand-ups in an evening with a million laughs and a million dollars in student loans.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

Adam Carolla Show Live Podcast and Comedians Comedian Award, 8:00 PM

Join Adam Carolla (Road Hard, The Man Show) as he presents a live taping of his wildly popular podcast, and receives the Burbank Comedy Festival's "Comedian's Comedian Award."

Comedians on the Cusp, 10:00 PM

The festival's premier "Fresh Faces" show includes some of the top comics to watch from all over the country, hosted by comedian/writer Dan Telfer from @midnight.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

Ladies of Laughter, 8:00 PM

Comedy legend Wendy Liebman (America's Got Talent) leads an all-female line-up of established and emerging comedians.

Fruit Cocktail Showcase, 10:00 PM

Jen Kober (Curb Your Enthusiasm) presents a line-up of new and emerging comedians, each offering unique, insightful, and hysterical opinions on all things LGBT.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

Comedy Cruise Ship Showcase (1), 8:00 PM

Comedian/Juggler Michael Rayner (The Late Show With David Letterman) presents funny, clean, professional comics (as seen on Last Comic Standing, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, and more), giving you top cruise ship entertainment in the middle of a semi-arid desert.

Comedy Cruise Ship Showcase (2), 10:00 PM

Carlos Alazraqui (Reno 911) presents funny, clean, professional comics (as seen on Last Comic Standing, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, and more), giving you top cruise ship entertainment in the middle of a semi-arid desert.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Emerging Headliner Showcase, 11:00 PM

Joey Medina (from "The Original Latin Kings Of Comedy") presents professional feature acts from around the country that are ready to make the jump to "headliner."

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

2 Milk Minimum, 4:00 PM

Comedian/Juggler Michael Rayner (Sesame Street) presents comedy for the whole family, including performances by 10 and 11 year old stand-up comedians.

Best of The Fest, 9:00 PM

George Gray (The Price Is Right) presents a line-up of comedians who have been hand-picked by the headliners & the producers as "The Best Of The Fest."

The Emerging Headliner Showcase and 2 Milk Minimum are fundraisers for Laugh MD, installing free channels of comedy videos onto hospital TVs and tablets in order to help sick people feel better and heal faster. www.laughmd.com

CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, PANELS & PARTIES

Underground Showcases and Open Mics (various dates and times)

Enjoy impromptu performances in unlikely venues.

§ Underground Showcases are unauthorized performances not previously booked by the festival with open mic opportunities available to anyone who wants to try out new material.

§ Open Mics occur Monday 18, August through Saturday, August 23 at 6:00 PM and 11:30 PM. Also set will be a Comedian's Laboratory/Open Mic on Saturday at 4:30 PM in the Yoo Hoo Room at Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant.

Industry Panels (various times)

Give-and-take sessions and insider tips with representatives from ICM Partners, The Gersh Agency, Omnipop Talent Group, Innovative Artists, APA Talent & Literary Agency, MGM Grand, numerous Comedy Clubs and talent managers

Classes and Workshops, August 18 through 22 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Ten incredible learning opportunities for comedians to develop their craft and gain valuable insights into the industry. Includes Writing for Late Night TV hosted by Gabe Abelson (The Late Show with David Letterman, Politically Incorrect) and Using Your Comedic Character to Get a Sitcom hosted by Fred Stoller (Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond). A special intensive session led by instructors at Flappers Comedy University tailored to beginning comedians kicks off the festival on Sunday, August 17 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Topics include Basic Improv Skills, Fundamentals of Joke Structure, and Nuclear Physics (time permitting).

After Parties, daily 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM

As the daily schedule winds down, the real funny business soars at numerous Downtown Burbank hotspots including Barney's Beanery, the Crystal View Lounge at the Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center, Burbank Bar and Grille, Story Tavern, and Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant.

LIVE FESTIVAL PODCASTS

Offering insights and behind-the-scenes takes on the business of funny, special podcasts will be recorded live during the Burbank Comedy Festival including:

§ About Last Night with Adam Ray and Brad Williams, 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Monday, August 18

§ What's What with Forrest Shaw and Al Jackson, 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Tuesday, August 19

§ The Adam Carolla Show fundraiser for the legal defense fund to fight patent trolls, 8:00 to 9:30 PM

§ FlappCast, an hour-long, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring the funny to the stage. Includes "Punch It Up," where three comedians perform their best three minutes and get feedback, tags, and identity notes from headliners and hosts, 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Wednesday, August 20

§ Foster the Podcast with Justin Foster and Kristie Royster. Includes guests sharing personal, hilarious, and insane stories about missing kidneys, partying with navy seals, getting fired by James Franco, STD's, El Salvadoran prisons, living next door to a pimp, and more 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Thursday, August 21.

For tickets, master schedule, and more, visit burbankcomedyfestival.com.