Lin-Manuel Miranda Joins Line-Up for the National Comedy Center's Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

The National Comedy Center, the nation's official cultural institution dedicated to comedy is presenting its acclaimed Lucille Ball Comedy Festival virtually this year, featuring conversations with a diverse lineup of artists, starting Friday, August 14, 2020 and streaming over three weekends throughout August.

Over 30 artists from stand-up, theater, television and film 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.

The virtual festival will also recognize founding National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member and comedy legend Carl Reiner, who passed away just six weeks ago, by featuring a long-form interview with exclusive, never-before-seen footage of Carl directly from the Comedy Center Archives.

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 via Facebook Live 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.

Full Schedule and list of talent participating includes:

Friday August 14th:

o 8pm ET - Jay Leno: Hosted by Stephen J. Morrison (Part 1)- Legendary comedian Jay Leno discusses his extensive career in stand-up, acting, writing and late-night television in a conversation with Stephen J. Morrison, Executive Producer of Exhibit Media for the National Comedy Center.

o 9pm ET - 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.

o 10pm ET - 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.

Saturday, August 15th:

o 8pm ET - Jay Leno: Hosted by Stephen J. Morrison (Part 2)

o 9pm ET - 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.

Sunday, August 16th:

8pm ET - 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 their transition to becoming a digital humor magazine.

Friday, August 21st

o 8pm ET - 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.

o 9pm ET - 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.

o 10pm ET - Dulcé Sloan: Hosted by Charles McBee - Join stand-up comedian Dulcé Sloan as she discusses her career and the importance of Black artistry in a National Comedy Center conversation with her former comedy collaborator, Charles McBee.

Saturday August 22nd :

o 8pm ET - 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.

o 9pm ET - Kenan Thompson: Hosted by Stephen J. Morrison - SNL's Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history and 2020 Emmy nominee discusses comedy with Stephen J. Morrison, Executive Producer of Exhibit Media for the National Comedy Center.

o 10pm ET - 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.

Sunday, August 23rd :

o 8pm ET - Alan Zweibel: Hosted by Kelly Carlin - Original SNL writer 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.

Friday, August 28th :

o 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.

o 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.

o 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 :

o 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.

o 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.

"The mission of the National Comedy Center is to provide education on the comedic arts in the form of commentary and contextualization of its bodies of work, telling the vital story of comedy in America across all eras and genres of the art form," stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. "As a non-profit cultural institution, the museum celebrates comedy's great minds and unique voices, while providing an examination of the time-honed creative processes that have elevated comedy to an art. I can't think of a better way to tell the story of comedy than via these artists' voices, at a time when we all need laughter more than ever."

The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, produced and presented by the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY, named in 2019 as one of TIME magazine's "World's Greatest Places," was headlined in 2019 by John Mulaney and Sebastian Maniscalco, and has showcased comedy's greatest stars and rising young comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen Degeneres, Trevor Noah, Lily Tomlin, Jay Leno, Amy Schumer, Brian Regan, Lewis Black, W. Kamau Bell, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Joan Rivers, Bob Newhart, the Smothers Brothers and more than one hundred other comedic artists. The 30th Lucille Ball Comedy Festival will take place August 4-8, 2021, featuring Jeff Foxworthy, and SNL legends David Spade, Kevin Nealon and Rob Schneider.

The nonprofit National Comedy Center is the nation's official cultural institution and state-of-the-art museum dedicated to comedy, based on Lucille Ball's vision for her hometown of Jamestown, NY to become a destination for the celebration of comedy.

The 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.