NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese

Longtime NYWIFT member and 2019 NYWIFT Made in NY Muse Honoree Caroline Hirsch, the founder and owner of Carolines on Broadway and the New York Comedy Festival, is a visionary in the comedy industry. Her keen eye for talent has led her to discover some of the biggest names in comedy, including Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reubens.

Now, as the New York Comedy Festival enters its 19th year, Hirsch is once again making waves by expanding the festival from 7 to 10 days. From November 3rd to November 12th, comedy enthusiasts can expect an even bigger and better lineup of shows, performances, and events.

This expansion showcases Hirsch’s commitment to providing audiences with top-notch comedic entertainment. By extending the festival’s duration, she is ensuring that more talent can be showcased, and more laughter can be shared throughout this iconic event.

Whether you’re a die-hard comedy fan or simply looking for a night of laughter in the heart of New York City, you won’t want to miss out on what promises to be an unforgettable experience at this year’s New York Comedy Festival. Mark your calendars for November 3rd -12th and get ready for ten days filled with hilarity and entertainment like never before.

NYWIFT Member Caroline Hirsch

We have 10 packed days of really fun and exciting shows. We’ve put a roster together and outdid ourselves this year. We went from almost six nights to 10 days of nonstop shows. We have close to 150 shows around New York City, so we’re very proud of that.

I’m also very proud, being a member of New York Women in Film & Television, we have lots of women in the festival this year. From Joy Behar to Ilana Glazer, Margaret Cho, Robyn Schall, Nicole Byer, Michelle Wolf, and the list goes on and on. We’re ecstatic about it.

What can you share with us about “Comics to Watch” and “New York’s Funniest?”

“Comics to Watch” is one of our big shows that we do in the festival where attendees get to see emerging talent. “Comics to Watch” is somebody we have an eye on, and “New York’s Funniest” is somebody we know. Jordan Jensen won “New York’s Funniest” recently. She’s doing her solo show this year which I believe is sold out. Ricky Velez has also won one year. He is coming back and is hosting. Ricky is also doing his single show at the Chelsea Music Club. We’re just excited about everything happening.

What does it take behind the scenes to do something this huge as a 10-day festival?

It’s the 19th year, so some things we have down. We went out there, we booked theaters and we saw who’s around. With the help of the staff, we put all these shows together. There’s lots of people behind the scenes and lots of people that come on the week of the festival to help out with everything.

NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 10: New York Comedy Festival founder Caroline Hirsch on stage during the 2019 NYWIFT Muse Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown on December 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for New York Women in Film & Television)

You’ve been honored quite a bit for the iconic and innovative work that you’ve contributed to arts and entertainment. How does it feel to receive your flowers in such profound ways?

Being honored by NYWIFT as a Muse with the Made in New York Award was really flattering along with some other exceptional women on stage.

We were honored to bring Caroline’s up to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. I must tell you, it’s a very impressive center because there’s lots of interactive displays that all center around comedy such as the stage from The Tonight Show. Every comedy fan should really make a visit there. They will be so delightfully surprised about how sophisticated this center is and what it has contributed to comedy.

Also, this year, I am the recipient of the first Bob Saget Award. After Bob’s passing, they decided that they wanted to do this award because every year we’d have a fundraiser at Caroline’s for the Scleroderma Research Foundation.

The late Bob Saget with Caroline Hirsch

What else would you like our readers to know?

I want to let you know that we have a lot of the big shows, but everybody should go to nycomedyfestival.com and scroll through all of the shows that we have around New York City, in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, and the island of Manhattan. We have a lot of the smaller shows, and you’ll be tickled pink to go to one of those because they’re really, really great shows.

Everything has been hand-selected, and we go over with a fine-tooth comb to make sure we’re working with a lot of people, make sure we’re filling a need for people, making sure we’re diversified in everything that we present, and I think people will be really, really surprised about the breadth of the festival.

More on New York Comedy Festival:

• The NYCF will Feature More Than 200 Comedians Performing in More Than 100 Shows at Venues Throughout the Five Boroughs.
• 2023 Headliners include Dave Attell, Bill Burr, Nicole Byer, Jimmy Carr, Margaret Cho, Tim Dillon, Giggly Squad, Ilana Glazer, Brett Goldstein, Nate Jackson, Anthony Jeselnik, Matteo Lane, Sam Morril, Nick Mullen and Adam Friedland, Atsuko Okatsuka, Pod Meets World, Donnell Rawlings, Jeff Ross, Robyn Schall, Daniel Sloss, Michelle Wolf, and Conan O’Brien.
• The NYCF announced the addition of more than 100 shows to our 2023 line-up, includingJoy Behar’s Bonkers in the Boroughs November 3–5 at Manhattan Movement and Arts Center; Caleb Hearon on November 3 and 8 at The Bell House; Drew Michael: Hereon November 3 and 4 at Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater; Ariel Elias on November 4 at Young Ethel’s; Alec Flynn and Victoria Vincent Co-Headliner Series on November 5 at Tiny Cupboard; Marguerite: a solo show by Maggie Winters on November 6 at Union Hall; and many more.
• Bread Financialis the Official Card and Sponsor of the New York Comedy Festival.
• Hard Rock Hotel New York is the official host hotel for the NYCF this year. With music and entertainment at its core, the hotel will once again be home to various festival performances, events, and after-parties along with exclusive overnight experiences for those in the audience or commanding the stage.
• The NYCF will be presenting shows at some of the most prestigious theaters and concert venues across the five boroughs, including the Apollo Theatre, BAM, the Beacon Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Theater at MSG, Town Hall, and many more.
• Stand Up for Heroes (SUFH), presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival (NYCF), returns for its 17th annual celebration to honor our nation’s impacted veterans and their families on November 6, at 8:00 p.m. ET at David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
• The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) announces the finalists for “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” Presented by Death Wish Coffee. The event, which marks its 15th anniversary and has become a staple of the New York Comedy Festival and the city’s premier stand-up comedy competition, will take place at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel (259 West 48th Street) on Saturday, November 11 at 3:30 p.m., and will shine a spotlight on some of stand-ups’ top up-and-coming comedians. 2014 New York’s Funniest Stand-Up winner Ricky Velez will host the show. The ten finalists will perform a ten-minute set in front of a panel of comedy industry judges. The winner will receive a cash prize.

In addition to tickets for New York’s Funniest, you can see all of this year’s headliners and more than 100 additional shows that were added to the 2023 lineup on https://nycomedyfestival.com

Follow on social media @nycomedyfest Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #MakeNYLaugh.