THURSDAY, AUGUST
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The National Comedy Center is the United States’ official cultural institution and museum dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations, as formally designated by the U.S. Congress. Opened in 2018 in Jamestown, New York, the museum complex offers an unprecedented, immersive visitor experience using stateof-the-art technology, interactivity, and personalization.
USA Today named the National Comedy Center the “Best New Museum in the Country, TIME magazine named it one of its “World’s Greatest Places,” and U.S. News & World Report selected it as one of the “25 Top Family Weekend Getaways in the U.S.,” while Condé Nast Traveler called the National Comedy Center “one of the best museums in the country,” and People magazine named it one of “100 Reasons to Love America.”
The National Comedy Center has been featured in The New York Times, on CBS Saturday Morning, CBS Sunday Morning and on NBC’s TODAY Show, which called it “the Smithsonian of Comedy.” Visitors from all 50 states and 27 countries have given the Center a rare 5/5 rating on TripAdvisor, ranking among the highest in the attraction and tourism industry.
Based on the vision of Jamestown native Lucille Ball for her hometown to become a destination for comedy, the non-profit National Comedy Center’s mission is to provide education on the comedic arts in the form of commentary and contextualization of its bodies of work across all eras and genres of the art form.
The National Comedy Center has collaborated with dozens of artists and estates to preserve materials that represent comedy’s significant artistic, social, and political contributions to American culture including collections illustrating the careers of legendary artists like George Carlin, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Joan Rivers, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Lenny Bruce, The Smothers Brothers, and the development of groundbreaking creative work such as sketch comedy series In Living Color, Saturday Night Live, and more.
Within the Comedy Center’s museum galleries, more than 50 interactive exhibits and immersive experiences employ cutting-edge technology to present the story
of comedy from its origins to the present day – using archival documents, artifacts, and media as their core. Its educational programming on the art form has featured George Lopez, Tiffany Haddish, Margaret Cho, Norman Lear, Debra Messing, Rain Pryor (daughter of Richard Pryor), Jay Leno, Kenan Thompson, Gabriel Iglesias, Ben Stiller, John Cleese, Jimmy Fallon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and many more.
The National Comedy Center operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which explores the lives, careers, and legacy of the “First Couple of Comedy” and the incredible impact they had on the world, as well as the pioneering role and remarkable influence that I Love Lucy and Desilu Studios had on the entertainment industry for generations to come.
The annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, produced and presented by the National Comedy Center, showcases comedy’s most significant artists including Jerry Seinfeld, Trevor Noah, Lily Tomlin, John Mulaney, Margaret Cho, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Jeff Foxworthy, Taylor Tomlinson, Jay Leno, Amy Schumer, Sebastian Maniscalco, W. Kamau Bell, David Spade, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Joan Rivers, Kevin Nealon, The Smothers Brothers, and more than 300 comedic artists. The 2024 festival, August 1-4, will feature Nate Bargatze, “Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross, Nicole Byer, and dozens of comedic artists over 50 live events. Tickets for 2024 festival events are currently on sale at ComedyCenter.org.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a good, full-on belly laugh. And the ability to make people laugh? That is an art. The National Comedy Center brings it all together — giving comedy fans of all ages a world-class, immersive and interactive experience unlike any other, as it presents comedy’s greatest hits and legendary talent.
From the moment you step through the doors, you’re in on the fun. You start by creating your personalized “Sense of Humor Profile,” which is stored on a LaughBand worn on your wrist. This state-of-the-art technology tailors your National Comedy Center experience to you and your unique sense of humor. Loaded up with your favorite funny people, shows, movies and more, the LaughBand helps customize your visit by unlocking the laughs at the more than 50 exhibits throughout the 37,000-square-foot museum complex.
From stand-up to sketch and improv, radio to television, movies to cartoons and more, the National Comedy Center invites you to explore a wide range of comedy genres while providing hours of fun and laughter. The Center’s Act the Part green screen experience puts you right at the center of some famously funny moments from film and television, Comedy Karaoke hands you
a mic to try your hand at some of the best stand-up routines of all time, and the Comedy Continuum allows you to explore the connections and collaborations between artists on a 60-foot touch-screen video wall. You can create your own memes, draw your own cartoon characters, and compete with family and friends in an epic Laugh Battle. The Johnny Carson: The Immersive Experience is an immersive theater presentation on the legendary “King of Late Night” featuring Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Martin Short, Bette Midler, Conan O’Brien and more, with Jimmy Fallon as your hologram host.
The National Comedy Center has the distinction of being the United States’ official cultural institution and non-profit museum dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations. USA Today named it the “Best New Museum” in the country, TIME magazine named it one of its “World’s Greatest Places,” and U.S. News & World Report named it one of the “25 Top Family Weekend Getaways in the U.S.”
The National Comedy Center is also the home to rare artifacts and collections from many of the greatest artists of all time, including George Carlin, Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Johnny Carson, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Lenny Bruce and many more.
You should know: the fun doesn’t stop at the National Comedy Center. Just three blocks away, the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum celebrates the lives, careers, and legacy of the “First Couple of Comedy” and the incredible impact they had on the world. It also celebrates the pioneering role and remarkable influence that I Love Lucy and Desilu Studios had on the entertainment industry for generations to come. The museum proudly features original wardrobe pieces, rare artifacts, and re-created sets from I Love Lucy – the most beloved TV comedy of all time.
Museum guests have the opportunity to take photos on the Ricardo’s iconic New York City living room apartment set, star in their own Vitameatavegamin commercial, and take a self-guided tour with the help of ETHEL (Enhanced Tour Hardware for Experiencing Lucy) which allows visitors to watch rare videos, archival photos, and audio highlights narrated by Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz – a perfect companion for your visit!
Visit comedycenter.org to learn more about the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum, and to plan your visit.
Comedian Nate Bargatze, “Roastmaster General”
Jeff Ross and Nailed It! host Nicole Byer will headline the National Comedy Center’s 2024 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 1 through 4 in Jamestown, NY.
Over 50 live events will be presented over four days in a festival that celebrates comedy’s contemporary stars and rising talent from across the country, while celebrating comedy’s great heritage.
Nicole Byer, performing August 1st at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, has become widely known as the host of the Netflix Emmy-nominated reality-competition baking series Nailed It!, and is one of the most distinctive voices in stand-up comedy today.
“Nicole Byer is a fearless performer with a candid, razor sharp take that brings the audience along for a fun ride. I’m thrilled to have her in this lineup and welcome her to Jamestown, where fans from across the country celebrate this craft with our award-winning comedy museum visitor experience by day, and the best live comedy shows by night, stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson.
“Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross, who brings his solo show to the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on August 2nd, was the creative force, co-host and producer of the recent blockbuster Netflix “Roast of Tom Brady”, and in addition to his numerous high profile roast credits, is among the most respected stand-up comedians touring today.
“Jeff Ross has been a genre-defining artist for decades, both continuing and revolutionizing the art of insult comedy. Beyond the roasts, he’s just a fantastic stand-up comedian, an incredible writer, and a genuine champion of the art form’s past and present, which I love about him,” said Gunderson.
Visits to the National Comedy Center’s “Art of the Roast” exhibit, featuring the history of insult comedy from the Dean Martin and Friars’ Club Roasts, through Comedy Central Roasts, Roast Battle, and highlighting artists from Don Rickles to Jeff Ross, can also be reserved with museum admission before live shows during the festival.
Nate Bargatze will perform on Saturday, August 3rd at the Northwest Arena in Jamestown He has been selling out shows and breaking attendance records around the world with his current “The Be Funny” tour.
“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the National Comedy Center and it’s just awesome. The interactivity of all the exhibits is amazing – there is nothing else like it. So, it’s a thrill for me to perform at the National Comedy Center’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival this August. I hope everyone will come out to see us in Jamestown – and visit the Comedy Center before our show,” said Nate Bargatze.
“Nate Bargatze has become a favorite of comedy fans across the country and one of the highest-grossing comedians of the year, selling out arenas nationwide,” added Gunderson. “We were thrilled to have Nate visit the National Comedy Center last fall and look forward to bringing him back to Jamestown for a special headlining performance this August. He’s become a great friend and supporter of our mission.”
“With Nate Bargatze, Nicole Byer and Jeff Ross, we truly have a stellar headliner lineup this summer,” stated Malachi Livermore, the National Comedy Center’s Vice President of Programming & Guest Experience.
“Together with many of the best stand-ups from across the country, Lucy celebration events, bigger block parties with live music and more, the 2024 festival will celebrate the best of comedy’s past and present over four days.”
Nicole Byer
Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile and recognizable voices in the comedy landscape today, acclaimed for her Netflix specials Big Beautiful Weirdo and Comedians of the World and as the host of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated reality-competition baking series Nailed It!
Byer starred in NBC’s Grand Crew and was a fan favorite on MTV’s hit series Girl Code. Her past work includes the Above Average web series Pursuit of Sexiness, which she co-created and starred in alongside Sasheer Zamata, and the scripted comedy series Loosely Exactly Nicole. Her network television and feature work include Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Lady Dynamite, Party Over Here, BoJack Horseman and 30 Rock. She regularly hosts the popular podcasts Why Won’t You Date Me, and What the Tuck? She is an Upright Citizens Brigade alumnus who continues to cement her status as a force in stand-up comedy, regularly performing in cities across the country.
Jeff Ross
Jeff Ross most recently created, executive produced and co-hosted the blockbuster “The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady” – an all-star, live Netflix special which took the art of the roast to new heights as one of the most watched comedy specials in years. Ross, called a one-man verbal assault unit, has been a staple on the Comedy Central Roasts, and the series Roast Battle on Comedy Central, anchoring roasts of many of the industry’s most famous artists. Ross will perform his new solo show, “Take a Banana For the Ride,” in Jamestown, a journey through his life of laugher and loss. This intimate and revealing semi-autobiographical show touches on some of the most poignant moments in the comedian’s career to chronicle how he became The Roastmaster, as he celebrates the lives of his grandfather, his best friends and his dog. Ross has also used comedy specials to turn roasting into social commentary. With Jeff Ross Roasts Criminal, Jeff Ross Roasts Cops and Jeff Ross Roasts the Border, Jeff has shed light on some of the more polarizing political issues of our time. These specials have taken him to a maximum security prison, the Boston Police Department, and both sides of the Mexican border.
Nate Bargatze
Nate Bargatze’s most recent comedy special, Nate Bargatze: Hello World, holds the record as Amazon’s most-watched comedy special of all time on Prime Video. Last fall, he made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live, receiving rave reviews and drawing one of highest television audiences of the season, with Vanity Fair calling him, “A Great Saturday Night Live Host,” and Entertainment Weekly exclaiming, “A frighteningly funny Halloween episode.”
Bargatze is widely known for his clean, relatable comedy for audiences of all ages, evident in his 13 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the most appearances by any comedian. He also appeared on Conan four times and has appeared on Seth Meyers’ and James Corden’s respective late night shows.
Hailed as “The Nicest Man in Stand-up” by The Atlantic magazine and a “Rising Star” by CBS Mornings, Bargatze was nominated for a Grammy® for Best Comedy Album for his 2021 Netflix special “The Greatest Average American, which follows his previous acclaimed Netflix specials The Tennessee Kid and The Standups. His
Saturday Night Live sketch “Washington’s Dream” went viral and was hailed as an instant classic and one of the funniest SNL sketches of all time.
Bargatze was featured as one of Esquire’s “Best New Comedians” by Jim Gaffigan, one of Marc Maron’s “Comedians to Watch” in Rolling Stone, one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch” for 2015, and as #1 on Vulture’s ‘50 Comedians You Should Know’ in 2015. He also appeared on the cover of Variety’s annual comedy issue in 2022. He recently launched The Nateland Company, which develops and produces family-friendly content including comedy showcases, specials and podcasts including his own popular The Nateland Podcast, which featured Bargatze’s tour of the National Comedy Center.
Tickets for the Nate Bargatze, Jeff Ross and Nicole Byer shows, along with all festival events, including Late Night comedy shows and Lucy legacy events, are currently on sale to at ComedyCenter.org. Tickets are selling fast and show sell-outs are anticipated.
Thefunny thing about running the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY is: like any other job, the days can be long, the work, stressful. When they are, executive director Journey Gunderson knows she can rely on one thing: a good laugh.
“In any setting, whether it’s with my kids, in a business meeting, in any interaction — tension can be broken via a little humor. So, that’s a big part of the role it plays in my life.”
Of her role at the state-of-the-art museum TIME Magazine named among the World’s Greatest Places, Gunderson explains she is on a mission, “that is never going to feel complete: to engender in as many people as possible, a greater level of respect and reverence for what these artists do. It’s a daunting mission, but it’s a fun and worthy one.”
The National Comedy Center set out to do something that no one had really done before: take comedy seriously.
“The comedic sensibility is to poke fun at oneself and to never take oneself too seriously,” Gunderson explains. “And so perhaps that’s why no one did it before. And that’s why we had to step up and do it. We had to create the institution that would celebrate and create this level of respect for the art form… because its own artists won’t do it for themselves. It’s a healthy thing that we do it for them. They can stick to writing the jokes and we can appreciate them for it.”
One of the most interactive and immersive museums in the country, the National Comedy Center tells the story of comedy and its legends by giving visitors an active role in their own, unique experience. It’s something most never imagine in a place they’d never expect and Gunderson says that is part of what makes the experience so special and so fun.
“The best comedy is often like a verbal magic trick where you don’t see it coming. And then you’re very pleasantly surprised. And that is an apt analogy for how many people come into Jamestown. They are keenly aware that they are not in New York City, DC, Chicago or Los Angeles and then they experience the National Comedy Center and are so pleasantly surprised. This little town pulled off something worthy of the grand art form it celebrates and managed to fight above its weight in delivering a museum that is a worthy celebration of these artists.”
August is a celebratory time in Jamestown — marking the birthdays of both the National Comedy Center,
turning six this year; and the woman whose vision inspired it, Jamestown native Lucille Ball. It is also when the National Comedy Center presents the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. One of the most important comedy festivals in the country, it celebrates the legacy of comedy’s past, the best of comedy’s present and showcases comedy’s rising talent.
“You can relish in the laughs that have been given to us by Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel,” Gunderson says. “You can learn about the entirety of our rich comedy history across every genre era and style and you can see live performances of some of the freshest most nuanced takes on what’s happening right now. I can’t think of a better way to appreciate this art form.”
When it comes to fresh contemporary comedy, Gunderson says look no further than festival headliner Nicole Byer. In addition to standup, Byer’s hilarious takes and infectious personality have garnered fans from all corners of entertainment as host of the popular Netflix show, Nailed It! and several podcasts, even a book.
Having just acquired the archives of the legendary Don Rickles in 2023, now on display in the museum’s Blue Room, Gunderson says she is looking forward to welcoming headliner and “Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross to Jamestown for the first time, particularly considering the popularity of the Comedy Center’s Art of the Roast exhibit.
“There are great comedians and Jeff Ross is one of them, but he’s also a guy that is very expressive about the talents of his peers and predecessors. I’ve always loved that about him and it feels so close to our mission.”
Also headlining this year’s festival is record-breaking comedian Nate Bargatze. Now selling out arenas with his Be Funny tour, Bargatze performed during the 2011 festival.
“That was the year we announced to the world that we were setting forth to make Lucille Ball’s vision a reality and to make Jamestown a destination for the appreciation of and study of the art of comedy.”
Gunderson says it is sometimes “surreal” to see how far they have come but wonderful to witness visitors enjoying a day of laughter in the place they built to hold it so dear.
“It feels pretty incredible to be sitting here today, reflecting on the fact that right now, in 2024 in August, here in Jamestown, it has to come to fruition.”
TheNational Comedy Center, which was named the “#1 Best New Museum” and the “#2 Best New Attraction” in the country by USA Today, and one of the “World’s Greatest Places” by TIME magazine, offers a immersive and interactive experiences designed for families and children of all ages to enjoy a curation of comedy’s greatest content throughout time, use green screens to get into classic comedy scenes, create their own memes and cartoons, and even try comedy karaoke.
The Center has received rave reviews from the media and visitors for its family-friendly exhibits and was recently named by U.S. News & World Report as a “25 Top Family Weekend Getaway in the U.S.” in a list of destinations that included Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Western New York Family Magazine called the National Comedy Center a “Must See Destination… recommended for school-age children and up,” and I LOVE NY named the Comedy Center one of the best “family-friend indoor activities” in New York State. Macaroni KID Erie raved about the Comedy Center’s “kid-friendly laughs,” stating, ”We spent nearly four hours at the museum and still had to drag our 7- and 9-year-olds away!”
In both 2022 and 2023, The Post-Journal and Observer readers voted the National Comedy Center as “Best of the Best” in Chautauqua County for “Family Fun.”
Last fall, Group Tour Magazine named the Comedy Center a “Top Cultural Institution” in the Northeast, stating, “through state-of-the-art technology, students can create a “sense-of-humor profile” which is then used to personalize their interactions across the rest of the museum. Students will learn not only about comedy history but also how to communicate by varying tone, genre, and style.”
Here we’ve highlighted some of the most popular, “must see” interactive experiences for kids and teens.
Explore how iconic comedy props – the anvil, the rubber chicken, “Groucho” glasses, whoopie cushion, the seltzer bottle, and many more – have been used throughout comedy history on our interactive tables, which burst to life with video clips from classic films, TV shows and cartoons featuring those props.
Put yourself and your friends and family in classic TV shows and movies including the iconic I Love Lucy chocolate factory scene, and favorite scenes from
Dumb and Dumber, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, plus classic pie fights, movie car crash scenes and more.
It’s your turn to take the stage as you perform a classic comedy routine from some of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time in front of your family and friends – or go freestyle and deliver your favorite jokes and see if you can get the audience laughing and clapping . If the spotlight is not your thing, cheer on your friends and family while enjoying a snack and beverage in our Karaoke lounge.
Try your hand at cartooning by following the instructions on the touchscreen monitor. Have fun creating your own characters and cartoon panels, which will be sent to you via email after your visit.
Compete with friends and family to see who can make each other laugh. Microsoft AI facial recognition technology detects whether you smiled or laughed when a joke is delivered by your opponent. If you manage not to laugh, you’ll score the point.
Become a “Foley” artist by adding your own sound effects to a Three Stooges clip or the iconic campfire scene from Blazing Saddles. Do you have what it takes to fill these scenes with sounds that get the biggest laughs?
Have fun as we show you how to create your own Meme and send it to you so you can share it with friends and family – maybe your Meme will be the next to go viral!
By KATE WELSHOFER
With so much to see, do and experience, a visit to the National Comedy Center is a true, state-ofthe-art adventure where laughter and delight are around every corner, immersing visitors in a world of pure joy. There’s a reason why the words “blown away” appear so often in our five-star reviews.
There is nothing like the National Comedy Center.
Key to the National Comedy Center experience is the fact that it’s tailored to the individual thanks to our LaughBand technology. That means there is no right way or wrong way to experience it — only your way!
Knowing even the most intrepid explorers love a little insider info, here are a few things to know before you go.
The Not-To-Be-Missed List!
Become a Comedy Chameleon
Have you ever thought, even just for a moment, about being in the movies? We give you that chance with our Act The Part green screen experience. Put yourself and your friends and family in classic TV shows and movies and act alongside your favorite stars.
Choose from some of the most famously funny moments including the iconic I Love Lucy chocolate factory scene, along with favorite scenes from Dumb and Dumber, Anchorman and Saturday Night Live. You can also experience a classic pie fight and even play action star in thrilling scenes with explosions and more.
The best part? Your performance is stored on your LaughBand and sent straight to your email — a great souvenir to enjoy and share.
When you begin your National Comedy Center experience, you will instantly find yourself standing among the work of legends including Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers and George Carlin. Much like the people themselves, the exhibits honoring the comedians are bigger than life, but here’s what you don’t want to miss: some of the little things.
The Johnny Carson Immersive Experience hosted by Jimmy Fallon celebrates the King of Late Night’s career and the impact of The Tonight Show on television. It’s a stunning experience to step into and enjoy. When you walk out, be sure to take the time to check out the display in the hallway — a collection of cards from Johnny Carson’s personal Rolodex featuring some of the most famous names in entertainment, the dates of their appearances on the show and Johnny’s own notes. The cards are a jaw-dropping who’s who and a fascinating glimpse at the National Comedy Center’s expansive archival collection.
The National Comedy Center announced last year it will be home to Joan Rivers career archive, including a file cabinet containing over 65,000 original jokes spanning from the start of her career in the 1950s until her death in 2014. The archives will be the centerpiece of a new interactive exhibit coming in 2025. You can get a sneak peek right now with the museum’s current display of some of Joan’s personal archives including a typewritten list of one-liners along with her hilarious list of “17 Ways to Handle a Heckler. It’s one more way the National Comedy Center lifts to curtain to honor the craft of comedy.
The George Carlin exhibit is one of the first interactive displays you will encounter as you begin your trip through the National Comedy Center.
Acquired in 2016, two years before the National Comedy Center opened to the public, the archives of George Carlin are a cornerstone of the museum and contain material the comedian saved over his 50-plus year career.
The Carlin archive includes his extensive creative files, annotated set lists, handwritten journals, scrapbooks, awards, letters, clothing, arrest records and countless hours of video and audio recordings containing both
released and unreleased material.
This material has been digitized and is available for you to see and hear. It’s incredible to see what Carlin kept and how he organized it all. Plus, you’ll encounter delightfully unexpected items like sweet fan letters and thank you notes. Be sure to unlock this treasure trove of comedy history when you step into the exhibit.
Access to these bits and pieces of legendary comedians’ lives and their work is what we mean when we say “the story of comedy lives here.” At The National Comedy Center, you have the unique opportunity to turn the pages.
Comedy Karaoke
The bright yellow glow from our Karaoke Lounge invites you in to take the stage, step up to the mic and give stand-up comedy your best shot. You’ll have a little help as we provide the material, and not just any material, but the best of the best bits of stand-up from Jerry Seinfeld, Ali Wong, Jeff Foxworthy, Chris Rock, John Mulaney, Aziz Ansari and many more. All you have to do is just
read it from a screen placed right in front of the stage. Even some of the biggest names in comedy who have toured The National Comedy Center have completely bombed and laughed their way through this interactive experience when they try to perform someone else’s act — proving, in the most hilarious way, it’s not as easy as it may appear.
Not quite ready for the spotlight? Not to worry. Our lounge is also the place where you can grab a seat, some refreshments and share a laugh with your family and friends.
Laugh Battle
Match wits with your funniest friends and family in the state-of-the-art and hilariously challenging Laugh Battle. The goal? Make each other laugh for points.
Here’s how it works: we provide the joke to deliver to your opponent. You only get a point if they laugh. If they don’t, the point is theirs. It may seem pretty simple and maybe you think you have a great poker face but — is it good enough to get past the Microsoft AI facial recognition technology that detects even the slightest smile? (We do love an element of surprise around here!)
It’s a blast to find out round after round in a game where, let’s face it, everybody wins.
The list of “Not-To-Be-Missed” simply would not be complete without mentioning the National Comedy Center’s Comedy Continuum. First off all, you literally cannot miss it. It is enormous — a 60-foot digital touch screen video wall filled with comedy history you bring to life with your LaughBand.
Descend a ramp into this sunken lair of comedy adventure to begin your exploration into the connections and collaborations between comedy’s most influential artists. Touch the screen and watch as the web of comedy starts to come to life. Piece by digital piece, you unlock the “six degrees of separation” between your favorite comedy stars and their greatest influences. You’ll be amazed how this huge exhibit reveals the relatively “small world” of comedy and how comedic talent is linked across genres and even eras of comedy. You’ll also discover hidden connections along with exclusive video content and other digital tidbits and treasures — incredible stories just waiting for you to find them.
One other cool feature? This exhibit can be tailored to the height of the user for maximum accessibility.
That’s just a small sample of the fun things there are to do and see at The National Comedy Center and here’s one more bonus tip: give yourself plenty of time to make your way through the experience. You definitely won’t regret spending a full day or even more exploring, learning, and laughing all the way.
Thispast June, the National Comedy Center and Pixar announced that the studio donated rare concept art from its feature film Inside Out 2 to the Comedy Center’s permanent archives.
The artwork has been accessioned into the national archive, and is now on display within the state-of-theart museum’s cartooning and animation gallery in Jamestown, NY.
“I’m so proud of Inside Out 2 and loved voicing ‘Joy’ once again. To have this character and this film’s story art placed in the archive of the National Comedy Center –my favorite museum of all time – is quite fitting, because both the film and the museum have resonated with me so deeply,” stated Amy Poehler, who is also a National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member.
“The Inside Out film series stands out in the animated film genre because it exemplifies the use of comedy and great comedic talent to deliver material addressing topics less often broached – in this case with kids. Leading the way on emotional self-awareness and mental health with the Academy-Award-winning original, and now on the topics of anxiety and puberty – comedy as an art form, and its artists, have always helped us into these conversations,” said National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson.
”To have Inside Out 2 concept artwork in the National Comedy Center archive – and on display alongside work from masters of this art form, including Al Hirschfeld, Saul Steinberg, Chuck Jones, Charles Schultz, Bill Watterson and so many legendary cartoonists and illustrators is an honor for our work at Pixar,” stated Pete Docter, Pixar Chief Creative Officer and the director of the original Inside Out
Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2, which opened in theaters on June 14, is the highest-grossing film of 2024, earning
$1 billion at the box office worldwide faster than any other animated movie in history. The film had the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar history and the second-biggest animated movie opening of all time. Inside Out 2 follows the blockbuster success of original Inside Out in 2015, which won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film and a Golden Globe® for Best Motion Picture – Animated.
“As someone who has spent a stand-up career evoking laughter with anger, it’s a thrill to bring the character of ‘Anger’ back to the big screen and see that little guy accessioned into the official cultural institution for comedy – the National Comedy Center. I wish I’d had this film as a kid, and this museum. People should go see both – truly,” stated Lewis Black, who voiced “Anger” in the original film and in Inside Out 2, and is known in stand-up as the “King of the Rant.”
Inside Out 2 brings audiences back into the mind of Riley, who is now a teenager learning to confront new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment, while still managing her original emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as the voice of Joy. The voice cast also includes Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Tony Hale and Liza Lapira. The film is directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen. The first Inside Out 2 trailer, released last November, had the biggest launch in Pixar history, with 157 million views in just the first 24 hours.
Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter, and Inside Out 2 cast members Amy Poehler, Lewis Black and Paula Poundstone are all Advisory Board members of the National Comedy Center.
Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 is continues to play exclusively in theaters worldwide.
You may know the National Comedy Center and the Lucy Desi Museum are the places to go for a day of laughs and insight into the United States’ rich comedy history, but did you also know they’re also great places to find unique and hilarious gifts?
The museum gift shops offer all kinds of fun items perfect for the comedy lover or Lucy fan or in your life. Branded apparel and products featuring your favorite TV and movie comedies? The Comedy Shop has it -- from Friends and Seinfeld to The Office, Cheers, Golden Girls and more. National Comedy Center logo merchandise? Absolutely. Silly socks and gag gifts? Done. Books by your favorite comedians? You betcha. From Christmas ornaments to eye-catching clothing, keychains, coffee mugs, Groucho glasses and whoopie cushions, The Comedy Shop is your hub for all things funny – available both online and in store at the museum.
The Lucy Desi Museum shops feature the most comprehensive collection of Lucy, Desi and I Love Lucy merchandise in the world – right here in Jamestown –including exclusively licensed merchandise that you can’t get anywhere else.
Here’s a hot tip: you don’t have to buy a ticket to the museums to visit the stores! Can’t decide? That’s okay too. Gift cards are also available and can be used to purchase admission to the museum, memberships or merchandise in the shops.
Stop in to browse the locations in Jamestown, NY or explore online at ComedyShop.com and LucyDesiShop. com and support the mission of celebrating comedy and preserving its rich heritage.
• Hardwood
• Vinyl Planks & Tile
• Ceramic Tile
• Carpet
• Cabinet
• Sinks
• Toilets
• Faucets
Foranyone wondering about the rising stars of comedy, here’s where you can find them!
From Thursday, August 1 through Saturday, August 3, the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival will present six exciting Comedy Late Night shows featuring a new lineup of comics each night. These performers have graced the stages of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Daily Show, Last Comic Standing, Conan, Netflix comedy specials, and America’s Got Talent They are set to deliver their latest—and sometimes most daring—performances. The events will be held in a stunning replica of Ricky Ricardo’s iconic Manhattan nightclub, the Tropicana, located just above the Lucy Desi Museum in Jamestown. The lineup includes:
Thursday, August 1:
A native New Yorker, Nina Daniels has appeared on FOX, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, The Super Serious Show, The New Negroes, Night Train with
Wyatt Cenac, and Comedy at the Knitting Factory
Ophira Eisenberg is a Canadian-born standup comedian, writer, and host. She hosted NPR’s comedy trivia show Ask Me Another for 9-years. She has appeared on HBO’s Girls, The Late Late Late Show, The Today Show, and is the host of the new comedy podcast: Parenting Is A Joke.
Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, musician, actor, and radio host. He has appeared on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Adult Swim’s Joe Pera Talks with You, Peacock’s Girls5Eva, Comedy Central’s @midnight, Inside Amy Schumer, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Jim Gaffigan Show, and TruTV’s Comedy Knockout.
Working nightly in New York City’s top comedy clubs, Erin Jackson is a writer for The Upshaws on Netflix, and has appeared on Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Conan, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Last Comic Standing
Matt Koff is a Brooklyn-based standup comic and veteran TV writer. He won an Emmy for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and has written for The Onion and The White House Correspondents’ Dinner hosted by Trevor Noah. He has appeared on Comedy Central, WNYC, WFMU, and The History Channel.
Matt won “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” last fall in the annual competition during the New York Comedy Festival, which was founded and is produced by Caroline Hirsch.
Friday, August 2:
Star and creator of the new CBC comedy, One More Time, DJ Demers has won the award for Best Breakout Artist at the Canadian Comedy Awards, the Homegrown Comics Competition at the prestigious Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and the Toronto Comedy Brawl. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent, & Conan.
Opey Olagbaju is a Nigerian American stand-up comedian and writer. He recently shot and starred in
the pilot of his series Bammas on Hulu. He’s appeared on and written for Sarah Silverman’s I Love You, America on Hulu, and has also appeared on Close Enough, Bob Hearts Abishola, Scroll Wheel of Time, Unrelated, & The New Negroes.
Ali Macofsky’s stand up has received millions of views online. She was selected as a 2022 New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs comedy festival and can be found headlining comedy clubs across the country - showcasing her incredibly personal, witty, and observant material that has captivated audiences.
Moody McCarthy has performed at the best clubs in the land and can be heard on SiriusXM. He’s also been featured on America’s Got Talent and Last Comic Standing, and has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, & The Letterman Show.
Saturday, August 3:
Caitlin Gill has performed for Flophouse on Viceland, at the Oddball Comedy Tour, the Outside Lands Festival,
SF Sketchfest, & Bridgetown Comedy Festival. She has appeared on Put Your Hands Together, Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction, & NPR’s Snap Judgement.
Named a 2018 Comedian You Should Know by Vulture, Marie Faustin was also selected as one of Just For Laughs Montreal’s New Faces in 2017. She has appeared on Broad City, Search Party, Comedy Central Stand-Up, MTV’s Girl Code, The BET Awards, & Oxygen’s Very Real Talk
Maddy Smith is a long time cast member on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out and also a nationally touring comedian who is a regular at Comedy Cellar in New York City. She has also appeared on BET, HBO, & Barstool Sports.
Tickets for each Comedy Late Night Show, with performances at 9:30 PM and 11 PM each night, are on sale now at ComedyCenter.org/Festival.
(*Please note: these shows contain adult content.)
Award-winning former broadcast journalist, news anchor and producer Kate Welshofer recently joined the National Comedy Center as Communications and Content Strategist.
Welshofer supervises digital, social and broadcast content development in the Marketing and Communications department of the state-of-the-art museum, while working closely with the Center’s Programming, Archives and Operations teams. She is responsible for the Center’s digital and social content strategy and produces content designed to drive audience engagement and brand growth. Welshofer will also focus on building new strategic partnerships and media initiatives for the Comedy Center, broadening its press outreach, and supervising new projects to drive tourism, while serving as a press spokesperson and ambassador for the organization.
“With her extensive experience as a multi-media writer, journalist, content creator and speaker, Kate Welshofer brings extraordinary skill and talent to our Communications team,” stated National Comedy Center Vice President of Marketing and Communications Gary Hahn. “We look forward to building our digital strategies and expanding our content creation under
her supervision and guidance, as we build the Comedy’s Center’s brand nationwide.”
“We’ve admired Kate’s work as a broadcast journalist for years. She knows how to tell stories well and how to engage audiences with compelling content,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “Kate’s important new role will further enable us to fulfill the National Comedy Center’s mission to tell comedy’s vital story and preserve its heritage for generations to come.”
“I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to join the team at the National Comedy Center. Humor is a huge part of who I am, and I have long admired the Comedy Center for not only appreciating and celebrating the craft of comedy and its artists but also respecting, valuing and promoting the incredible power and importance of humor in all our lives,” stated Kate Welshofer. “I’m thrilled to now be part of that mission and am looking forward to helping more people discover what a treasure the National Comedy Center truly is.”
Welshofer has had a storied journalism career with 27 years of broadcasting experience, most recently as the anchor, host and co-creator of the innovative and highly-rated Most Buffalo daily news program airing on WGRZ-TV in the Buffalo market for the past six years. Welshofer was previously a news anchor and multi-media content producer for Spectrum News, hosting nightly newscasts, delivering breaking news and creating broadcast and digital content for communities throughout New York State, including Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Watertown, the Mohawk Valley and Hudson Valley as part of Spectrum’s (previously Time Warner Cable) 24-hour news operation.
Welshofer received two consecutive national Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2020 and 2021 for outstanding achievement in broadcast and digital journalism by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). She is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a BA in Journalism/Communications.
The National Comedy Center will be presenting Lewis Black for two stand-up shows in Western New York as part of the two-time Grammy Award-winning comedian’s “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour.” Black will perform in Buffalo at the Riviera Theatre (North Tonawanda, NY) on Thursday, September 5, 2024 and at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, NY on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Comedian, actor and writer Black recently announced that his current tour would be his final one – after 35+ years as a touring comedian – marking the end of his legendary world touring career. He will write the next chapter of his career by going back to his roots and focusing on writing a new play, penning a new book, and expanding his podcast, RantCast, to include live recordings.
Red, White, and Blues celebrates the vineyards and local wineries, blues musicians, and restaurants.
September 6-7, 2024
Harvest Moon Cemetery Tours highlight our history with heroes and villains.
October 18-19, 2024
Miracle on Main Street brings the community together to enjoy our children and the spirit of the holiday.
December 7, 2024
Festivals Fredonia is a partnership with the Village of Fredonia, Fredonia Community Chamber of Commerce, local merchants, volunteers, & area organizations.
For more information, find us on & festivalsfredoniaNY.org
Known as “King of the Rant,” Black is beloved for his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger-pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world. He is the longestrunning correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and is currently starring as the voice of “Anger” in the Disney and Pixar box-office blockbuster film Inside Out 2.
Black is a National Comedy Center founding Advisory Board member and a longtime supporter of the non-profit cultural institution, which became the nation’s first official archive and museum dedicated to preserving and presenting comedy’s heritage when it opened its doors in 2018.
“It’s always been a thrill for me to come to Jamestown and Buffalo, spend time in this incredible museum and perform for National Comedy Center audiences,” said Lewis Black. “It means a lot to me to take the stage on this final tour, for these two very special shows, performing for friends and fans who love comedy as much as I do.”
“Audiences here in Western New York have loved and appreciated Lewis Black’s comedy for decades – since he first performed at one of the earliest Lucille Ball Comedy Festivals in Jamestown back in the early ‘90s,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “Lewis has become a steadfast supporter of the National Comedy Center’s non-profit mission. On this his final tour of his extraordinary career, it’s an honor to bring him back for two final shows so that we can share that experience together. He’s been an ambassador for the comedy community to
receive an elevated level of regard within the arts, and he’s one of most respected practitioners of the craft. From being the longest-running correspondent of The Daily Show, to his singular style and voice gracing stages for decades, he’s an artist taking a final bow on tour, and it’s not to miss if you live in Western New York.”
Lewis Black has performed for audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. Since 2014 he has done over 400 live streaming shows called The Rant is Due, which is streamed from each of his stand-up performances.
His recent theatrical release, Inside Out 2, is currently the highest grossing film of 2024, earning $1 billion at the box office worldwide faster than any other animated movie in history. The film had the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar history and the second-biggest animated movie opening of all time.
Black’s stand-up specials have appeared on major streaming platforms as well as HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and Epix. His most recent stand-up special, Tragically, I Need You, was released last year and has surpassed 1.8 million views on YouTube to date. The special explores topics including his ways of coping with
the pandemic, his frustrations with the evolving world, and of course his thoughts about the chaos of America these last few years.
Black’s Rant Cast podcast adds a unique element to podcasting, as he delivers audience-written rants which have been submitted from fans around the world.
Tickets for the Lewis Black shows are currently on presale for National Comedy Center Members only – now through Wednesday, July 17 at 11:59 pm. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, July 18 at noon ET, at ComedyCenter.org. All ticket holders for these shows will receive the benefit of a special admission offer for the National Comedy Center museum experience in Jamestown, NY – a complimentary museum admission ticket with the purchase of one regular museum admission. Details are available at ComedyCenter.org/ LewisBlack.
To become a National Comedy Center Member in order to gain first access to seats for Lewis Black during the pre-sale ticket window, visit ComedyCenter.org or call the National Comedy Center at 716.484.2222. Memberships start at $75 and provide year-round benefits including a “season pass” for visiting the award-winning National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.
Enjoy 50 miles along the shoreline of Lake Erie, with 21 unique wineries to visit in NY and PA. Taste delicious, award-winning wines, and enjoy food, music, and events throughout the year.
My Life With Lucy: An Afternoon with Lucille Ball’s Secretary, Wanda Clark is one of the most anticipated events of the 2024 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. Happening Saturday, August 3 at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts at 1:30 p.m., Wanda Clark will reflect on her life with Lucy: a professional relationship and personal friendship that spanned more than a quarter of a century. Clark recently sat down for an interview ahead of her festival appearance to talk more about her connection to The First Lady of Comedy and her return to Lucy’s hometown of Jamestown, NY.
“I could talk about Lucy all day!”
Wanda Clark beams over a Zoom call from her home in Northeast Oklahoma. The now 90-year-old was in her mid-twenties when she first went to work as Lucille Ball’s personal secretary; their first meeting reading like something out of a movie.
“She was getting ready for a photo shoot at her home,” Clark recalls,”and she had her hair in a turban with a towel and a terrycloth robe, and she said, ‘Hi honey, I’m Lucy.’ Well, that was it. She was that way to me and always very warm and caring. So, I wasn’t nervous. I don’t know why.”
Clark says people crave details of those little moments and she is happy to oblige. She shared the story of her first time on a private jet, helping Lucy get home from Aspen after she broke her leg waiting for a ski instructor — another skier ran into her. Then, there were the car rides from Palm Springs, Lucy at the wheel, the two
playing word games along the way.
These little stories help Clark answer the monumental question she is asked the most: “What was Lucy really like?”
“I mean, you’d have to give me 30 years,” Clark says with a smile. “She was not Lucy Ricardo. Lucy Ricardo was a beloved character that nobody could have done as well as Lucille Ball did it. That’s just because Lucille Ball was so talented…But Lucille Ball was not really that. Lucy Ricardo was a character. So, she was very warm and generous and mothering to everybody around her young, old, children. Everyone comments to me about how [Lucille] mothered them. And me too. She was very, very warm.”
Lucille Ball was also a very hard worker and Clark explains she expected the same from those around her.
“If she wanted that mountain moved, I’d go try to move it,” she laughs. “People always say to me, what a wonderful and terrific businesswoman Lucy was. Well, Lucy didn’t like being a businesswoman. She wanted to do her job. That was the most important thing to Lucy.” Important to Clark is the relationship that changed her life and the connection she maintains to Lucy’s family to this day.
“Little Lucie and I talk so often and Desi, not as often, but he’s always glad to see me. I just saw them grow up, you know? It’s been a pleasure to know them and know the family and the fact that they keep me in their life, I’m very happy about that.”
A longtime fan of Jamestown, Clark says she is very much looking forward to returning for the 2024 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and to seeing friends and fans, old and new, and celebrating the one very special woman bringing them all together.
“I’m a lucky lucky person,” she says, “and I know that. And my time with Lucy was what got me every other job I had. You know, it’s hard to believe Lucy has been gone as long as she has. And I had some absolutely wonderful jobs after we closed Lucy’s office. All because of Lucy.”
For more on My Life With Lucy: An Afternoon with Lucille Ball’s Secretary, Wanda Clark, including ticket information, head to comedycenter.org/festival.
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Like chocolates rolling down a conveyor belt, the delightful slate of Lucy-themed events at the 2024 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival just keeps coming! Fans can enjoy everything from live performances and screenings to hometown tours, photo ops and even trivia – all from Lucille Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, NY.
Topping the list: Ricardos and Mertzes: Jamestown at Last This original musical stage show can only be seen in Lucy’s hometown as the I Love Lucy “fab four” reunite for their first festival appearance in seven years. This is a fun-filled trip down memory lane, featuring Diane Vincent, who has performed as “Lucy” at Universal Studios Hollywood and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival since 1999, in her final farewell Jamestown appearance, along with “Ethel, Ricky and Fred” performed by Rhonda Medina, Bill Mendieta and Bill Chott. There will
be three performances throughout the festival – all chock full of showtunes and, of course, classic Lucy antics.
Join Lucille Ball’s longtime secretary, Wanda Clark, for a conversation and Q & A session at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts on Saturday, August 3 at 1:30 pm Clark will reflect on her professional relationship and personal friendship with Lucy that spanned nearly 30 years.
Step back in time to February1956 in Jamestown with a special screening of Forever Darling, the first movie Lucy and Desi made together in the theater where it premiered! Visitors will also get a behind the scenes tour of the theater for the first time in Lucille Ball Comedy Festival history and be able to see archives from the original premiere and more.
Experience special Lucy Hometown tours throughout the week with our tour guide who is actually named Lucy! She will take you to the places of special significance to Lucille Ball including the house where she was born, her childhood stomping grounds and where she is laid to rest.
Haul out your old-Hollywood best because you’re invited to Lucy and Desi’s Hollywood Soiree Friday, August 2 at 8 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton Jamestown. Spend the evening ringing in another birthday for the Queen of Comedy with hors d’oeuvres, a costume contest and a special appearance by the fab four: “Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred.” Prizes will be awarded to the top contest
winners.
This year’s festival features two I Love Lucy Trivia Contests – one for the casual Lucy lovers and another for the all-out superfans. Test your Lucy and Desi knowledge and you could walk away with a special prize. There’s no better place to capture a special festival moment than on a re-creation of the Ricardo’s New York City apartment set located at the Lucy Desi Museum, which is open throughout the week with new artifacts on display. Photo opportunities on the set are available throughout the week.
Pop culture historian and author Sarah Royal signs her popular new book A.K.A. Lucy: The Dynamic & Determined Life of Lucille Ball at the Lucy Desi Museum on Saturday, August 3 at 3:30 pm.
Starting at 10 am on Sunday, fans have the unique opportunity to have their photo professionally taken on set with the professional “Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel” impersonators.
Don’t forget to pop into the Tropicana Club during the festival! Visitors can enjoy lunch and dinner in the club all week long. It’s also where you’ll find the best comedians from around the country taking the stage for our Late Night Comedy shows.
The National Comedy Center’s jumbo video screens are the perfect place for free screenings of I Love Lucy episodes on Sunday afternoon. Grab a chair, enjoy the laughs and celebrate the best of comedy outside the place Lucille Ball herself envisioned.
For more on these and other events happening during the 2024 Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and ticket information, check out comedycenter.org/festival.
Grand Opening events August 1- 5 with festivities featuring Lily Tomlin, Lewis Black, Amy Schumer, original SNL cast members Dan Aykroyd and Laraine Newman and writer Alan Zweibel, Fran Drescher, Lucie Arnaz, Laugh-In creator George Schlatter, W. Kamau Bell, Judy Gold and more.
Late December 2018 – Visitors from all 50 U.S. States have visited the National Comedy Center. North Dakota was the final state during the holiday week.
January 18, 2019 – The National Comedy Center is named the #2 Best New Attraction in the country by USA Today and selected as the #1 museum and #1 ticketed attraction.
March 12, 2019 – National Comedy Center officially designated by the U.S. Congress as the nation’s official cultural institution for the art form of comedy.
June 2019 – National Comedy Center named by People magazine on of their “100 Reasons to Love America.” One of only three museums on their annual list of the nation’s most beloved treasures, People cited the
National Comedy Center as “the country’s first museum devoted to comedy” and “worth the trip to Jamestown, NY, Lucille Ball’s hometown.”
July 29, 2019 – The Smothers Brothers visit the National Comedy Center cut the ribbon on their display and reunite on stage for the first time in nearly ten years.
August 7, 2019 – The National Comedy Center opens its
new Ernie Kovacs exhibit, celebrating his 100th birthday. August 7-11, 2019 – The 29th Lucille Ball Comedy Festival takes place featuring John Mulaney and Sebatian Maniscalco.
August 22, 2019 – National Comedy Center named by TIME magazine one of the “World’s Greatest Places.” The National Comedy Center was selected as one of only “100 new and newly noteworthy destinations to experience right now” and one only nine attractions to visit in the United States.
February 28, 2020 – National Comedy Center is named the “Best New Museum” in the country by USA Today.
July 2, 2020 – The National Comedy Center reopens after 16-week Covid closure, with new, award-winning LaughSafe health and safety program.
August 14, 2020 – The National Comedy Center launches its first Virtual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival featuring online conversations with 30 artists over three weekends.
October 19, 2020 – Executive Director Journey Gunderson named to list 50 Museum Influencers Worldwide by leading international tourist attraction authority Blooloop.
October 23, 2020 – The National Comedy Center announces that it will preserve the historic Johnny Carson Archive.
March 19, 2021 – The National Comedy Center announces on NBC’S TODAY show with Mel Brooks and
Rob Reiner that it will name its archive and preservation department in honor of Carl Reiner and that it will be preserving the Carl Reiner archive.
June 20, 2021 – The National Comedy Center launches seven weeks of “Riverside Saturdays” free outdoor comedy movie events along Jamestown Riverwalk, featuring a new outdoor patio bar and family activities designed to bring visitors to downtown Jamestown during the pandemic to dine, shop and stay in local hotels.
August 6, 2021 – Comedian, actress and producer Tiffany Haddish joins the National Comedy Center Advisory Board.
October 15, 2021 – The National Comedy Center’s Lucy Desi Museum celebrates the 70th anniversary of the television premiere of I Love Lucy on CBS.
February 1, 2022 – The donation of a new archival collection from groundbreaking sketch comedy series In Living Color is announced.
March 1, 2022 – Actress/ Comedian/Director Amy Poehler visits the National Comedy Center
to premiere her new documentary Lucy and Desi , which the National Comedy Center Archive team worked closely on with Poehler.
July 27, 2022 – Director/Producer/Actor Rob Reiner, sister Annie Reiner and brother Lucas Reiner cut the ribbon on the new exhibit Carl Reiner: Keep Laughing, celebrating their father, comedy legend Carl Reiner, and his collaborations with Mel Brooks, Sid Caesar, Steve
Martin, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore.
August 3-7, 2022 – The 30th live Lucille Ball Comedy Festival takes place (the first live festival in three years due to Covid), featuring comedians Margaret Cho, Jeff Foxworthy and SNL alumni David Spade, Rob Schneider and Kevin Nealon.
August 12, 2022 – The National Comedy Center cuts the ribbon on the new multi-screen theater presentation Johnny Carson: The Immersive Experience with Hologram Host Jimmy Fallon featuring Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Bette Midler, Martin Short, Byron Allen, Billy Crystal, Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno and more.
September 6, 2022 – U.S. News & World Report names the National Comedy Center a “Top 25 Family Weekend Getaway,” joining a list of national attractions including Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
September 13, 2022 – Betty White archival collection goes on display at the National Comedy Center.
December 15, 2022 – Actress/Comedian/Director Amy Poehler joins the National Comedy Center Advisory Board.
January 22, 2023 – The National Comedy Center and its Carl Reiner exhibit is featured on CBS Sunday Morning
May 26, 2023 – The National Comedy Center launches its Kids & Teens Free Summer, underwritten by Shults Auto Group.
June 7, 2023 – The National Comedy Center announces that it will be the home to comedy icon Joan Rivers’ career archives, including her legendary 65,000 joke file, with a new interactive exhibit to debut in 2025.
June 21, 2023 – The National Comedy Center opens a new display celebrating legendary New York comedy club Carolines on Broadway and its founder/owner Caroline Hirsch.
August 2-6, 2023 – The 31st Lucille Ball Comedy Festival took place with headliners Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias and Taylor Tomlinson.
August 3, 2023 – Laugh-In creator George Schlatter and actress Jolene Brand Schlatter cut the ribbon on the George and Jolene Brand Schlatter theater in the National Comedy Center.
August 4, 2023 – Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias cuts the ribbon cuts the ribbon on a display featuring the jersey worn during his record-breaking sold-out performance at Dodger Stadium.
October 18, 2023 – Group Tour Magazine names the National Comedy Center a Top Cultural Institution in New York State for student groups.
November 1, 2023 – The American Bus Association’s Destinations Magazine awards the National Comedy Center with its “Best of the Best” award in the culture category.
November 16, 2023 – The National Comedy Center announces that it will preserve an archival collection from Don
December 2, 2023 – The National Comedy Center is voted “Best of the Best” in Chautauqua County for family fun by The Post-Journal and Observer readers.
December 20, 2023 – Variety magazine names I Love Lucy the #1 “Greatest TV Show of All Time” in its Top 100 list.
April 4-8, 2024 – The National Comedy Center presents its Cosmic Comedy Weekend for the eclipse.
April 28, 2024 – The National Comedy Center co-produces the Tom Smothers memorial event celebrating his life and career.
June 21, 2024 – Pixar donates concept art from Inside Out 2 to the National Comedy Center’s permanent archives.
Coming this August 1-4 – The 32nd Lucille Ball Comedy Festival will take place featuring headliners Nate Bargatze, Jeff Ross and Nicole Byer.
As pioneering artists and industry leaders, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz shaped our cultural heritage and charted a course for American entertainment history. Known as the “First Couple of Comedy,” Lucille and Desi were innovators behind the scenes, risk-takers in business, and masters of the comedic craft. Together, they revolutionized the broadcasting industry with the creation of the beloved and groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy, and the founding of Desilu Studios—one of the most innovative production centers in Hollywood history.
Born and raised in Jamestown, NY, Lucille Ball was determined to pursue a show business career from an early age, making her way to New York City at 15 to study drama and modeling. Despite early setbacks,
her relentless drive and incomparable talent led to Hollywood success when she went on to appear in over 100 films before launching her broadcast career in 1948 as the star of the popular CBS radio sitcom My Favorite Husband.
Desi Arnaz was born of privilege in Santiago, Cuba, but lost everything when the Batista revolution forced him to flee to the United States as a young refugee. Desi’s musical talents led to his becoming a breakout star at premiere night spots in New York City and introducing the Conga dance craze to America. A leading role in the Broadway musical Too Many Girls led to Desi being cast in a 1940 Hollywood film adaptation. He met his co-star and future wife, Lucille Ball, on set at RKO Studios and a legendary creative partnership was born.
When I Love Lucy premiered on CBS on October 15, 1951, it changed the face of television in countless ways. For all its beloved physical comedy and expert storycrafting, I Love Lucy was equally notable for representing the first interracial marriage on network television and presenting the first woman to appear pregnant on one of the three major networks (despite not being allowed to say the word “pregnant” on the air).
Behind the scenes, led by Desi’s prowess and creativity, the series perfected the use of multiple, simultaneously filming cameras before a live audience—an innovative production technique still employed today. It was also among the first TV shows shot on 35 mm film, which led to the now-commonplace concept of rerun syndication. I Love Lucy was the first comedy to reach #1 in the Nielsen ratings—becoming America’s top-rated show within six months of its debut and charting an unprecedented 71.7 rating/92 share at the height of its popularity. I Love Lucy has never been off the air since its first broadcast over 70 years ago.
At its peak, Desilu Productions was the largest and most prolific independent production studio in the world, with three studio lots and 33 sound stages. With
a uniquely independent spirit, a bold creative vision, and the courage to take big risks, Desilu’s television programs pushed social and cultural boundaries and brought to life some of the most beloved and successful TV series of all time, including the original Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, The Untouchables, The Lucy Show, Mannix, and the original pilot episode for The Twilight Zone, while also serving as the production hub for dozens of beloved television series including The Andy Griffith Show, That Girl, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
In 1962, Lucille Ball bought Desi Arnaz’s interest in the company and became the first woman to preside over a Hollywood studio. Her leadership successfully steered Desilu into the evolving media landscape of the 1960s.
Lucille Ball was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, 4 Emmy Awards, and was part of the Television Academy Hall of Fame’s inaugural class of inductees.
Lucille and Desi’s work and enduring legacies are proudly presented and preserved in Jamestown at the non-profit Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which opened in 1996. In 2018, the museum’s mission was broadened with the opening of the award-winning
National Comedy Center, the nation’s official cultural institution dedicated to the art form of comedy, which operates in fulfillment of Lucille’s vision that her hometown become a destination for the celebration of comedy in all its forms. Visitors are inspired, educated, and entertained at both museums, as well as at the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which has presented educational programming and performances by rising artists and comedy legends for over thirty years.
Thursday, August 1
Lunch at the Tropicana Club
11AM & 1PM
Enjoy lunch in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet lunch will be served while the Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price $35.00
A Step Back in Time: February 1956, Jamestown, NY
1PM - Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Join us for an exclusive journey back to February 1956
in Jamestown, NY when Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz returned to her hometown for the world premiere of their new movie, Forever, Darling. This event is designed for Lucy and Desi fans and history-buffs alike!
Located inside the historic Reg Lenna Center for the Arts (called The Palace in 1956), the event ticket includes a venue tour, exclusive access to archival materials from the 1956 visit, a photo-op on the same stage where Lucy and Desi stood to debut the film, and a ticket to a special screening of Forever, Darling inside the theatre’s grand auditorium.
Price: $32.50
Dinner at the Tropicana Club
4PM & 5:30PM
Enjoy dinner in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet dinner will be served (menu on following page) while the Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price: $35.00
Block Party with In Crowd 5:30PM - Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Join us outside of the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts before and after the Nicole Byer show for a party like no other! Enjoy live music from “In Crowd,” beer, wine, food trucks and more!
Price: FREE
Nicole Byer
7PM - Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Nicole is one of the most versatile and recognizable voices in the comedy landscape today. Her latest Netflix special BIG BEAUTIFUL WEIRDO dropped this past December while her previous Netflix special titled COMEDIANS OF THE WORLD brought together acclaimed comedic personalities from 13 international regions and was released in 2019. She is currently
hosting Netflix’s Emmy nominated realitycompetition baking series NAILED IT!. Byer was an early standout and fan favorite on MTV’s hit series GIRL CODE, a strong and smart female driven comedy series that explicitly tackles the mysteries of womanhood. She is also an Upright Citizens Brigade alum who continues to cement her status as a force in standup comedy, regularly performing in cities across the country.
Please Note: Show contains adult content.
Prices range from $27.50 to $117.50
Comedy Late Night
9:30 PM & 11:30PM - Tropicana Club
Comics from around the nation who have appeared on Conan, The Late Late Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Last Comic Standing, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and more will be performing their newest, and sometimes blue-est material. This event takes place in a re-creation of “Ricky Ricardo’s” famous Manhattan night club. Beer and wine served at additional cost.
Featuring: Nina Daniels, Ophira Eisenberg, Dave Hill, Erin Jackson, & Matt Koff.
Please Note: Show contains adult content.
Price: $37.50
Friday, August 2
Lucille Ball’s Hometown Tour
10:30AM, 1PM & 3:30PM - Lucy Desi Museum
An ever-popular guided bus tour of Lucy’s hometown, our “Lucy Town Tours”, with a friendly and knowledgeable step-on guide, will take you to places of significance to Lucille Ball in Jamestown, NY and nearby Celoron. You will see the house that she was born in, the house where she grew up, and much more.
Approx. Duration 1hr 45min
Price: $27.50
CLOSED JULY 17-20
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Lunch at the Tropicana Club
11AM & 1PM
Enjoy lunch in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet lunch will be served while the Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price: $35.00
Lucy-Desi Super-Fan Trivia
1PM - DoubleTree by Hilton Jamestown
Who will be crowned 2024’s Lucy Desi super-fan trivia winner? This trivia contest covers the incredible lives and careers of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz—starting with easier questions and amping up in difficulty as you compete with your peers to win a grand prize.
Price: $25.00
Ricardos and Mertzes: Jamestown at Last 3:30 PM - Robert H. Jackson Center
The gang is back together again! Join Diane Vincent, who has appeared as “Lucy” at Universal Studios Hollywood and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival since 1999, in her final farewell Jamestown festival appearance, as we reunite the I Love Lucy “Fab Four” on a fun-filled musical trip down memory lane including “Ethel, Ricky and Fred” performed by Rhonda Medina, Bill Mendieta and Bill Chott.
Price: $47.50
Dinner at the Tropicana Club
4PM & 5:30PM
Enjoy dinner in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet dinner will be served (menu on following page) while the Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price: $35.00
Block Party with the Untouchables
5:30PM - Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Join us outside of the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts before and after Jeff Ross for a party like no other! Enjoy live music from “The Untouchables”, beer, wine, food trucks and more!
Price: FREE
Jeff Ross: Take a Banana For the Ride
7PM - Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Jeff Ross presents a hilarious and touching one-man show celebrating the lives of his grandfather, his best friends, and his dog. This intimate and revealing show offers a glimpse underneath the thick skin of America’s Roastmaster.
Please Note: Show contains adult content.
Prices range from $47.50 to $153.50
Lucy and Desi’s Hollywood Soiree
8PM - DoubleTree by Hilton Jamestown
Spend the evening with us in your favorite Hollywoodstyle attire for a fun-filled event to help ring in another birthday for the Queen of Comedy, including hors d’oeuvres, music, and costume contest, featuring a special appearance by the fabulous four: “Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred!” Prizes will be awarded to the top contest winners.
Price: $47.50
Comedy Late Night
9:30 PM & 11:30PM - Tropicana Club
Comics from around the nation who have appeared on Conan, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent, The Jim Jefferies Show, and more will be performing their newest, and sometimes blue-est material. This event takes place in a re-creation of “Ricky Ricardo’s” famous Manhattan night club. Beer and wine served at additional cost.
Featuring: DJ Demers, Matt Koff, Ali Macofsky, Moody McCarthy & more!
Please Note: Show contains adult content.
Price: $37.50
Saturday, August 3
Lucille Ball’s Hometown Tour
10:00AM, 12:30PM & 3:00PM - Lucy Desi Museum
An ever-popular guided bus tour of Lucy’s hometown, our “Lucy Town Tours”, with a friendly and knowledgeable step-on guide, will take you to places of significance to Lucille Ball in Jamestown, NY and nearby Celoron. You will see the house that she was born in, the house where she grew up, and much more.
Approx. Duration 1hr 45min
Price: $27.50
Ricardos and Mertzes: Jamestown at Last 11AM & 3:30 PM - Robert H. Jackson Center
The gang is back together again! Join Diane Vincent, who has appeared as “Lucy” at Universal Studios Hollywood and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival since 1999, in her final farewell Jamestown festival appearance, as we reunite the I Love Lucy “Fab Four” on a fun-filled musical trip down memory lane including “Ethel, Ricky and Fred” performed by Rhonda Medina, Bill Mendieta and Bill Chott.
Price: $47.50
11AM & 1PM
Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price: $35.00
I Love Lucy Trivia: 101
11AM - DoubleTree by Hilton Jamestown
Show off your knowledge of all things I Love Lucy in our annual fan trivia contest! I Love Lucy Trivia: 101 is a family-friendly contest designed with lots of laughs for casual and long-time fans alike! Fun prizes will be awarded throughout the contest.
Price: $25.00
My Life with Lucy: An Afternoon with Lucille Ball’s Secretary, Wanda Clark 1:30PM – Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
Wanda Clark, Lucille Ball’s longtime personal secretary, will reflect on her life with Lucy: a professional relationship and personal friendship that spanned a quarter-century.
Interviewed on stage by Lucille Ball historian and author Ric Wyman, Wanda will fondly share behind-the-scenes
Enjoy lunch in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet lunch will be served while the
stories and fun anecdotes about The First Lady of Comedy, take questions from the audience, and offer a slideshow of seldom-seen photographs that not only highlight Lucille Ball’s career, but also offer a glimpse into Lucy’s home life.
Price: $37.50
Sarah Royal Book Signing 3:30PM — Lucy Desi Museum
Sarah Royal is a pop culture historian focusing on women in comedy and author of modern Lucille Ball biography A.K.A. Lucy: The Dynamic & Determined Life of Lucille Ball with a foreword by Amy Poehler, the best-selling Creative Cursing, and other books and magazines. She’s also the co-host of podcast Enough Wicker: Intellectualizing The Golden Girls. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Price: FREE
Dinner at the Tropicana Club
4PM & 5:30PM
Enjoy dinner in the famous Tropicana Club as “Ricky Ricardo” entertains with fan-favorite video performances on the big screen! A buffet dinner will be served (menu on following page) while the Tropicana stage re-creation will be open for selfies!
Price: $35.00
Block Party with Smackdab 5:30PM — National Comedy Center
Join us outside of the National Comedy Center before and after the Nate Bargatze show for a party like no other! Enjoy live music from “Smackdab”, beer, wine, food trucks and more!
Price: FREE
“Hello, World” can be found on Amazon Prime Video. Currently touring and selling out shows all over the world with his new “The Be Funny” Tour, Nate is also an avid golfer and sports enthusiast.
Nate has over 10 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has performed for the troops in Kuwait and Iraq with Chris Rock. Prices range from $67.50 to $117.50
Comedy Late Night 8PM & 10:30PM - Tropicana Club
Comics from around the nation who have appeared on NPR, Conan, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent, and more will be performing their newest, and sometimes blue-est material. This event takes place in a re-creation of “Ricky Ricardo’s” famous Manhattan night club. Beer and wine served at additional cost.
Featuring: Marie Faustin, Caitlin Gill, Moody McCarthy & more!
Please Note: Show contains adult content.
Price: $37.50
Photo Op with the “Fab Four” 10AM — Lucy Desi Museum
Have your photo professionally taken on the re-created I Love Lucy set with professional “Lucy, Ricky, Fred, and Ethel” impersonators! This picture makes the best keepsake to commemorate your trip to Lucy’s hometown!
Price: $150.00
Nate Bargatze: The Be Funny Tour
8PM - Northwest Arena
Grammy nominated standup comedian Nate Bargatze is widely known for his clean and relatable comedy for all age groups and for his Netflix specials “The Tennessee Kid”, “Greatest Average American” and “The Stand-ups”. His latest special
I Love Lucy
1PM — National Comedy Center
Join us for a final farewell to the week’s festivities with an early birthday celebration for the Queen of Comedy! Enjoy a free screening of classic I Love Lucy episodes on the National Comedy Center’s two 350-square-foot outdoor video screens, as well as a special appearance by “Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel”. Please bring chairs and blankets, if you can, as bench seating is limited.
Price: FREE
Friend of the Fest Events
Retro-Clay Workshop
Thursday, August 1 @ 11AM - Pearl City Clay House
Embark on a creative journey with this “Choose Your Own Adventure” ceramics workshop presented by Pearl City Clay House! They will supply a range of stamps, stencils, and cookie-cutters and guide you to create a personalized and unique project. Each participant can choose from a variety of finished projects including fridge magnets, ornaments, pendants, or small plates. Get ready to unleash your artistic side as you cut, texture, and add color. They will fire, finish, and mail you your pieces following your trip to Jamestown, NY.
Approx. Duration 1hr
Price: $35.00
All-Hearts Popcorn Bowl Workshop
Thursday, August 1 @ 4PM - Pearl City Clay House
Coil your way to a delightful decorative bowl in this ceramic workshop presented by Pearl City Clay House! Using clay and cut-out hearts, you’ll learn the ancient technique of coiling to create a beautiful, functional bowl perfect for serving popcorn or other snacks. As you work, you’ll discover the joy of creating something unique and personal, from the initial coils to the finished, food-safe bowl. They will fire and glaze your new treasure and mail it to you to enjoy the satisfaction of having crafted something with your own two hands!
Approx. Duration 2hrs
Price: $100.00 (including shipping)
Friday, August 2 @ 5PM - Pearl City Clay House
Get crafty with Pearl City Clay House and their unique Wind Chime Workshop! Using vintage medicine bottles, charms, bells, and fibers, you’ll transform discarded materials into a melodious masterpiece. Inspired by the quirky charm of the ‘Vitameatavegamin’ episode, you’ll learn to up-cycle and combine these materials to create a one-of-a-kind wind chime that will add a touch of whimsy to your décor!
Approx. Duration 1 - 1.5hr
Price: $55.00
Saturday, August 3 @ 11AM - Pearl City Clay House
Embark on a creative journey with this “Choose Your Own Adventure” ceramics workshop presented by Pearl City Clay House! They will supply a range of stamps, stencils, and cookie-cutters and guide you to create a personalized and unique project. Each participant can choose from a variety of finished projects including fridge magnets, ornaments, pendants, or small plates.
Get ready to unleash your artistic side as you cut, texture, and add color. They will fire, finish, and mail you your pieces following your trip to Jamestown, NY.
Approx. Duration 1hr
Price: $35.00
Saturday, August 3 @ 5PM - Pearl City Clay House
This is not your average paint and sip! Join Pearl City Clay House for some freeform watercolor play – no experience required. Choose from a variety of retro themed masks and stencils (think classic T.V. or midcentury modern) then relax and let the paint fly!
Themed mocktails will be provided, while participants are encouraged to bring their own alcoholic beverages. We promise a final product worthy of framing, and we will even supply the frame!
Approx. Duration 2hr
Price: $50.00
Festival schedule is subject to changes and additions. Please visit ComedyCenter.org/Festival for the most up-to-date schedule of events.
Whenthe National Comedy Center says it celebrates all comedy, it means it — even the stuff that makes you blush. Get in, losers, we’re going to The Blue Room.
First things first, the Blue Room is designed to be experienced only by guests age 18 years old and older. It is also only accessible by an elevator or the stairs. Down a level from the main museum floor, cheeky signage warns of the spicy experience ahead. The exhibit is even guarded by doors that can only be opened by an adult guest’s wristband. So, no, you can’t just accidentally stumble into it. And not to give too much away, but you’re probably not ready for what’s on the other side of those doors. That’s a fun way of saying — it will knock your socks off.
The Blue Room name plays homage to the notion of “working blue” and is home to exhibits exploring “blue” humor, which is a style of raw, uncensored comedy that is frequently profane and shocking in nature. Much like pineapple on pizza, it is not for everybody and can make some people really upset.
The comedians represented in the Blue Room push buttons and boundaries.
All this to say: proceed with caution. Those who do may be surprised and intrigued by the deeper conversations opened up by initially shocking and controversial material.
A big theme? The First Amendment. Comedians often find themselves on the frontlines of debates about free speech — saying things out loud people sometimes are not ready to hear. A virtual laugh track to history, comedy has historically been a way to have difficult but often vital conversations about topics long considered ones to avoid “in polite conversation.” These artists do not shy away from talking about things like politics, race, religion, human rights and social justice. Through their comedy, trailblazers like Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and George Carlin cracked open doors, sometimes at
their own peril, to speak up about culture in ways that sent shockwaves through the world at the time and still have a lasting impact today.
The Blue Room is also home to The National Comedy Center’s popular Art of the Roast exhibit which explores the sport of celebrities gathering to sling low blows at each other, a tradition beginning behind closed doors at the notorious Friars Club and then brought to television by Dean Martin and, later, Comedy Central. A warning: this exhibit has incited more than a few guests to laugh their “you-know-whats” off.
This is also the place where you can have the distinct honor of being insulted by the legendary Don Rickles. The state-of-the-art design of the Don Rickles exhibit features never-before-heard audio recorded by Rickles shortly before his passing. You can also see a stage-worn tuxedo and a bigger-than-life neon caricature of the comedian that appeared as on-stage décor during his live performances.
From clips of iconic performances to comedians discussing their work in their own words, the Blue Room is a deep dive into the explicit side of comedy. For the museum visitors brave enough to take the plunge, it’s an unforgettable ride.
The 100th birthday of the late Johnny Carson will be celebrated in 2025 and the National Comedy Center continues to remember the legendary “King of Late Night” with an immersive multi-screen experience now playing in the Center’s George and Jolene Brand Schlatter Theater. Johnny Carson: The Immersive Experience Hosted by Jimmy Fallon showcases Carson’s extraordinary reign as host of The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1993 in a 36-minute experience designed for longtime, avid Carson fans as well as those not as familiar with his history-making body of work.
This state-of-the-art theatrical experience includes 30 digital projection screens that surround the audience, as well as newly-enhanced holographic technology that brings current Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon on stage to introduce each segment. The presentation feature new interviews with Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Martin Short, Bette Midler, Jay Leno, Billy Crystal, Byron Allen, George Lopez, Carol Leifer, George Wallace, Paula Poundstone, Conan O’Brien, Sebastian Maniscalco and more, along with archival video from Carson’s Tonight Show, including legendary Carson monologues and classic Carson characters like Carnac the Magnificent, Floyd R. Turbo and Art Fern. Historic Tonight Show performances by many of stand-up comedy’s greatest talents are also featured.
The National Comedy Center exhibit not only showcases Carson’s remarkable career, but also highlights The Tonight Show’s formative and pivotal role as the most
influential platform for stand-up comedy during the three decades that Carson served as the show’s host.
A special highlight of the exhibit is a display of Tonight Show artifacts and wardrobe in the Comedy Center’s galleries, including a portion of the original, iconic Tonight Show rainbow curtain, Johnny’s wardrobe for classic characters Art Fern and Floyd R. Turbo, a jacket worn by Tonight Show band leader Doc Severinsen, and the dress worn by Bette Midler during her memorable appearance as the final guest on Johnny’s Tonight Show. Jeff Sotzing, president of Carson Entertainment Group and Carson’s nephew, provided the Comedy Center rare Carson documents and creative papers for the Center’s permanent archival collection. Sotzing held multiple production roles at The Tonight Show and has managed Johnny Carson’s legacy and program licensing since Carson’s retirement in 1992.
“Johnny Carson is one of the most beloved and influential late-night hosts of all time. For 30 years, Johnny kept the country laughing through good times and bad, while also introducing us to many of the greatest stand-up comedians ever to take the stage,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “The story of comedy in America simply cannot be told properly without presenting Johnny Carson’s enormous and invaluable contribution to the art form. We are excited to be partnering with Carson Entertainment Group on this new immersive experience and preserve Johnny’s legacy for generations to come.”
“MR. WARMTH”
“INSULTS”
TheNational Comedy Center is now preserving an archival collection from Don Rickles’ estate, showcasing the late comedy legend’s six-decade career. The collection spans from the 1950s to 2000s, chronicling a storied life in comedy through rare photographs, correspondence, creative papers, and wardrobe—all of which will be preserved at the National Comedy Center.
The centerpiece of the collection is a remarkably thorough and intimate documentation of Rickles’ career in comedy in more than 40 photo and memorabilia albums assembled by the comedian and his wife, Barbara. These hand-crafted books meticulously chronicle Rickles’ hard-won rise to fame as a young comic honing his craft, track his extraordinary success as a Las Vegas fixture, and culminate with his later years as the comedy community’s beloved elder statesman, as represented from his first-person perspective.
A new display now on view at the National Comedy Center’s state-of-the-art museum in Jamestown, New York features iconic items from the Rickles collection,
including a stage-worn tuxedo and a neon caricature of the comedian that appeared as on-stage décor during his live performances. A special highlight is an interactive feature that “insults” museumgoers with never-beforeheard audio recorded by Rickles shortly before his passing. The Rickles artifacts are presented alongside the Center’s exhibit on the art of the roast.
The donation to the National Comedy Center was made by Rickles’ daughter, comedian Mindy Rickles, who wished to make her father’s career collection accessible to comedy fans, students, and researchers, while also preserving his legacy for future generations.
“’Mr. Warmth,’ ‘The Merchant of Venom,’ ‘The Emperor of Insult’ – by any name and by any measure, Don Rickles was an extraordinary artist who brought laughter to millions over six decades,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “Rickles’ comedy was relentlessly funny – he was a true original, beloved by his audiences and by the comedy
community.”
“To be insulted by Don Rickles was a badge of honor,” added Gunderson. “Now his fans can visit the museum to honor his legacy and be ‘insulted’ by Rickles themselves.”
“My father loved nothing more than to make people laugh. His work and his audiences meant everything to him,” stated Mindy Rickles. “So, I could not be more pleased to donate this personal collection to the National Comedy Center, where fans of my dad, and all who love comedy, can see artifacts from his career that he treafsured so much.”
In quotes provide to the National Comedy Center, fellow artists and friends commented on the announcement:
Comedy legend Bob Newhart stated, “Don was my best friend. He was called The Merchant of Venom, but the truth was he was just the kindest man. I know that he would have been quite honored and very proud to have his career collection preserved and displayed at the National Comedy Center.”
Jimmy Kimmel stated, “Not only was Don the funniest man alive, he is the funniest man not alive.”
Jeff Ross stated, “He was America’s doctor. He helped us laugh at ourselves. He brought people together. He brought couples together. He brought races together. That’s incredibly healing. Above all, it was spiritual; not just for the comics but for his fans. Meeting Don was like meeting the Pope. The Pope of humor. He’s the grandmaster, the bald head on Mt. Roastmore, the Black Belt in Busting Balls, The Sultan of Insultin’. I’m so glad Don’s archives will have a safe home to live forever.”
Sarah Silverman stated, “Don Rickles’ act could have never worked if there wasn’t love behind it. It may have been a sarcastic nickname, but he truly was Mr. Warmth.”
John Stamos stated, “Don Rickles was one of my most important, unconventional friends for life. He’s the ultimate equal-opportunity insulter. He goes places very few entertainers dare. Being a student of comedy, especially stand-up, I’ve spent many hours trying to crack the code of his particular kind of subversive genius. Don deserves to have his archive collection preserved and the National Comedy Center can’t use the word Comedy without Don.”
Don Rickles honed his comedic style in Miami before a 1957 break at Los Angeles’ Slate Brother’s Club vaulted him to national acclaim. By 1959, he was booking the record-setting Las Vegas residencies that mainstreamed the art of the ‘roast’ and made Rickles a fixture of American comedy. His ‘victims’ included a who’s-who of American entertainment, from “Rat Pack” pals Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra to fellow comedians Joan Rivers and Milton Berle. Rickles made a specialty of ribbing those with power and influence, “punching up” at anyone in his path, including sitting U.S. Presidents. Known variously as “Mr.
Warmth,” “The Merchant of Venom,” and “The Emperor of Insult,” Don Rickles was also considered one of the nicest people in Hollywood, expressing a genuine ethic of love for his audiences and peers.
In addition to his revered role as a member of the dais for countless Friar’s Club and Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, Don Rickles was a versatile actor who starred in films and television series (often in dramatic roles) and made countless memorable appearances on programs like The Tonight Show, where he was a perennial favorite of host Johnny Carson. Rickles connected with a new generation of fans as the voice of “Mr. Potato Head” in the Toy Story franchise and via his camaraderie with a new generation of comedic voices.
The Rickles Collection joins the National Comedy Center’s Carl Reiner Department Archives and Preservation, which preserves materials representing comedy’s great artistic, social, and political contributions to American culture, including creative papers from the minds of innovators like George Carlin, Joan Rivers, and Lucille Ball, as well as production records from landmark series like Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and dozens of other collections.
By AARON CRONIN
Amonth has passed since I joined the internship program at the National Comedy Center, and the experience so far has been invaluable. At first, working at such a wellknown and established destination felt intimidating. However, this feeling quickly passed, as my coworkers provided me with both the guidance and acceptance to feel comfortable in this new workplace.
One of the most important aspects of the National Comedy Center is what makes the organization so successful – passionate and skilled people who are driven to create an impactful, informative, and fun experience for both museum guests and artists in the entertainment industry.
As a marketing and communications intern, I feel like I have grown significantly during my time here so far –especially in understanding three important skills: time management, flexibility, and social engagement.
With the approaching Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and other weekly events, time management has been crucial.
This environment is fast paced but also very rewarding. Being able to manage my workflow has quickly become second nature to me.
This dynamic environment has also helped me to develop my flexibility. At the beginning of every day, management reviews the important tasks and once a week we all meet to discuss the priorities and progress of each department. Being able to roll with the punches is almost as important as keeping up to date with the latest technical skills.
This brings me to my final skill, learning social engagement in an event-based setting. This is important not only for creating social media posts, but also for understanding the consumer base for all aspects of the company. Engaging with tourists through street team marketing activities and interacting with visitors inside the museum have allowed me to see the passion people have for every comedy genre and for I Love Lucy. These skills are not the entire picture – simply talking with veteran professionals in their respective fields has been both insightful and inspiring. Every day is different, and I come into work not just ready for the next project, but also excited to learn and grow.
The staff’s passion is contagious, making this internship truly memorable. I could not be more honored to work in such a great environment for growth, understanding, and exploration of the professional marketing world. Everything about the National Comedy Center, from its staff to its exhibits, is, to quote one of their taglines, “… not just a museum, it’s an experience.”
By ANNIKA SPITZER
Have you ever practiced knock-
knock jokes before an interview? Until I applied to the National Comedy Center, I hadn’t either. Thankfully for all parties involved, I was not graded on my humor. Rather, I was asked what the organization meant to me, and I answered with the limited knowledge I had. Now, I feel I could paint a more accurate picture. Let me take you through a day in my life as a Marketing and Communications intern.
While part of me wishes I could hand over an hourby-hour schedule of what my days look like here, I am honestly glad I cannot. Every day looks different, but they all start the same. I swing into my parking spot with a coffee in hand, press the same crosswalk button, look both ways, and I am enroute to the office. We start the office day with a team huddle, getting up to date with various departments. It is from there that the day begins to take shape.
There is a chance I will be designing promotional material, deciding which photo of a comedian would be most appropriate or which color background is most fitting. I could be setting up lighting equipment to help set the stage for the latest interview. I may also be seen dragging a little red wagon filled with marketing collateral, and yes, it is heavier than it looks. Another possibility is taking photos for our upcoming collectibles and merchandise auction, capturing every angle to ensure accurate representation. Who knows, I might be sorting through joke cards to be passed out at speaking engagements.
I also spend quite a bit of time immersed in the National Comedy Center’s museum. There, I practice my comedic
trivia, often competing against co-workers. Sometimes, I spend a little extra time wiping down exhibits that feature my favorite bits of comedy. Shout out to my fellow Saturday Night Live fans.
This internship has revealed how integral every aspect of the community is to Jamestown. I could go on and on about the significance of our local printers, coffee shops, museums, schools, media stations, outreach programs and so much more. Jamestown’s interconnectedness promotes a flourishing community I could never fully appreciate until I was involved with an organization like the National Comedy Center. While every day is different, Lucille Ball’s vision remains the foundation: making Jamestown a destination for comedy. Don’t hesitate to visit and see what shenanigans we interns will be up to on any given day!
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Rose Ann
Picture this: it is early September, and though the warm weather hasn’t yet dissipated, the Jamestown summer season is officially over. Parents prepare their kids for yet another first day of school, and teachers unpack their classrooms after a summer of relaxation. Local businesses adjust their hours for fall, and the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum prepare for the autumn tourism season. While many hands make for light work at the summer’s end, there is still much to be done.
The start of the school year means that school groups throughout the county and beyond will soon be visiting the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum. And that’s where Sandy Nelson steps in as one of the Center’s most dedicated volunteers.
A retired teacher, Sandy is a community supporter who frequents local restaurants and shops, and volunteers at events and businesses she loves. One cause very close to her heart is the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum, where she has volunteered for the past three years, engaging with visitors from all over. Sandy’s favorite role is overseeing school field trips throughout the year.
With 30 years of teaching experience at all primary levels, Sandy excels in working with students. Her passion is evident in her bright smile and engaging personality. She makes working with kids seem effortless, a talent honed through years of experience. Sandy’s favorite exhibit to share with students is Comedy Karaoke, a stage-based attraction where visitors perform jokes. “By the time we’ve entered the Participatory Wing, the kids are more comfortable stepping out of their comfort zones. I’ve done Comedy Karaoke as a guest, and telling them ‘I’ve done this! If I can do it, you can too!’ really boosts their confidence.”
Learning experiences begin the moment students enter
the museum. Sandy believes in the importance of Lucille Ball’s legacy, which fosters a sense of community pride. “If someone from Jamestown can make it big, then you can too, in any field you choose,” she tells the students. The museum offers educational programs about the art form of comedy but also has a Career Day program, where students learn about the unique careers of National Comedy Center staff and the steps they took to get here.
Sandy praises the National Comedy Center as a community treasure with a bright future. She’s excited about the new archives, developments, and exhibits. One aspect she wishes more people knew is how interactive the museum is. Kids can engage with exhibits rather than just reading text panels, and their LaughBand bracelets customize the experience to everyone’s unique sense of humor.
The National Comedy Center inspires students to appreciate the many people and wide variety of it skills it takes to create comedy, from foley artists creating sound effects to costume designers, producers and writers. The joy and laughter heard throughout the museum are clear signs of its impact.
Sandy finds inspiration in the students she works with, prioritizing their happiness and helping them feel included. She recalls helping a reluctant student enjoy a scavenger hunt, transforming his experience and making him feel a sense of accomplishment. “Moments like that are wonderful because you get to watch a child’s entire outlook on this place change. You can tell that they really feel at home here.”
Why visit the National Comedy Center for a field trip?
Sandy’s advice: “To get the kids to laugh! Laughter brings people together, and these kids need laughter and friendship in their lives.”
Volunteers for the non-profit National Comedy Center, Lucy Desi Museum and Lucille Ball Comedy Festival are always welcome and greatly needed. To learn more, email the National Comedy Center at getinvolved@ComedyCenter.org
There are plenty of laughs to be had at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, but its membership program is no joke!
Becoming a National Comedy Center member is an absolute must for individuals and families who not only love to laugh but also love a good deal. Members can access a wealth of benefits – all while supporting the Comedy Center’s non-profit mission.
Membership grants year-round admission to the National Comedy Center and the Lucy Desi Museum for a full year, allowing members to immerse themselves in the incredible world of comedy whenever they please. From timeless classics to the cutting-edge, the Comedy Center’s extensive collection showcases the evolution of comedy, ensuring a captivating experience for all ages and senses of humor.
Members enjoy priority access to special events and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, including performances by some of comedy’s greatest talents, screenings of comedy films, and access to VIP archival experiences — exclusive opportunities that create unforgettable moments.
Members also receive discounted rates on merchandise both in-store and online, plus free domestic shipping on all orders starting at the “Opener” level – perfect for fans who want to source hilarious gifts and products while supporting the mission of the National Comedy Center and Lucy Desi Museum.
By becoming a National Comedy Center member, individuals support the preservation and celebration of
comedy as a vital art form. They also contribute to the Center’s mission of inspiring and educating audiences while fostering a deep appreciation for the comedic craft.
There are several membership levels from which to choose, with benefits varying by level. Becoming a National Comedy Center member at the “Opener” level or above unlocks reciprocal membership and admission benefits at over 1,300 cultural institutions that belong to the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association® network. NARM is a mosaic of art museums and galleries, historical museums and societies, botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos, and more across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The National Comedy Center invites you to become part of a vibrant community with a shared passion for comedy dedicated to the joy and power of laughter.
Producer, writer, host and National Comedy Center Advisory Board Member Kelly Carlin sums it up this way: “when you become a member of the National Comedy Center, you’re helping this incredible cultural institution preserve comedy’s heritage and enabling it to exhibit collections and archives from many of comedy’s greatest voices. Plus, you can visit year-round and see my father’s [George Carlin] stuff and so much more — what could be better than that?”
Joining is simple. Visit ComedyCenter.org/membership, drop by the the National Comedy Center admission desk or upgrade your admission ticket to a membership at the conclusion of your visit.
The National Comedy Center’s multi-media exhibit Carl Reiner: Keep Laughing celebrates the comedy legend and his extraordinary 70-year career, including his memorable creative collaborations with Mel Brooks, Steve Martin, Sid Caesar, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore.
This exhibit officially opened in 2022 with the Reiner family – Carl’s children Annie Reiner, Lucas Reiner and director, producer and actor Rob Reiner – cutting the ribbon at the National Comedy Center, and with CBS Sunday Morning covering the event for a feature story that aired nationwide.
The exhibit showcases hundreds of never-before-seen archival materials spanning Reiner’s remarkable seven decades as a writer, director, producer, author, and performer. Visitors can explore interactive stations that feature rare audiovisual clips, creative papers, photographs, and dimensional artifacts that intimately chronicle a lifetime of creative output: from Reiner’s early years as a performer on Sid Caesar’s legendary Your Show of Shows to his creation of the seminal The Dick Van Dyke Show, from his collaboration with Mel Brooks on the Grammy-winning 2000 Year Old Man to his acclaimed cinematic partnership with Steve Martin (The Jerk, All of Me and more), and across his far-reaching contributions to the comedic art form.
A special highlight of the exhibit showcases Reiner’s 70-year creative and personal relationship with his best friend – comedy legend Mel Brooks, including the chairs and TV trays used for years by Reiner and Brooks as they would spend evenings together eating dinner and watching television.
Artifacts and documents on display include Reiner’s typewriter case and original, typed manuscript for the first episode of Head of the Family – which would become the legendary The Dick Van Dyke Show; rare photos of Reiner with Mel Brooks, with Sid Caesar and Imogene
Coca, and with Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore; the cowboy hat that Reiner wore in the final episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show; and his Emmy awards and Mark Twain Prize.
“Carl Reiner’s comedic legacy is unmatched,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “His distinctive wit and remarkable talent enabled him to take the ordinary and transform it into indelible and timeless comedy, influencing generations of artists, and entertaining millions. From Your Show of Shows and The Dick Van Dyke Show, to his inimitably funny collaborations with Mel Brooks on the 2,000 Year Old Man, to his beloved comedy films, Reiner built a body of work that is a testament to his creative genius, and the power of comedy to inspire us, enliven us — and touch the human spirit. We are proud that our nation’s first cultural institution dedicated to comedy developed and opened with Carl Reiner’s blessing, and we are honored that his legacy will live on as an enduring anchor of the National Comedy Center’s work.”
With a multi-faceted career spanning television, film,
stage, record albums, books and even social media, Carl Reiner, who passed away in June of 2020, was a twelvetime Emmy® award-winner, a Grammy® award-winner and a recipient of The Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Reiner was an early advocate and an instrumental supporter for the National Comedy Center’s vision to celebrate comedy as an art form. In 2021, the National Comedy Center formally named its ongoing work to preserve comedy’s heritage in honor of Reiner. The Carl Reiner Department of Archives and Preservation serves as the central hub for all archival and preservation work within the Comedy Center, as it continues its mission to present the history of comedy and preserve comedy’s heritage for future generations.
The National Comedy Center became the home of the Carl Reiner Archives in 2021, with the Reiner family donating rare creative papers, scripts and artifacts spanning Reiner’s career. At that time, Reiner’s children Rob, Annie and Lucas Reiner stated:
“People called our father a comic genius, and his gift was his ability to transform discomfort or pain into pleasure and fun. His humor made people feel good, starting with those of us around him, and then pretty much the whole world. He would be so thrilled to know that the National Comedy Center’s archives department is being named for him and that his work will be preserved there, that he would jump in the air, do a scissor kick and sing La Donna e Mobile at the top of his lungs.”
Reiner’s close friends and colleagues also commented:
“There will never be another Carl Reiner. I loved him from the moment we first met. I’m thrilled that the National Comedy Center will be preserving Carl’s archives and naming its archives and preservation department in his honor – because no one deserves it more than my best friend. Carl’s comedy was timeless and now his name will live on for generations with this wonderful tribute.” – Mel Brooks
“Carl Reiner was a true genius and the finest human being that I’ve ever known -- he is irreplaceable. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this tremendous honor from the National Comedy Center. Carl deserves to be celebrated every day, and now, he will be, within the halls of this museum dedicated to the art form that Carl loved most –comedy.” – Dick Van Dyke
“Carl was my greatest mentor – his wisdom, talent, humor, energy will never be forgotten, all wrapped in his uncommon decency. By naming its archive department after Carl, the National Comedy Center reminds us all that it’s these qualities that matter most when creating great work that touches us, makes us laugh and stands the test of time.”
–Steve Martin
Reiner’s archive includes unpublished comedy material; rare photographs, film footage and audio recordings from his personal and professional life; and industry awards. The comprehensive collection includes early drafts and final scripts written by Reiner throughout his career with his handwritten annotations – from the earliest material from his Army days and Your Show of Shows sketches to all 158 Dick Van Dyke Show scripts, and his film screenplays.
