Whitney Cummings
Whitney Cummings. (Getty Images)
Who: US stand-up, actor, and podcaster.
Best known for: The “Good For You” podcast; co-creating “2 Broke Girls.”
She says: “When you get in a room with a bunch of people and no one knows who everyone else is, and they’re all laughing at the same stuff … we’re not that divided. If you go to a comedy show, you’ll see that.” (CleveRock.com)
Appearing: Sept. 26
Maz Jobrani
Maz Jobrani. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up and actor of Iranian heritage.
Best known for: ‘The Axis of Evil,’ tour; the “Minivan Men” podcast; his memoir “I’m Not a Terrorist, but I’ve played one on TV.”
He says: “Throughout my life and throughout my comedy I’ve talked about being Iranian, about being an immigrant. And I am very much in support of immigrants in America.” (CNN)
Appearing: Sept. 26
Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up and actor.
Best known for: Multi-million-dollar Netflix comedy-special deal; six Grammy-winning comedy albums; five Emmy wins; the 2019 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
He says: “I'm either gonna be a legend or just that tragic story, but I'm going full throttle; I'm going all the way. I'm eager to find out how this will resolve itself.” (“Inside The Actor’s Studio”)
Appearing: Sept. 27
Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart. (AFP)
Who: This feels redundant — he’s got 177 million Instagram followers.
Best known for: Diminutive-sidekick movie roles; four Grammys; two Emmys; the 2024 Mark Twain Prize.
He says: “I’m giving you an experience through a story that is relatable, and more importantly, I’m saying things that other people just don’t have the heart to say.” (“60 Minutes”)
Appearing: Sept. 28
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari. (AFP)
Who: US actor and comedian of Indian heritage.
Best known for: “Parks and Recreation”; “Master of None,” for which he won two Emmys and a Golden Globe.
He says: “Anytime you feel something strong, pain or joy, if you’re a comedian or a writer, then you’ve got to note it and find out what’s creating that strong emotion. What’s beautiful about it is that it’s a common experience.” (The Guardian)
Appearing: Sept. 28
Gabriel Iglesias
Gabriel Iglesias. (AFP)
Who: US comedian and actor of Mexican heritage.
Best known for: The first two “Magic Mike” films; “Mr. Iglesias”; his nickname, “Fluffy” — as in, “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy.”
He says: “I still feel like I have a lot of dues to pay as an actor. I don’t consider myself a seasoned veteran of acting. I do consider myself that as a comic.” (Forbes)
Appearing: Oct. 1
Russell Peters
Russell Peters. (AFP)
Who: Canadian stand-up and actor of Indian heritage.
Best known for: Being the first comedian to get a Netflix special; setting records for ticket sales in several countries.
He says: “Comedians look at everyone else as civilians. You guys are all civilians to us. We have a very dark way of looking at things. … We’ll find something funny about whatever disaster happened.” (Marriska Fernandes)
Appearing: Oct. 2
Chris Tucker
Chris Tucker. (AFP)
Who: US comedian and actor
Best known for: The “Rush Hour” film franchise.
He says: I want everybody to come to my show to laugh, have fun, to learn something — learn about what I’m thinking about — and then what got me to my point in life or success. That’s my whole goal.” (Page Six)
Appearing: Oct. 2
Zarna Garg
Zarna Garg. (AFP)
Who: Indian-American stand-up and screenwriter.
Best known for: “A Nice Indian Boy”; her memoir “This American Woman.”
She says: “I don’t want to change people’s minds. I’m not a political comic. I’m not here to prove to somebody that I’m an artist at this level or that level. I’m here to serve my audience. They’re giving me a very important asset, which is their time, and I take every second seriously, almost to the point of insanity.” (Glamour)
Appearing: Oct. 2
Mark Normand
Mark Normand. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up and actor.
Best known for: Several stand-up specials; his podcasts “Tuesdays with Stories” and “We Might Be Drunk.”
He says: “We (comedians) should all be grateful we get to do this. So enjoy it, don't abuse it, and work hard at it. Make it about the audience, not about you. Try to make them laugh. Entertain them instead of just being indulgent.” (The Comedy Gazelle)
Appearing: Oct. 3
Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr. (AFP)
Who: Irish-British comedian and TV host.
Best known for: “Last One Laughing”; “8 out of 10 Cats”; dealing with hecklers; having an annoying laugh.
He says: “There’s nothing more exciting than a new joke that works. The joke doesn’t even exist when it’s just a thought, it only exists when you tell it someone. And that excites me.”
Appearing: Oct. 6
Jo Koy
Jo Koy. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up and actor with part-Filipino heritage.
Best known for: “Easter Sunday”; hosting the 2024 Golden Globes.
He says: “I love the art of storytelling and that's my favorite style of standup and my intentions were always to be able to have you see it when I do it on stage. In your head, you can already visualize it.” (Collider)
Appearing: Oct. 8
Tom Segura
Tom Segura. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up, actor, and podcaster of part-Peruvian heritage.
Best known for: “Bad Thoughts”; his podcasts “Your Mom’s House” and “Two Bears One Cave.”
He says: “My mom finds me funny but absolutely disgusting. And I could not enjoy that more. To get somebody to gasp and laugh, or drop their head and laugh, there’s something in that moment that feels very much like love.” (Vulture)
Appearing: Oct. 8
Sebastian Maniscalco
Sebastian Maniscalco. (AFP)
Who: US stand-up and actor of Italian heritage.
Best known for: “About My Father”; several comedy specials.
He says: “You don’t become a bodybuilder the first day you start lifting weights. Same thing with comedy. You gotta flesh out your joke, your bit. You add and subtract. You see what works.” (Dolce Magazine)
Appearing: Oct. 9
