Boston Comedy Festival Gala

Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre

Mask wearing is optional

Combining iconic comedians with icons-in-the-making, the 23rd Annual Boston Comedy Festival Gala will showcase some of the best established and new comedic talents. The final eight up-and-coming stars from a 48-comic field go head-to-head for a $5,000 first place prize. 

The show will be hosted by Jim McCue (his DryBar special “nothing personal” which has had over 3 million views , he has been featured on Comedy Central, Comcast Comedy Spotlight, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” Live at Gotham AXS TV and “Roughing It” on NESN in his native New England.)

In addition to the Stand Up Comedy Competition we will be presenting awards to our 2023 Honorees who join a distinguished group of previous award winners whose works define the art form and contribute to our rich cultural legacy.

Comedian of the Year Honoree Joe List

Joe List is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, whose movie FOURTH OF JULY is currently playing in theaters. Joe's latest 1 hour special, THIS YEAR'S MATERIAL premiered on his YouTube page in April and has over 1 million views. His previous special, I HATE MYSELF was released by Comedy Central in 2020 and currently has over 7.5 million views on their Youtube page. Joe has performed on THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, and THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON and has appeared multiple times on CONAN. He was a finalist on NBC's 'LAST COMIC STANDING, he also has his own half-hour special on Comedy Central and he stars in season 2 of Netflix's THE STAND UPS. His albums 'So Far No Good' and 'Are You Mad at Me?' (through Comedy Central Records) can be heard all the time on Sirius Radio. List is also the co-host of the popular weekly podcast 'Tuesdays with Stories w/ Mark Normand. Joe is the host of his own podcast MINDFUL METAL JACKET and he can be seen regularly at the Comedy Cellar in New York City.

Lifetime Achievement Honoree Brian Kiley

Brian Kiley was a writer for Conan O’Brien for 27 years. He has been nominated for 17 Emmy Awards. (winning a Primetime Emmy in 2007) When Conan ended, he got a job as a writer on Ellen’s final season and this time won a Daytime Emmy. As a comedian, he made 7 appearances on David Letterman, 4 on The Tonight Show, and 12 on Conan. He has his own Comedy Central special as well as a Dry Bar special. His jokes have been featured in the New York Sunday Times Crossword Puzzle, Reader’s Digest, Prevention Magazine and the Big Book of American Humor.

Lifetime Achievement in TV Award Honoree Topper Carew

American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for such films as

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