Louis C.K. is headlining two nights of a major festival after being accused of sexual misconduct eight years ago. The comedian will perform his new special “Ridiculous” at The Beacon Theater on Nov. 14 and 15 as part of the New York Comedy Festival.
In September 2017, C.K. was the subject of a New York Times piece in which five women accused the comedian of sexual misconduct. C.K. later confirmed that the stories were true, stating in his apology “the power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.” FX and Netflix cut ties with him, and HBO dropped C.K. from a television special it had in the works. The allegations took a serious toll on C.K.’s career, claiming in 2019 that he lost approximately $35 million in income since the article’s publication.
Still, C.K. has continued to perform and release comedy albums, even winning a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his 2022 special “Sincerely, Louis C.K.” He then sold out Madison Square Garden in 2023.
Though C.K. is certainly the most-discussed performer coming to the New York Comedy Festival this year, he’s far from the only big name. The comedy podcast “The Basement Yard” also headlines this year alongside Hannah Berner, Michael Blackson, Margaret Cho, Chris Fleming, Pete Holmes, Alex Edelman, Morgan Jay, Ismo, Ryan Long, Nurse John, Yohay Sponder and Trevor Wallace.
Additionally, the festival will have a “Strangers With Candy” reunion on the 25th anniversary of its cancellation with creators and stars Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello.
“We’re thrilled to unveil this year’s incredible lineup — a dynamic mix of global headliners and rising voices that reflect where comedy is right now and where it’s headed. We’re proud to continue to bring New York City the very best of the best,” Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival, said in a statement. “In a constantly shifting landscape, we stay committed to spotlighting new voices, championing fresh perspectives, breaking form, and shaping a festival that sets the standard both creatively and commercially.”
From Nov. 7 to Nov. 16, more than 200 comedians will perform in more than 100 shows across New York’s five boroughs. In the coming months, the New York Comedy Festival will also announce details for other major events, such as Stand Up for Heroes, New York’s Funniest Stand Ups Presented by Threads and Comics to Watch.
The Bread Financial pre-sale will run from Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET to Friday at 10 p.m. ET. Tickets will then be available to the general public on July 21 at 11 a.m. ET.
The schedule for the festival’s headliners is below:
Friday, Nov. 7
- 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.: Ryan Long at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York
- 8 p.m.: Nurse John: “The Short-Staffed Tour” at the Beacon Theatre
Saturday, Nov. 8
- 7 p.m.: “A Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Cancellation of ‘Strangers with Candy’” with Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris at Town Hall
- 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.: Ryan Long at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York
- 7 p.m.: Trevor Wallace: “The Alpha Beta Male” at the Beacon Theatre
- 8 p.m.: Hannah Berner: “None of My Business Tour” at Carnegie Hall
Sunday, Nov. 9
- 7 p.m.: Ismo: “Woo Hoo! World Tour” at Town Hall
Thursday, Nov. 13
- 7 p.m.: Yohay Sponder at Town Hall
- 7 p.m.: Morgan Jay: “The Goofy Guy Tour” at the Beacon Theatre
- 8 p.m.: The Basement Yard: “From the Basement to the World Tour” at Madison Square Garden
Friday, Nov. 14
- 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.: Michael Blackson: “America Is Fkd Comedy Tour” at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York
- 7 p.m.: Pete Holmes: “The PETE HERE NOW Tour” at Town Hall
- 7:30 p.m.: Louis C.K.: “Ridiculous” at the Beacon Theatre
Saturday, Nov. 15
- 6 p.m.: Alex Edelman: “What Are You Going to Do” at Carnegie Hall
- 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.: Michael Blackson: “America Is Fkd Comedy Tour” at The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel New York
- 7 p.m.: Margaret Cho: “Choligarchy” at Town Hall
- 7:30 p.m.: Louis C.K.: “Ridiculous” at the Beacon Theatre
- TBD: Chris Fleming at Carnegie Hall
