The Comedy Festival (TCF) today announced additional programming for the 2007 festival.  Joining previously announced Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Ellen DeGeneres are Wanda Sykes, Eddie Izzard, Steve Schirripa, Jamie Kennedy & Nick Swardson, Bill Engvall, Frank Caliendo, Nick Cannon, Zach Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, Artie Lange, John Oliver, Bill Burr & Marc Maron, and The Kims of Comedy.


The third annual TCF, presented by HBO and AEG Live returns to Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, November 14-17, 2007.  TBS is the title sponsor for the third consecutive year. 


"The third time is definitely the charm for us," said Bob Crestani, CEO of The Comedy Festival. "With Chris, Jerry and Ellen's Variety Show headlining The Colosseum, rising stars such as John Oliver, Zach Galifianakis and Nick Swardson playing our showrooms, the irreverence of folks like the Kims of Comedy, Eddie Izzard and our Broadband Theatre and all the excitement and surprises in the free Festival Village, we're definitely a can't-miss-event on the Vegas calendar."


Wednesday, November 14, 2007


·        The Festival Village - After its successful debut last year, with over 40,000 in attendance, the Festival Village returns to TCF to give festivalgoers the opportunity to meet celebrities, participate in interactive events and win great prizes.  Located in the outdoor Roman Plaza amphitheater of Caesars Palace, The Village is open all day and free to the public. Hours of operation are: Wednesday 5:00-10:00 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday 1:00-10:00 p.m.


·        Vegas Va-Voom hosted by The Sopranos' Steve Schirripa – 9:00 p.m., Augustus Showroom. The Sopranos' star Steve Schirripa will host a night of comedy and performance at TCF that is reminiscent of the days when Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. took to the Vegas stage.  Schirripa has a history with Vegas, previously serving as entertainment director of the Riviera, where he continues to consult.  Additional talent to be announced.


Steve Schirripa Tickets


Thursday, November 15, 2007


·        Ellen's Really Big Show - 7:30 p.m., The Colosseum. Emmy-award winning talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres presents this throwback to the beloved variety specials of the past.  Featuring comedy and musical performances, this show will be taped and broadcast on TBS, Sunday, November 18th.  Additional talent to be announced.


Ellen Degeneres Tickets


·        Frank Caliendo: All Over The Place – 8:30 p.m., Palace Showroom.  Caliendo, famous for his pitch-perfect takes on such personalities as John Madden, Dr. Phil, President Bush and President Clinton, is gearing up for the November launch of TBS's new late night sketch comedy series Frank TV.  As a build-up to that show, Caliendo is headlining in his own one-hour stand-up special being shot at The Comedy Festival for TBS, which will air on Friday, November 16th.


Frank Caliendo Tickets


·        Kims of Comedy – 7:00 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Comprised of Steve Byrne, Bobby Lee, Dr. Ken Jeong and Kevin Shea, "The Kims Of Comedy," bring their unique brand of comedy to the TCF stage for the first time.  Byrne was the winner of the Sierra Mist Stand Up or Sit Down Comedy Challenge on TBS as voted by the MySpace community, which was taped at last year's TCF. Lee is best known for his six-season run on Fox's Mad TV.  Dr. Ken made his feature film debut in this summer's comedy Knocked Up and performed alongside Mike O'Connell in TCF's Viral Videos Live show at last year's Festival.  Shea is an up-and-coming talent and has appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. 


Kims of Comedy Tickets


·        The Return of Weirdo and Beardo with Friends Afro & Mike-O starring Zach Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, Reggie Watts & Mike O'Connell– 10:00 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Zach Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, Reggie Watts and Mike O'Connell bring their varied styles of outrageous eclectic comedy and music in The Return of Weirdo and Beardo with Friends Afro & Mike-O.  Galifianakis and Posehn return to TCF after performing at last year's Festival with Sarah Silverman. 


Return of Weirdo and Beardo Tickets


·        Artie Lange – 11:59 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Well-known as Howard Stern's right-hand man, Artie Lange brings his signature raunchy style to the TCF stage. In addition to being heard on the radio daily, he was a regular on Fox's Mad TV, has appeared in a number of feature films including Old School and Lange's stand-up shows continue to sell-out audiences nationwide.


Artie Lange Tickets


Friday, November 16, 2007


·        Jerry Seinfeld – 8:00 p.m., The Colosseum.  One of comedy's biggest stars in two exclusive performances at this year's Festival.  Opening act: Mario Joyner.


Jerry Seinfeld Tickets


·        Blue Collar Comedy: The Next Generation hosted by Bill Engvall and featuring Reno Collier, Jamie Kaler, John Caparulo, and Juston McKinney.  8:00 p.m., Palace Showroom.  Engvall, who has won over audiences with his Blue Collar Comedy Tour appearances, is passing on the torch to a new generation by hosting the Blue Collar Comedy: The Next Generation special, which will premiere on TBS Saturday, November 17th.  Engvall stars in TBS's hit original sitcom The Bill Engvall Show, which ranks among ad-supported cable's top sitcoms.


Blue Collar Comedy Tickets


·        The Return of Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out – 8:00 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  After last year's wildly successful live debut of MTV's popular comedy show, this year's festival audiences will again delight as Cannon and his crew give traditional improv a hip new twist.


·        Jamie Kennedy & Nick Swardson – 10:30 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Returning to TCF for the second year in a row, Jamie Kennedy takes to the stage with his friend and fellow comedian Nick Swardson, who is making his TCF debut.  Kennedy and Swardson both wrote and starred in the Kennedy film Malibu's Most Wanted.  Additionally, Kennedy was seen this past summer in the film Kickin' It Old Skool and recently completed his first documentary, Heckler, a comedic look at the increasing critical world we live in.  This summer Swardson crossed the country on a stand-up tour and appeared in the film Reno 911: Miami.


Jamie Kennedy & Nick Swardson Tickets


·        Chris Rock – 11:00 p.m., The Colosseum. Chris Rock's triumphant return to his stand-up roots.


Chris Rock Tickets


Saturday, November 17, 2007


·        Wanda Sykes  - 7:30 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Wanda Sykes brings a brand new hour of stand-up to TCF.  Named one of Entertainment Weekly's "25 Funniest People in America," she can currently be seen on the CBS hit comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine and in her recent HBO comedy special Wanda Sykes: Sick and Tired.  Keith Robinson is scheduled to open.


Wanda Sykes Tickets


·        Jerry Seinfeld – 8:00 p.m., The Colosseum.  Opening act: Mario Joyner.


Jerry Seinfeld Tickets


·        Left, Right and Blue starring John Oliver, Bill Burr & Marc Maron – 8:00 p.m. Palace Showroom.  John Oliver, Bill Burr & Marc Maron will put politics in perspective with their politically and culturally themed show.  Oliver, a regular writer and correspondent on the Emmy award winning The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, was the 2007 winner of the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival Breakout Award.  Burr, one of America's most well-known stand-ups, is a regular on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Opie and Anthony Show.  He is also the 2006 MAC Award winner for Best Male Stand Up. Known for his sharp cultural and political commentary, Maron hosted Air America radio's Morning Sedition and has many television and film credits. 


·        Eddie Izzard – 10:00 p.m., Augustus Showroom.  Performing for the first time at TCF, Eddie Izzard will debut his new show.  Since his one-man show Live at the Ambassadors in 1993, the British-born Izzard has wowed both critics and audiences with his wholly original style of comedy.  Izzard can currently been seen starring with Minnie Driver in the FX series The Riches, and the upcoming animated feature Bee Movie.


Eddie Izzard Tickets


·        Chris Rock – 11:00 p.m., The Colosseum.


Chris Rock Tickets


The Emperors Showroom will once again be the site of this year's TCF "comedy club," featuring up-and-coming stand-up, sketch and alternative performers.  The Lucky 21, TCF's nationwide talent search sponsored by TCF and Ziddio.com, will determine the 21 best stand-up comedians in the country.  Forty-two comedy clubs have teamed up with the Festival in one of the nation's most ambitious stand-up competitions, which began July 18th in Columbus, Ohio and culminates at TCF in mid-November. It's a brave new world of comedy, all thanks to the freedom of the Internet, and Broadband Theatre gives festivalgoers a chance to see the web's best stand-ups, sketch performers, and other comedic artists live.  These artists are not bound by the old rules of live performance and it's sure to be one of the Festival's most talked-about shows.


TBS returns as the title sponsor.  Other TCF sponsors include Ziddio, Twix, Smirnoff Vodka, and Geico.  TCF media partners are Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and The Humor Mill.


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