Upcoming Events

It's that time again, friends! 11 Weeks, 40 Comedians, 39 Frowny Emoticons, ONE Champion. With almost all sold out shows, the best audiences of the year, and the ability to decide the winner, The Bloomington Comedy Festival returns for its 17th year. Join us Thursdays ALL SUMMER LONG as we crown The Funniest Person in Bloomington!

First Round

• June 19
• June 26
• July 10

Second Round

• July 17
• July 24

Quarterfinals

• July 31
• August 14

Semifinals

• August 21

THE FINALS

• August 28

John Roy began his career performing in independent rooms in Chicago. After honing his act in clubs around the Midwest, John was crowned the first champion of CBS’ “Star Search,” in 2003.He has appeared on numerous television shows, including “Conan,” “@midnight,” “The Tonight Show,” “The Late, Late Show” and “Last Comic Standing.”

John was a Co-Producer on Fusion’s “Trump Vs. Bernie: Debate for America” and “Shout the Vote” television specials.

John has written on projects for Comedy Central and MTV, and co-written numerous videos for Funny or Die, including the IFC web series “Maron in Space.” In addition, John has been a creative consultant on national ad campaigns for Apple, NBC Sports, and Mitsubishi, including spots that aired during the Super Bowl.

John’s CD “Dressed for Recess,” was released in 2008 on RBC Records. His second, “Alexander Hamilton,” was released on AST Records in 2013. Both are heard on Sirius XM radio.

John is a national touring headliner across North America. He performs in numerous clubs including Gotham in New York and the Improv in Hollywood. He is also a regular performer on acclaimed independent shows like “Whiplash,” “Hot Tub,” and “Meltdown.”

John’s Podcast, “Don’t Ever Change” is on the Feral Audio network, and has featured Dan Harmon, Kumail Nanjiani, and T.J. Miller.

John was a guest at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, the Just For Laughs Festival in Chicago, The Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and Laugh Fest in Grand Rapids. John also appeared in the High Plains, Limestone, and Bridgetown Comedy Festivals.

40 YEARS OF FOLEY
Wrestling’s finest storyteller is back with his first one-man-show tour in three years. Mick has assembled a brand new show featuring stories from throughout his legendary career - and each show concludes with a 45 minute Q&A. Featuring Mick’s trademark blend of warmth and wildness, wit and wisdom, this show is sure to be a hit for the legion of Foley fans out there. ONLY 25 US SHOWS IN 2025 - so make sure to get yours now!

Jared Freid is a stand-up comedian and podcaster based out of New York City. His most recent stand up special, “37 & Single”premiered on Netflix last year to rave reviews and rose to the Top 10 most watched TV in the US and Canada on Netflix. In addition, The New York Times touted “In the crowded field of dating jokes, Jared Freid…distinguishes himself...”. With a strong focus on dating and relationships, Jared’s comedy reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if you know a lot of millennials that are obsessing over dating apps, trying to be real adults, and worrying about their bodies. His prior special, “Socially Distanced… Of Course” premiered on YouTube in 2021. Jared has also appeared on a number of television programs, including multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show” and as a regular contributor on “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network. He can also be seen in the upcoming independent romantic comedy “31 Candles.”

In addition to his hectic touring schedule, Jared hosts two highly-rated weekly podcasts including his “JTrain Podcast” which boasts over 450,000 listeners per month and regularly lands in the iTunes top 100. The show has a cult following of loyal fans. Guests have included: Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Colin Quinn, Sal Vulcano, Bert Kreischer, Dave Attell, Michelle Wolf and more. It’s been called “A Dear Abby for Dudes,” which is why both men and women tune in religiously. Many of Jared’s fans say that his advice has helped them in their personal lives. Jared also co-hosts “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches, where they discuss their takes on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hookups to relationships. “U Up?” has over 750,000 monthly listeners.

In 2019, Jared released his first full-length comedy album “Always a Momma Bear” through Virtual Comedy Network. The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Jared was also named a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laugh’s comedy festival in 2017.

Ryan Singer, "Comedy's Crown Prince of Weird" is a cosmic comedian who electrifies mainstream audiences with material that is both uncompromising and unpretentious. He recently released his first one-hour special The Supernatural, filmed in a haunted school. He's been seen on Maron (IFC), The Movie Show (ScFy) and has released 4 full-length comedy albums, Free Love (2018), Immortal For Now (2015), Comedy Wonder Town (2012) and How To Get High Without Drugs (2010), 3 of which were chosen as Top Comedy Album of the Year. He is the creator and host of the popular Me & Paranormal You podcast in which he has in-depth interviews with paranormal investigators, experiencers of the supernatural and explores all things esoteric. He has been selected by Rolling Stone Magazine as "A Comic Who Should Be Big," LA Weekly as one of "10 LA Comics to Watch", mentioned in NY Magazine as a "Comic to Watch," was one of 4 finalists in the original CMT's Next Big Comic Contest, is a frequent guest on the WTF Podcast w/Marc Maron and the Bob & Tom Show, and his joke "United Snacks of America" has nearly 11 million listens on Pandora.

Mike Finoia is a Comedian based out of NYC. He is a producer for TruTV's hit show Impractical Jokers, and tours regularly with the guys on their national tour. Mike is also the host of the podcasts Dented Cans and Comes a Time, which he co-hosts with Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbridge. Mike's debut special, "Don't Let Me Down" was met with glowing reviews in 2023, and when Mike isn't on the road he can be found nightly at NYC premiere comedy clubs, and heard regularly on Sirius XM's The Bonfire.

Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer and podcaster based in Brooklyn. The NY Times called him “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today” and described his 2018 Netflix special Warn Your Relatives as “an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.” The special was named on many “Best of” lists, including for Time, Paste Magazine, Cosmopolitan, E! Online, and Mashable. 

He was also named one of 2018’s “Comics To Watch” byVariety. In 2017, his truTV documentary The Problem with Apu was released to critical acclaim and spurred a global conversation about race and representation. The Nation called it “a devastating critique of the ultimate comedic sacred cow: The Simpsons.” It is now used in high school, college and grad school curriculums around the US.

Hari has also released two comedy albums, Waiting for 2042 & Mainstream American Comic with legendary indie rock label Kill Rock Stars. Additionally, he has performed onsuch shows as Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman among many others. He is also a former writer & correspondent on the much loved, Chris Rock produced FX show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.

A regular on the public radio, Hari is a panelist on the NPR game show Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me. As a podcaster, he co-hosted the popular Politically Reactive with dear friend W. Kamau Bell. Additionally, he also co-hosts what he politely describes as a “pop up podcast,” The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Podcast with his younger brother Ashok (“Dap” from HBO’s Chillin’ Island and defunct rap group Das Racist.)

Hari attended both Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University, graduating from the former institution with a B.A. in Comparative Politics. A former immigrant rights organizer in Seattle who worked under the leadership of now-Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Hari also earned a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics in 2008. He was the “Artist In Residence” at NYU’s APA Institute for the 2014-2015 Academic Year and at Shangri La Museum in Honolulu in 2018.

Emil Wakim is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Emil was born and raised in Chicago before moving to Bloomington, Indiana for college where he began performing stand-up.

This year, Emil joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for its milestone 50th season as the first Lebanese-American cast member. Emil made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and is featured on Don't Tell Comedy as well as Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring and was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. 

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Emil has opened for Roy Wood Jr., Kyle Kinane, Nikki Glaser, Hasan Minhaj and Neal Brennan.

Usama Siddiquee is a Bengali-American stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York. His debut 1/2 special was released on YouTube March 21, 2025 produced by Don’t Tell Comedy. Last year, Usama had his late-night debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. On the acting front, he is most known for his roles on Netflix’s Inventing Anna and Survival of The Thickest, HBO’s And Just Like That, Comedy Central’s Awkwafina, and on FX’s Better Things. He was featured on the 2020 season of America’s Got Talent as a semi-finalist. In 2018 he was a New Face at Just For Laughs. Shortly after he was passed at the world-famous Comedy Cellar in New York. His standup has been featured on Showtime’s Desus and Mero, MTV’s News, and Bravo’s Cash Cab. He was a finalist for the 2017 NY's Funniest Competition at Caroline's; a finalist in the 2017 NBC Standup Competition; 1st place winner of the 2016 Laughing Devil Cup Comedy Festival in New York; the 1st place winner of the 2015 Yonkers Comedy Festival as well as the 1st place winner of the 2015 Make Me Laugh Albany Comedy Festival. Usama has also featured on videos for NBC, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, and Huffington Post.

They call him the Bitter Buddha, comedian Eddie Pepitone is a master of the dark art of comedy. Hailed as a modern day cross between Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles and Eckart Tolle.

Eddie is a force of nature on stage, switching between social rage and self-doubt. His shows are an energetic combo of calm and chaos, blue-collar angst and sardonic enlightenment. Few comedians working today channel the power of the rant better than Eddie Pepitone.

In addition to his regular stand-up shows, Eddie is stand-out comic/character actor. Beginning in New York City’s improv/sketch scene (where he quickly became a regular face), and continuing on to recurring roles on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Eddie has also appeared on numerous comedy TV shows, including The Life and Times of Tim, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Sarah Silverman Program, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, appearances on Bob’s Burgers, and he’s a regular on Adult Swim’s Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell. Fans also might recognize Pepitone from his role in the hit comedy Old School or from his multiple award-winning short, Runyon: Just Above Sunset, co-written by his wife Karen Simmons.

Nowadays Eddie can frequently be found on his must-follow Twitter & Instagram, hosting the popular comedy podcast Pep Talks, and writing/appearing in the hit web series: Puddin’.

Jackie Kashian is a stand-up comedian who has been seen on After Midnight, Conan, Corden, HBO, Netflix, and Comedy Central. She’s been heard on Bob’s Burgers and Strange Planet; and featured on NPR and Audible.

She tours 45 weeks a year and you’re in the right place to see if she’s gonna be in a town near you and come to shows. Her 5 comedy albums and specials have been number one on Amazon, Apple and Billboard. In addition to two podcasts “The Jackie and Laurie Show” and “The Dork Forest,” you can also read her writing in “The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies” and the comic book “Comics Comics Quarterly”. Currently, she has a new TINY comedy special "LOOKING BACK" shot from the camera of a Mazda 6 in reverse.

40 years ago, Jackie was asked to go do an open mic. She was drunk at her first comedy show, and heckled Sam Kinison. Management came over and told her that "open mic is on Sundays." Three weeks later she did her first set. She loved it so much that she did it every night for the next year, and got a 1.8 that semester. The club burned down a year later so she finished University. She moved to Minneapolis and then to Los Angeles and has been doing standup ever since.

She has a new tiny comedy special "LOOKING BACK" shot from a Mazda 6 in reverse. She's currently sharing 966 sq feet with her husband, mom-in-law, two chihuahua mix doggos, and a cat. Working on a brand new genre of standup comedy: Positive Mother-In-Law Jokes.

Stay tuned. 

Langston Kerman is an LA based comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Langston can be seen starring in Bust Down (Peacock), a series that he also Executive Produced/Co-Created with Sam Jay, Chris Redd and Jak Knight. He is the head writer/one of the Executive Producers of PAUSE with Sam Jay (HBO), which was nominated for a WGA award for its first season and recently finished airing a second season. On screen Langston recurred as ‘Eagle The Archer’ in the second season of The Boys (Amazon). His other acting credits include starring alongside Lake Bell and Dax Shepard as ‘Brandon’ on the Bless This Mess (ABC) and recurring as ‘Jared’ on Insecure (HBO). He will next be seen recurring opposite Gina Rodriguez in Not Dead Yet (ABC) and recurring as ‘Jesse’ in the highly anticipated The Other Black Girl (Hulu/Onyx). Langston wrote for 2 seasons of South Side (HBO Max) and he recurs on the series as ‘Adam Bethune’. Langston’s podcast My Momma Told Me is part of Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network through iHeartMedia. His Comedy Central Half-Hour Special aired in September 2018 along with the release of his debut comedy album “Lightskinned Feelings.”  

"Let me tell you something, friends. Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He's also one of the most twisted individuals I've ever met, but that's part of his charm. He's one of those comics that doesn't make shit up. He lives a mad, mad life and what he remembers he reports back to us. He's been known to bare his soul, and other things, right there on thestage. If you're easily offended, stay home this week. Watch Matlock or something. But if you like your comedy rough, raw, and rowdy, there's no one better than Doug Stanhope. Have I made myself clear?"
- Austin Chronicle

"He blazed with the honesty, outrage and lucidity that made his name... Much of what's wrong with the world melts away in Stanhope's flame... comedy with brains and guts and a heart", "the charm, don't-give-a-damn swagger and aggressive intelligence that make for important, exciting comedy." 
- The Guardian, London

"There's a kind of Olympic torch of extreme American comedy, which passed from Lenny Bruce, through Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison... to the late Bill Hicks. Stanhope is the latest, and equally brilliant, bearer." 
- Independent on Sunday

"Stanhope's stage show is a momentous thing to behold. Don't expect typical Bush-bashing or paper-thin material - he takes no prisoners in his ruthless baiting of everything that gets under his skin." Glasgow Evening Times "On his way to self-immolation, Stanhope works through an hour of brilliant material which slaughters just about every sacred cow on the farm." 
- The Scotsman, Edinburgh

"Stanhope breaks down the walls of decency. He uses profanity, but nothing he says is meant to shock. Everything he says is designed to make the audience laugh. Stanhope has worked his way to become one of the best comics around." 
- The Reno Gazette Journal

"Ask anyone whose opinion matters, and they'll tell you Doug Stanhope is one of the top ten stand-ups in the world today. Stanhope's confrontational stance comes from the rough, blistered underbelly of America's trailer parks; he's a feral, aggressive man full fuelled by primal urges to drink, fight and screw ­ and the corrosive material has all the venomous aggression you might expect from that background. But what underlines it, and makes it so untouchably good, is the passion and conviction with which he holds his intelligent beliefs, informed by sensibilities that might seem alien to such a no-nonsense, pig-headed persona." 
- Chortle UK

"Watching Stanhope is half entertainment and half survival. It's that perfect mix of substance and chaos that made punk rock fun in the seventies. There's a very real chance a fight will break out or all hell will break loose and the tension is intoxicating." 
- ClevelandYucks.com

"If there's such a thing as being too honest in comedy, Doug Stanhope may come close. Known for brutal honesty, railing against the "system" and caring very little about what his audience thinks, Stanhope has elevated himself to become one of today's most talked-about artists." 
- TimeOut, Chicago

"Doug Stanhope is a gritty comic that mixes atrociously profane gutter humor with acerbic social commentary that would likely get him killed if he weren't so damned funny. If there any one thing about Stanhope that's telling of his talent, it's that his material bears repeated listening. Unlike so many of his contemporaries and influences, you can listen to the same Stanhope CD over and over and always get something new out of it." 
- Deadtide.com

"Stanhope possesses a range of stunningly effective stand-up skills and a talent for subtle verbal phrasing. More importantly, he speaks out not only about sex and drugs and so-called perversions, but also about social and political hypocrisy. And his rants command attention because he clearly means every single thing he says." 
- TimeOut, London

"Some of the sharpest and most biting cultural commentary you'll see in a comedy club." 
- St Louis Post-Dispatch

"See him very soon, because he describes his own intake of drink and drugs as staggering. "Jesus died for your sins," he reminds us. "I'm doing it for your mere entertainment." Well, he isn't Jesus. But at his peak only a literal miracle could produce better, more challenging comedy."
- EdinburghGuide.com

"Sharp, off color, and howlingly funny"

- The San Francisco Chronicle

Jiaoying Summers is a comedy powerhouse on a rapid rise blending fearless, dark humor with a deeply personal and refreshingly global perspective. Born in China and now based in Los Angeles, she turns cultural clashes, immigrant identity, and motherhood into razor-sharp comedy that resonates across continents. With over 1 billion views online and a loyal fanbase of 4+ million followers, Jiaoying is a digital juggernaut whose content regularly goes viral—most notably her “Uber Karen” sketch and her irreverent takes on English names by roasting their meaning in Chinese. Jiaoying made history as the first Chinese comedian to headline the iconic Apollo Theater in 2023 in New York City. She was also inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame, cementing her place as a cultural force. Jiaoying is the host of the hit podcast Tiger Mom (MILF), where her magnetic personality shines as she connects with fans and guests on a more personal level. She is currently on her international tour, “Jiaoying: What Specie Are You?”, having just wrapped a 27-show, 20-day run across 9 cities throughout Asia and Australia—all sold out, she is now onto her US leg of the tour that runs through the end of the year, hitting all the major markets. Whether on stage, online, at home as a mom, or CEO of Summers Group, Jiaoying brings an unfiltered, modern, and global comedic voice that resonates with Gen Z & Boomers alike. Her bold, fearless comedy—blending immigrant identity, dark humor, and viral social commentary—has made her a digital phenomenon and a can’t-miss performer

MANDAL is a comedian based out of Atlanta, Georgia. He has been seen and heard on Adult Swim, Netflix Is A Joke Radio, and Don’t Tell Comedy. He was selected as one of Netflix Is A Joke’s INTRODUCING Comics, and as one of Vulture’s Comics to Watch. He is currently developing an animated series with Adult Swim based off of his SMALLS series, Mandal Takes an L. He can also be seen on the new Jordan Peele-produced comedy seriesScare Tactics. Mandal opened for John Mulaney at the Hollywood Bowl and works on his Netflix talk-show series, Everybody's in LA.

Nico Carney is a Brooklyn based standup comedian, writer and actor. His standup covers his experiences as a trans man, growing up in Savannah, Georgia and whatever else he finds silly and interesting.

AS A STANDUP, Nico made his late night debut IN 2024 on Late Night With Seth Meyers, and was named a 2024 Comedian you should and Will know by Vulture. He was also named the Future Of Funny: 15 Comedians Ready To Break Out In 2025 by deadline. NICO was selected as a JFL New Face in 2023 and was part of the inaugural Netflix “Introducing….” showcase at the 2022 Netflix is a Joke Festival. NICO IS CURRENTLY TOURING HIS first standup HOUR WHICH HEADLINED AT NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL AND NETFLIX IS A JOKE FESTIVAL IN 2024.

AS AN ACTOR, NICO STARRED AS "ALEX" IN writer/director Siobhan McCarthy's FEATURE "SHE'S THE HE" WHICH IS PREMIERING AT SXSW FILM FESTIVAL IN MARCH 2025.

Nico cohosts the popular podcast Boys Club with Conor Janda. The two also have a web series by the same title in development with another Wednesday productions.

With over a billion streams across his 8 albums, Chad Daniels is one of the most listened-to comedians of all time. A Minnesota native, Chad has spent over 20 years touring the country, bringing his sharp wit to audiences nationwide. He’s made 6 late-night appearances is one of only 13 comics ever featured on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Chad’s latest special, EMPTY NESTER, was shot in his hometown of Minnesota and recently premiered on Netflix. Chad co-hosts the podcast PRETEND PROBLEMS with his girlfriend Kelsey Cook, as well as Middle of Somewhere with his buddy Cy Amundson.

Sureni Weerasekera is a Sri Lankan-born, San Diego-raised, & New York-based stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. She is known for her lighthearted, conversational banter to her ruthless, dark jabs.

She has performed at San Francisco Sketchfest, Desi Comedy Festival, Oakland Comedy Festival, San Francisco Pride Festival and recently headlined New York Comedy Festival. Sureni is a paid regular at San Francisco Punchline Comedy Club, Cobb’s Comedy Club, Sacramento Punchline Comedy Club, Alameda Comedy Club, and more. She recently opened for Hari Kondabolu, Irene Tu, Lucas Zelnick, and Ashley Gavin. She has worked with Amazon Prime, META, and HBO. Sureni was recently featured on Don’t Tell Comedy. She just completed the 2023-2024 Hot & Funny Tour alongside Sydney Stigerts, a DIY national tour geared towards queer audiences. She’s a regular in with college circuit with KP Comedy. In 2024, she was selected for Netflix’s “Introducing…” Series for the Netflix is a Joke Festival. 

With an aptitude for writing, Sureni was awarded the 2019 Diversity in Comedy Writing Fellowship at Killing My Lobster SF. She is a recipient of the 2022 Rickshaw Writer’s Room Program which specializes in South Asian storytelling. She was selected for the Unlock Her Potential mentorship program in 2022. She is the creator of “Plant Mom Exposed” and “Medium Roasts,” both of which she wrote, edited, and acted in.

She runs a monthly show called Earth Tones at Union Hall in Brooklyn, NY featuring QTBIPIOC comics which regularly sells out. 

In 2023, Gold Comedy named Weerasekera one of “23 Comedians to Watch in 2023”

In 2019, 7×7 named Sureni one the “5 Bay Area Comedians on the Rise.” They described her as a “seasoned comedian” with a “straightforward brand of humor that has commanded the stages at Cobb’s Comedy Club and SF Punchline.”

In 2018, The Daily Californian described Sureni’s “humorous quips” as featuring “an ease with performing typically uncommon for someone still fairly fresh to the game.” Study Breaks said, “Weerasekera is a firecracker: she’s exciting, unpredictable, and unafraid to speak her mind.” 

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