Mountains

2021 Winners & Finalists

2021 Yes And... Laughter Lab Winners

Asian In Public #

SJ Son & Woody Fu

Asian In Public is a sketch comedy series following SJ (Korean) and Woody (Chinese) as we Asiansplain what it’s like being last in the race conversation. It’s Key & Peele but Asian.

SJ & Woody presented their pitch for their digital sketch series ‘Asian In Public’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

Asian Women Can't Drive #

Alex Song-Xia

Asian Women Can’t Drive is a comedic film about Xixi, a queer first-gen Chinese American adult who can’t drive, and Ming, her anxious immigrant mother who insists on being her driving instructor. As daughter struggles to turn left and mother struggles to remain calm, old grievances, family secrets, and Xixi herself are all forced to come out.

Alex presented her pitch for her film ‘Asian Women Can’t Drive’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

Bendecidas y Afortunadas (Blessed and Highly Favored) #

Julieta Messmer & Marianne Amelinckx

Two spoiled immigrants come to the U.S. determined to make it in the Hollywood industry but when their destiny—and their visas—are held hostage by Immigration Services, they decide to make ends meet by taking a cash-paid job on a marijuana farm in Northern California.

Julieta & Marianne presented their pitch for their scripted series ‘Bendecidas y Afortunadas (Blessed and Highly Favored)’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

CameronTown #

Sheri Bradford

After living (and metaphorically dying) in LA for over a decade, Shannon Cameron, a millennial Black woman, returns to her conservative South Carolina hometown to start a cannabis farm on her family’s historical land.

Sheri presented her pitch for her scripted series ‘CameronTown’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

Camp #

Air Durnell & Maddie Smith

Camp is a 30-minute comedic television series about married lesbian couple, Leo and Jo Powers, who re-open their inherited gay “conversion” camp as a secret queer utopia for children who were originally sent to pray the gay away.

Air & Maddie presented their pitch for their scripted series ‘Camp’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

Getting Schooled with Chris De La Cruz #

Christopher De La Cruz

Getting Schooled, hosted by high school teacher / comedian Chris De La Cruz, is a news satire talk show that focuses on the inequities of American education and lets Gen Z audiences know that it isn’t them, but their schools that are failing. In Mr. DLC’s class, an array of comedic monologues, sketches, out-of-studio “Field Trips,” and interviews with celebrity guests and youth activists will not only entertain, but also provide young people the tools to take action and fix a broken education system. Getting Schooled is a new kind of late-night show: one that empowers you to go out and make a difference… only after making fun of your teacher’s favorite tote bag.

Chris presented his pitch for his digital series ‘Getting Schooled with Chris De La Cruz’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

Lifeline #

Meredith Casey

Lifeline is a serialized dark comedy about a depressed young woman from a dysfunctional family who has to do community service at a suicide hotline after her own suicide attempt goes hilariously wrong.

Meredith presented her pitch for her scripted series ‘Lifeline’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

Momo's Amerika #

Abdallah Nabil, Ayman Samman, & Yusef Zeidan

A jovial immigrant with a short attention span works various odd jobs to support his family while chasing the American dream as he creates his own version of America.

Abdallah, Yusef, & Ayman presented their pitch for their animated series ‘Momo’s Amerika’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

Native Comedy at the Rock #

Jackie Keliiaa

Native Comedy at the Rock is a multi-day comedy festival featuring Native comedians, sketch comedy groups and improvisers from all over Indian Country to perform on a central stage on Alcatraz Island, home of the Occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Tribes from 1969 to 1971. The festival is a celebration of Native comedy that blends humor with history, highlighting important Native activists and movements that have brought Native issues to the forefront.

Jackie presented her pitch for her comedy festival and documentary ‘Native Comedy at the Rock’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

Public School #

Kali Racquel

Benjamin Blackmon, a culturally out-of-touch, former corporate financier turned inexperienced principal gets a rude awakening when he learns he has been assigned to P.S. 13, the DMV of public schools located in the worst neighborhood in the city.

Kali presented her pitch for her scripted series ‘Public School’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

Running #

Adrianne Chalepah

A track runner has one shot at graduating from a Native American boarding school, but two annoying ghosts have other plans.

Adrianne presented her pitch for her feature film ‘Running’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Caveat in New York City on Friday, September 17.

The AzN PoP! Show #

Anna Suzuki, Iliana Inocencio, Maya Deshmukh, & Angel Yau

After being scorned by the same woke white man, four vastly different Asian-American women in their 30’s decide to form the “Dove campaign” of pop groups. A half-hour scripted comedy.

Anna, Iliana, Maya, & Angel presented their pitch for their scripted series ‘The AzN PoP! Show’ at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab showcase at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 30.

2021 Yes And... Laughter Lab Finalists

Congressgirl #

Arianna Afsar, Sigi Ravet, & Emily Jenda

What is it actually like to run for Congress as a 30-something without political experience or a fat checkbook? Congressgirl, a single-camera comedy, follows former Miss America Chloe Jones (Candidate) and her Israeli-Immigrant type-A best friend Nachshon Sharoti (Chief of Staff) on their journey to running for Congress without super-PAC support, financial means, or political ties. This bi-racial candidate and no-filter activist duo make for quite the interesting and hilarious pair to take on Alabama.

Daddy Issues #

Shannon Hardy & Ariel Sayegh

Charlie Murphy (15) is determined to clean-up her trashy bad girl reputation by throwing a posh 16th birthday party. But when her dad, Pat (40s), comes home after ten years in prison for organized crime, they must work past her “daddy issues” to keep the sweet sixteen – and family – from falling apart.

Fabulous Friday #

Mark Steinbach & Zach Zimmerman

When Michael, a 38-year old, gay Chipotle marketing exec, and Sam, a Gen Z, NYU dropout, non-binary drag artist get invited to a mysterious party on Fire Island, the brick that Marsha P. Johnson threw at Stonewall magically causes them to swap bodies on the Friday of Pride. With their lives on the line, can a neoliberal, baby-craving capitalist and a progressive, screw-the-system socialist come to understand each other – or will they forever be trapped in the other’s body thanks to one Fabulous Friday?

Joonam #

Lili Michelle Koohestani

Joonam follows a young Iranian-Muslim girl, Lili, struggling to balance her culture and independence as she moves in with her very traditional grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Neon Sweet #

Joseph Lymous

Three Black thieves turned lawyers own a bakery which serves as headquarters for their legion of “undercover investigators” who seek reparations for acts of appropriation.

Not For Profit #

Ali Abbas & Iman Saleh

Not for Profit is a workplace comedy about a group of Arab American women working at nonprofit in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ro & Shirelle #

D’Lo, Shakina Nayfack, & Adelina Anthony

Ro and Shirelle have been besties since high school, before either of them came out as trans. But when they reconnect for a California road trip to their 15-year high school reunion, secrets from the past and an unspoken competition for “most successful transition” threaten to spoil their plans to impress old classmates. Like Romy & Michelle meets Harold & Kumar but instead, this trans, queer, interracial buddy comedy tests the staying power of chosen family.

Shuttlecock #

Tapan Sharma

A pre-med, Indian-American rideshare driver (triple non-threat) gets caught in a dangerous fraternity-sorority rivalry which turns out to be a war on the whole Greek system.

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