YALL Comedy Fest announced its opening night show in the 2026 festival lineup: Late Night is (Not) Dead: A Comedy Extravaganza. Late Night is (Not) Dead is a variety-comedy show written & hosted by Moujan Zolfaghari (HBO’s Last Week Tonight), Sasha Stewart (Hulu’s Dying For Sex) and Jill Twiss (CNN’s Have I Got News For You), all alums of the Yes, And… Laughter Lab fellowship program.
Late Night is (Not) Dead will showcase rejected (and risky) sketches, monologue jokes, special guest interviews gone wild, and digital shorts that never got made…. until now.
The show features guest appearances from veteran late-night writers and comedians who will be presenting original comedy sketches and performances. Audiences will enjoy acts from Zhubin Parang (Comedy Central’s The Daily Show), Natasha Vaynblat (NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon), Liz Hynes (HBO’s Last Week Tonight), Josh Gondelman (Showtime’s Desus & Mero), Michael Cruz Kayne (CBS’ Tonight Show With Stephen Colbert), Sal Gentile (NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers), Taylor Kay Phillips (HBO’s Last Week Tonight), Felipe Torres Medina (CBS’ Tonight Show With Stephen Colbert), Julia Young (Showtime’s Desus & Mero), Dan Chamberlain (CNN’s Have I Got News For You), and more.
Following the performance, the cast and writers will sit down for a candid conversation with YALL Co-Founder Caty Borum about the state of late-night programs, the First Amendment, the evolving humor and satire writing landscape, and the nuances of creating comedy in complex times.
The show is part late-night lampoon, part love letter to the beloved format, and one-hundred percent hilarious. Be there to see this one- night-only comedy extravaganza!
Tickets to Late Night is (Not) Dead: A Comedy Extravaganza are on sale now for $25. Audiences can choose to buy individual tickets or festival passes for the full festival or just a day. Visit yallcomedyfest.com to make a purchase.
YALL Comedy Fest is the first and only comedy festival that celebrates the power of humor to change the world. Showcasing a diverse community of Yes, And…Laughter Lab creators, YALL Comedy Fest spotlights the best comedy writers and performers who take on social justice issues while making us laugh. From pitches to table reads to stand-up, sketches, and more, YALL Comedy Fest is the place to discover some of the most talented creators in the industry for three days of next-level comedy.
Yes, And… Laughter Lab is a competitive incubation lab, pitch program and showcase that uplifts the best comedy writers and performers creating new comedy about topics that matter. Follow Yes, And… Laughter Lab on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter/X at @YALLcomedy.
The Yes, And… Laughter Lab is generously supported by Doris Duke Foundation’s Building Bridges Program, MacArthur Foundation, Pop Culture Collaborative, Open Society Foundations, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
