Masks are encouraged and appreciated, but not mandatory for this event.
They say it takes all kinds, but which is superior—the fantastical or the practical? In this debate, purveyors of the impossible square off against the automatons of production.
This installment features Robin Gelfenbien (Yum’s the Word), Josh Gondelman (Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!), Abby Govindan (How to Embarrass Your Immigrant Parents), Yoni Lotan (Russian Doll), Shalewa Sharpe (HBO's 2 Dope Queens), and Ikechukwu Ufomadu (Words with Ike).
The popular comedy debate series invites two teams of funny folks from the worlds of stand-up and late-night television to tackle topics of great importance to pop culture, such as which pet is superior--cats or dogs--and is it better to be comfortable or fashionable? The verbal sparring and all-around absurdity only stop when the audience decides the winner. Hosted by Matthew Love.
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Past Performers include Elna Baker, Maria Bamford, Michael Ian Black, Guy Branum, Wyatt Cenac, Ronny Chieng, Jo Firestone, John Fugelsang, Janeane Garofalo, Jon Glaser, Ilana Glazer, Josh Gondelman, Dave Hill, Maeve Higgins, Mehran Khaghani, Julie Klausner, Hasan Minhaj, Aparna Nancherla, Kristen Schaal, Baratunde Thurston, Kevin Townley, Michael Showalter, Dan Soder, Bowen Yang, Sasheer Zamata, and many more.
Due to a scheduling conflict, Ian Fidance, Dave Hill, and Aparna Nancherla will no longer be appearing at this event.
Performers are subject to change.
Ian Fidance is a regular performer at the Comedy Cellar and currently co-hosts the Bein' Ian podcast. He has appeared on screen in The Last O.G., Late Night with Seth Meyers, and This Week at the Comedy Cellar, and been featured on podcasts including This American Life, You Up? with Nikki Glaser, Sopranos Prima Volta, Bi Guys Podcast, and more. He will appear in the forthcoming film Bring on the Damned!
Robin Gelfenbien is the host and creator of the critically-acclaimed storytelling show and podcast Yum's the Word, which has been named a New York Times Critic's Pick and Time Out New York Critic's Pick. A three-time Moth Story Slam winner, Gelfelbien has performed on shows and podcasts like RISK! and Mortified, among others. She is also the creator of the solo show My Salvation Has a First Name (A Wienermobile Journey).
Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian. He earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards for his work on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and has also written and produced Desus & Mero. He is the author of the essay collection Nice Try, and his writing has appeared in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, New York Magazine, and The New Yorker. Gondelman currently hosts the podcast Make My Day and appears as a regular panelist on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! His comedy special People Pleaser debuted earlier this year.
Abby Govindan is the creator of the critically acclaimed solo standup show How to Embarrass Your Immigrant Parents. She made her comedy debut at Caroline's on Broadway and has since performed at venues nationwide, both as a headliner and as an opener for comedic heavyweights Hasan Minhaj, Daniel Sloss, and Russell Peters. Govindan has recently performed at Caveat, The Bell House, Broadway Comedy Club, and the New York Comedy Fest.
Yoni Lotan is an actor, writer, and filmmaker. An alumnus of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, he regularly performs live stand-up across New York. His screen credits include High Maintenance, Chris Gethard Presents, Russian Doll, and the forthcoming Unlimited Squirrels. Lotan wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed short film NYC Tips and Tricks, which was named a Vimeo Staff Pick and won the Special Jury Award: Narrative at the 2022 Indie Street Film Festival.
Shalewa Sharpe is a Brooklyn-based comedian who developed her sly yet goofy style in Atlanta. She has appeared on HBO’s 2 Dope Queens and Comedy Central’s The New Negroes. In 2019 she appeared in John Cameron Mitchell's musical podcast Anthem: Homunculus and was named one of Vulture’s Comics To Watch. Sharpe is the creator of the one-woman show Don't Reach in the Bag, and she has two albums of jokes: Stay Eating Cookies (2016) and So You Just Out Here? (2019). She currently co-hosts the weekly podcast The War Report with Gastor and Shalewa.
Ikechukwu Ufomadu is an actor, comedian, and entertainer whose credits include The Special Without Brett Davis, Joe Pera Talks with You, Patriot Act, Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News, ZIWE, Los Espookys, and the Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah. On stage, he won the Drama Desk Award for his work in Clare Barron's Dance Nation, and he has created original pieces of theater, comedy, and performance for venues nationwide. Ufomandu co-wrote and starred in the film Inspector Ike, winner of the Jury Prize at the New Orleans Film Festival, and the short form series Words with Ike, for which he was honored with an Emmy nomination.
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