The Netflix Is a Joke Festival is all about getting the biggest laughs — and highlighting the comedians shaping what’s next. Enter The Shortlist, a new showcase spotlighting nationally touring comics already earning acclaim and building momentum across the comedy world.
These are not newcomers, but rising voices on the cusp of their next chapter — including the kind of talent you’ll soon see headlining their own hours. Guided by a vision to invest in rising stars, Netflix casting and content executives across standup, film, series and animation helped shape the show’s concept and assisted in selecting the lineup, which includes Comedian CP, Ethan Simmons-Patterson, Gabby Bryan, Lucas Zelnick, Maddie Wiener, Opey Olagbaju, Peter Revello, Shapel Lacey, Sophie Buddle, and Zach Noe Towers.
Keep reading to get to know more about the featured comedians.
Comedian CP (Chris Powell) is a writer and performer whose comedy special Sunday After Six debuted in 2025 and was most recently on the staff of the second season of Diarra from Detroit. Follow Comedian CP on Instagram here.
Ethan Simmons-Patterson is a stand-up comedian who has been featured on Comedy Central and is a regular at The Comedy Cellar. Follow Ethan on Instagram here.
Gabby Bryan is a New York-based stand-up comedian, actress, podcaster, and Emmy-winning producer currently performing across the US and UK to sold-out crowds with her tour Gabby Bryan is My Best Friend. Follow Gabby on Instagram here.
Lucas Zelnick is a stand-up comedian born, raised, and based in New York City, who has been featured on Comedy Central and in films including Regulars, Fade to Black, and Pizza Movie. Follow Lucas Zelnick on Instagram here.
Maddie Wiener is a stand-up comedian who made her Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon debut last year on NBC and has filmed stand-up sets for Comedy Central and Don’t Tell Comedy. Follow Maddie on Instagram here.
Opey Olagbaju is a Los Angeles–based stand-up comedian who’s been recognized by Vulture as one of the “Comics You Should and Will Know” and has writing credits on series including HBO Max’s Bob Hearts Abishola. Follow Opey on Instagram here.
Peter Revello is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer based in New York who made his late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has appeared on CBS’s Comics Unleashed. Follow Peter on Instagram here.
Shapel Lacey is a Los Angeles–based stand-up comedian who performs regularly at the Comedy Store and co-hosts a YouTube series called Cooked in the Comments. Follow Shapel on Instagram here.
Sophie Buddle is a stand-up comedian, TV writer, and podcaster who served as the head monologue writer for CBS’s After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson and has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS, and CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Follow Sophie on Instagram here.
Zach Noe Towers is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, and writer who appeared on Netflix’s Dear White People or as one of the hosts of E!’s Nightly Pop and Dating #NoFilter. Follow Zach on Instagram here.
The Shortlist showcase will take place on Monday, May 4, with two shows taking place at 6:00 p..m. and 8:30 p.m. at The Comedy Store, one of 25 venues across Los Angeles where festival events are happening. Each set will be recorded and released on Netflix Is a Joke and the talent's social channels, so if you can make it in person, you can still get in some good giggles.
The Netflix Is a Joke Festival is a week-long comedy extravaganza — produced by Netflix in partnership with Live Nation. This year, the festival will feature over 350 live events, including stand-up performances, variety shows, comedy podcasts, tapings, exclusive events, and screenings.
For more details on the silly spectacular, including how to get tickets, check out our everything-you-need-to-know guide and visit www.NetflixIsAJokeFest.com.
