2025 SXSW Comedy Festival Lineup Announced

Announcing the full Comedy Festival lineup for SXSW 2025! From March 7-10, SXSW Comedy highlights some of today’s most compelling comedic voices, featuring standup showcases, improv, conversations, live podcast recordings, and more.

Since 2008, the SXSW Comedy Festival has hosted hundreds of acclaimed comedians and performers from all corners of the entertainment industry. The festival connects today’s most influential comedy minds and the next wave of groundbreaking comedic talent with icons from the world of film and television, creating a comedy festival unlike any other.

“SXSW hosts countless filmmakers, TV showrunners, and journalists, making SXSW Comedy rather unique among comedy festivals. It’s been a joy to watch so many comedians meet people at this festival who go on to change their lives with projects that live well beyond our stage,” said Charlie Sotelo, Head of the SXSW Comedy Festival. “Watching that ripple effect has been both humbling and deeply satisfying. It’s been a privilege to be a part of it.”

All SXSW registrants (Platinum, Interactive, Music, and Film &TV) are welcome at all SXSW Comedy events.

2025 SXSW Comedy Festival Participants

Alex English • Anthony Atamanuik • Aparna Nancherla • Bonnie McFarlane • Brian Simpson • Caitlin Peluffo • Chad Damiani • Christina Catherine Martinez • Doug Benson • Drew Dunn • Godfrey • Greer Barnes • Ian Lara • James Adomian • Jay Jurden • Joe DeRosa • Katherine Blanford • Kristen Toomey • Laura Peek • Lauren Lapkus • Lisa Gilroy • Lynne Koplitz • Maddie Wiener • Matt Besser • Megan Gailey • Melissa Villaseñor • Natalie Palamides • Nick Thune • Nico Carney • Opey Olagbaju • Pete Lee • Punkie Johnson • Reggie Conquest • Rich Vos • Sam Jay • Scott Aukerman • Sean Patton • Stuart Goldsmith • T.J. Miller

Surprise Guests and More

​​ 2025 SXSW Comedy Festival Special Programs Featuring: An Evening at the Hollywood Improv • Bonnie McFarlane: None of This Is Real • The Comedian’s Comedian • Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast • Don’t Tell Comedy All-Stars • Doug Loves Movies • ELON MUSK: DISRUPT DEMOCRACY... LOL • Elysian Nights ATX • Gotham Comedy Club Presents • improv4humans • W. Kamau Bell: Who’s With Me? • Southwest Skankfest • Stand Up and Clown • The Stand Presents WITZ Live at SXSW • The Street Meat: A Comedic Celebration of Food Trucks, Grease Pits, and Sandwich Shops • Upright Citizens Brigade's ASSSSCAT • Would You Bang Him?

Master impressionist and comedy unicorn James Adomian kicks off the festival with his annual comedy keynote, this time in ELON MUSK: DISRUPT DEMOCRACY... LOL. Elon* and his co-conspirators seize the SXSW stage to figure out what’s wrong with everything—and fix it with chainsaw-like efficiency. *James Adomian, definitely NOT the real Elon

In keeping with tradition, SXSW Comedy welcomes back festival favorites—cornerstone shows that have played a key role in shaping our annual celebration of comedy.

Scott Aukerman returns with his hit improv show Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast with Lauren Lapkus and a surprise cast of characters. Aukerman is a defining figure in both podcasting and the “alt-comedy” movement, fostering one of the most influential comedy scenes of our generation. Aukerman’s curatorial genius laid the foundation for what became SXSW Comedy. We’re proud to have this long-time festival pillar back on the Esther’s Follies stage for one more go-around.

Known for his signature curious and insightful style, Stuart Goldsmith returns with live editions of his hit UK podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian. Goldsmith delves into the nuts and bolts of the comedic process with Scott Aukerman, Pete Lee, and Aparna Nancherla.

Doug Benson is back with some friends to record Doug Loves Movies, his hit audience-interactive game show podcast, beloved by loyal comedy and film fans alike.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (UCB) cofounder and improv legend, Matt Besser, brings back his cult-favorite podcast and long-time festival mainstay, improv4humans. An incubator to some of the most revered television comedy talent of the past few decades, UCB continues its legacy at SXSW. Besser helms UCB’s longest-running show, ASSSSCAT, where true tales from celebrity guests inspire scenes from some of today’s most skilled improvisers including Lisa Gilroy, Anthony Atamanuik, and more.

SXSW Comedy is excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of LA's legendary Hollywood Improv. The storied club with its iconic brick wall returns with Melissa Villaseñor and other club favorites for An Evening at the Hollywood Improv. New York City institution Gotham Comedy Club upholds its legacy of showcasing the city’s funniest talent as one of the festival’s longtime collaborators with Gotham Comedy Club Presents, featuring Brian Simpson and others.

Viral sensation Don’t Tell Comedy presents its first-ever roster of Don’t Tell Comedy All-Stars. Known for its secret comedy shows, popular YouTube channel, and expertly-curated lineups, Don’t Tell Comedy has become a launchpad for emerging talent.

The Elysian Theater, the center of LA's burgeoning clown movement, brings its flavor of experimental, outrageous performances to this year’s comedy fest. Elysian Nights ATX is a variety show featuring Aparna Nancherla, Natalie Palamides, and other special talents who are at the heart of this cutting-edge theater.

Comedy festival Skankfest and SXSW team up to bring you the festival mashup showcase, Southwest Skankfest. Skankfest has created a playground for loyal superfans and their favorite comics, inspired by the unique community built in the early days of comedy club, The Creek and The Cave.

What happens when standups can’t rely on their material to win over an audience? A staple of The Elysian, Stand Up and Clown stars ruthless clown master Chad Damiani as he live-directs polished standups through their first clown show, pushing them to embrace their dumbest instincts in front of a live audience.

The Street Meat: A Comedic Celebration of Food Trucks, Grease Pits, and Sandwich Shops is hosted by Joe DeRosa, comedian and proprietor of NYC sandwich shop Joey Roses. DeRosa talks about food with creators of some of the country’s greatest common cuisine… and a comic or two.

Acclaimed NYC comedy club, The Stand, produces a slate of live tapings at this year’s festival. Comedian and writer Bonnie McFarlane comes to SXSW for her first independently filmed standup special, None of This Is Real. McFarlane joins husband Rich Vos to host Would You Bang Him?, a comedy game show where female judges determine whether a lineup of male comedians measures up to the show's name. T.J. Miller, Sam Jay, and other club favorites take the stage for The Stand Presents WITZ Live at SXSW.

Join Us

Get ready for stand-up showcases, improv, conversations, live podcast recordings, and much more during the SXSW Comedy Festival. Register today to save off the March walk-up rate and experience all of the stellar programming at the 2025 SXSW Conference & Festivals.

The post 2025 SXSW Comedy Festival Lineup Announced appeared first on SXSW.