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Tag: Entertainment – Variety

  • ‘The Office’ U.K. Star Lucy Davis Reveals ‘Incurable’ Cancer Diagnosis: It’s ‘Too Late for Chemo’ and ‘I’m Not Scared of Whatever Comes Next’

    ‘The Office’ U.K. Star Lucy Davis Reveals ‘Incurable’ Cancer Diagnosis: It’s ‘Too Late for Chemo’ and ‘I’m Not Scared of Whatever Comes Next’

    Lucy Davis, best known for playing receptionist Dawn Tinsley in the original U.K. edition of “The Office,” has revealed that she has terminal cancer.

    Writing on Instagram, Davis said she was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer a year and a half ago after discovering a lump on her breast. The cancer had “metastasized to my bones,” she said, specifically her spine, right hip, and ribs, and was “incurable, and too late for chemo.”

    “As of now, I’m trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there’s a lot I have learned from it, and I’m grateful for that,” she wrote.

    “The thing that has been most vital to me is humour. I asked my friends and family to make fun of me as much as possible (which they’re really good at), and most importantly of all to not treat me like a sick person. There’s nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you’re unwell.”

    Davis, who also appeared in cult British comedy “Sean of the Dead” and later 2017’s “Wonder Woman” added: “I’m not scared of whatever comes next. I’m at peace with it.”

    As the under-appreciated Wernham Hogg receptionist Dawn in “The Office,” Davis — the daughter of British comedian Jasper Carrot — became a fan favourite on the show, particularly for her slow-burn relationship with Martin Freeman’s Tim. After two seasons of flirting and near-misses, the two wound up having a happy ending together in the Christmas special finale. Dawn would later become the basis for Jenna Fischer’s Pam Beesly in the U.S. version.

    “I still would like to keep working. I’m perfectly able to do so, and acting is one of the biggest joys in my life,” Davis added in her Instagram post. “For those of you on a similar journey to mine, I do wish you well. Cancer asks a lot from us, physically and mentally. And we all get to do it however we choose.”

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  • Kris Bowers Set to Compose Netflix Animated Feature ‘Steps’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    Emmy-nominated composer Kris Bowers is set to score Netflix’s upcoming animated comedy “Steps.”

    The score was recorded in July and August at London’s Abbey Road Studios.

    Slated for release on Nov. 20, “Steps” marks the first film to be fully animated in-house within Netflix Animation Studios.

    Bowers said, “I was excited about the possibility of being on ‘Steps’ from the very first conversation I had with Alyce Tzue and John Ripa. This story is incredibly written, incredibly acted, and incredibly animated. I feel so many layered emotions when I watch this film, and I’m just hoping that my music can speak to those feelings.”

    “When I was a kid, the thing that made me fall in love with film music was when I could listen to the score and almost remember the entire film. And my aim always, especially with a film like ‘Steps,’ is that someone can listen to the score by itself and remember the entire journey they felt while watching.”

    Directed by Alyce Tzue and John Ripa, “Steps” puts a twist on the story of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters. The animated film follows Lilith (Ali Wong), who is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand. She accidentally turns her sister, Margot (Stephanie Hsu), into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella (Amanda Seyfried) — and a surprisingly dreamy troll — to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairytale and prove that even so-called “villains” deserve a shot at happily-ever-after. Bette Midler rounds out the starry ensemble, voicing the the fairy godmother.

    As previously announced, Daniel Radcliffe will voice the royal role in Netflix’s upcoming animated feature, “Steps.“ Also joining the cast are Young Mazino as Gef, “The Heartthrob,” and Peter Dinklage as Roderick, “The Muscle.”

    Tzue said, “Kris has been a dream collaborator for us on ‘Steps.’ He’s not only extremely talented, he’s always open to new ideas. It’s always ‘yes, and,’ and our wonderful score is the result of his generous collaboration and fierce, creative vision.” She added, “Kris has this unique talent of being able to get into the heads and hearts of our characters. When he plays piano, it’s like he draws a string from what he’s feeling through the instrument to his audience. Similarly, when he composes score, he draws a string of emotion from the characters behind the screen, through the screen, to the people watching. It’s raw and unfiltered, and it’s very special.”

    Tzue previously shared more details about the film saying, “This story is, at its core, about two very different sisters — one who fits perfectly into this fairy tale kingdom and one who doesn’t — realizing they’re more alike than different.” It’s a personal tale for Tzue who added, “Growing up as an awkward, artsy Taiwanese kid in suburban New Jersey, I often felt like an outsider, like ‘happily ever after’ wasn’t meant for me. I wanted to create a film for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong — and show how a single act of kindness can change everything.”

    Ripa added, “When we first met Kris, he talked about his process — how when he sits down at the piano to explore the characters and themes, it’s the deep emotions of the characters that drive what comes out. It’s intuitive, honest, and raw. He thinks about music in ways that become essential to each character’s voice. We knew instantly that he was the right composer for ‘Steps.’”

  • Jessica Reynolds and Charlotte Rampling to Star in Opera Drama ‘Maya Butterfly’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    Jessica Reynolds and Charlotte Rampling to Star in Opera Drama ‘Maya Butterfly’ (EXCLUSIVE)

    Fast-rising star Jessica Reynolds (“Kneecap,” “A Woman of Substance”) and Oscar-nominated screen icon Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Under the Sand”) are teaming up for Irish psychological drama “Maya Butterfly,” set in the world of opera and described as “Tár” meets “Sound of Metal.”

    The project, which comes from Hail Mary Pictures and has been acquired by Wildcard for U.K and Irish distribution rights, marks the directorial feature debut of award-winning Irish opera director Edwina Casey. Principal photography is now underway, with filming to take place on location in the National Opera House in Wexford and Belfast.

    “Maya Butterfly” tells the story of a rising soprano who is secretly losing her hearing and must fight to survive the opening week of a radical opera production, until the truth threatens to destroy both her career and her identity.

    “I am honoured to be realising this film with two immensely talented artists: Jessica Reynolds and Charlotte Rampling,” said Casey, a former Bingham Ray New Talent Award winner whose work spans international opera, film and commercial directing. “Told in the first-person perspective, ‘Maya Butterfly will be a sensory experience of one singer’s destructive process during the most important week of her career. Through its combination of musical theatrics and character-led storytelling, it will be a testament to my love of modern, inclusive, cinema and I am sincerely grateful to Screen Ireland for the continued support.”

    The film is produced by Conor Barry (“The End”) and Richard Bolger (“Father Mother Sister Brother”) for Hail Mary Pictures, with funding from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Yellowmoon. Patrick O’Neill (Wildcard), Paul Kennedy (Village Films) and Bernard Michaux (SAMSA Film) also serve as producers. Executive producers are Atilla Salih Yücer, Ronan Flynn, Gillian Cooper and Greg Martin.

    “We are thrilled to be working with Edwina on ‘Maya Butterfly,’” said O’Neil. “It’s an incredible story, and set to be an ambitious, thrilling, and emotional film made for the big screen. It’s always exciting to work on a unique film, something audiences have not seen before, and We cannot wait to bring the film to cinemas next year.”

    Behind the camera, the creative team includes production designer Ruta Kiskyte (“Sing Sing”), director of photography Piers McGrail (“Saipan”), costume designer Saffron Cullane (“Censor”), casting director Áine O’Sullivan (“Blue Moon”) and line producer Michael Donnelly V (“Dublin Oldschool”).

    “Maya Butterfly” was selected for the Torino Film Lab and the Venice Gap-Financing Market, and was developed with the support of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, including the Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Luxembourg Film Fund Co-Development Fund for Female and Non-Binary Filmmakers.

  • Dave Matthews Band Announces 2026 Fall Tour Dates

    The Dave Matthews Band has announced its 2026 Fall Tour, which will kick off on November 4 at Kohl Center in Madison, WI. The U.S. headline run will include shows at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, United Center in Chicago, CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, and Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, concluding with a two-night-stand at Madison Square Garden.

    General on-sale for tickets begins on Friday, August 21, at 10 AM (local venue time).

    The band will resume its summer tour on August 28 with the first of two shows at Fiddler’s Green in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The extensive outing will conclude with Dave Matthews Band’s traditional Labor Day weekend residency at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA. The supporting acts for the weekend will be Infinity Song and Stephen Wilson Jr. (Friday), Jonah Kagen and Watchhouse (Saturday) and Sierra Hull and Jesse Welles (Sunday).

    Named as a U.N. Environment Goodwill Ambassador in 2019, Dave Matthews Band has a long history of reducing its environmental footprint, going back to its first shows in 1991. This fall, the band will continue its partnership with Live Nation venues to further minimize the environmental footprint of its tour. 2026 marks the third year of the “On The Road To Zero Waste Tour,” which achieved a milestone of over 90% of fan-generated waste at Live Nation venues composted, recycled or donated in previous years. Dave Matthews Band will once again join forces with environmental nonprofit Reverb, celebrating 21 years of partnership focused on making the music industry more sustainable and fan-driven action more measurable.

    In 2026, Dave Matthews Band continues its long‑standing support of The Nature Conservancy’s global reforestation efforts. Seven years strong, this work is rooted in a simple belief that healthy forests help create a healthier planet. With this year’s tour, the band will have planted a total of 7 million trees by the end of 2026. These trees help rebuild critical forests that clean our air and water, provide habitat for wildlife, and support a more stable climate for future generations. Learn more about this work with The Nature Conservancy at dmbtrees.org.

    DAVE MATTHEWS BAND FALL 2026 U.S. TOUR DATES

    11/4               Madison, WI                        Kohl Center

    11/6               Nashville, TN                       Bridgestone Arena

    11/7               Chicago, IL                          United Center

    11/9               Providence, RI                     Amica Mutual Pavilion

    11/10             Baltimore, MD                     CFG Bank Arena

    11/12             New York, NY                      Madison Square Garden Arena

    11/13             New York, NY                      Madison Square Garden Arena

  • WNBA Trailblazer Sheryl Swoopes on How Roku’s ‘Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete’ Documentary Spotlights That Balancing Act

    WNBA Trailblazer Sheryl Swoopes on How Roku’s ‘Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete’ Documentary Spotlights That Balancing Act

    The Roku Originals documentary, “Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete,” made its world premiere at the 24th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) on Sunday afternoon. The intimate film is part of Roku’s “Gamechangers” series and follows WNBA stars Sheryl Swoopes, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Bria Hartley, Natalie Achonwa and Allison Feaster as they reflect on the joys and challenges of navigating pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood as professional athletes. 

    “I think as viewers, as a public, we often see our athletes as heroes. They’re also human beings, and they’re dealing with a lot of the same day-to-day issues that we deal with,” director Christine Turner told me during a Q&A following the screening. As a storyteller and as a filmmaker generally, it’s always my hope and my goal to tell the stories of complex, multifaceted, multidimensional individuals. It’s important because everyone out there needs to see and understand that.”

    Swoopes, who was the first woman to sign on to play in the WNBA during its inaugural season in 1997, got pregnant just ahead of the league’s first year. In the documentary, she reflects on how terrified she was to share her pregnancy with her team and with the public.

    “There was a part of me that was like, ‘Everybody is counting on me. There’s no way I can get pregnant right now,’” Swoopes said. “At the same time, I have to say it wasn’t my plan, but it was done. And so that’s what I took from that. And listen, I just tried to do the best that I could do.”

    It’s been nearly 30 years since the WNBA was established — funded by the NBA. However, in “Gamechanges: Mother/Athlete,” Swoopes and the rest of the players discuss the lack of resources, particularly regarding their maternal welfare. For nearly three decades, it’s been up to these women to figure out their schedules, finances and everything in between during their pregnancies and thereafter with little guidance or support from the organization. The WNBA did not offer fully paid maternity leave until 2018.

    “I hope people come away with a greater appreciation of what Sheryl and so many other women in the league have done and gone through,” Turner said. “It’s incredibly hard, and it’s admirable and inspiring. I hope we get a better window into the issues women in the league and professional sports are facing. And then I hope that audiences can also just relate to something of themselves or their partner or their loved ones, their mothers or whatever.”

    Motherhood and career are always going to be a balancing act, but it certainly can be done. For Swoopes, it’s all about embracing everything that comes with it.

    “So many times, though, we get caught up in everything else going on around us that we don’t stop to concentrate and focus on ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, all these things,” Swoopes said. “The first thing I would say is make sure you’re taking care of you before you take that next step. But the other part of that is, for myself, I didn’t plan. It just happened. And when it happened, I embraced it after I had to do all the other things. I would just say make sure you’re ready when it happens. And never question whether the decision you made was right or wrong. You live with that decision, and you make the most of it.”

    “Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete” will stream free on The Roku Channel this fall.

  • Marina Signs With UTA in All Areas (EXCLUSIVE)

    British singer-songwriter and pop diva Marina (formerly Marina and the Diamonds) has signed with United Talent Agency for global representation in all areas, encompassing touring, media, filmed entertainment, brand partnerships, and more.

    The signing comes as the Welsh-Greek singer is slated to wrap her 40-plus-date “Princess of Power” tour, in support of the album of the same name, about which Variety wrote, “She’s maintained a steady presence over the years, but her new album, ‘Princess of Power,’ is something very different — a sound and image redefinition and revitalization that seems defined by a lyric from the title track that goes ‘I’ve been living life locked up in tower/ But now I’m blooming like a flower.’ The album is filled with deliciously pulsating electronic rhythms and hilarious and risque lyrics that contrast startlingly with her intentionally mannered, arch singing style, which can vault suddenly into a sky-scraping soprano.” The album marked her first release as an independent artist via her own label Queenie Records in partnership with BMG.

    The tour included dates at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Alexandra Palace in London, two shows at the Pepsi Center in Mexico City, as well as the Coachella, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Outside Lands, Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo festivals. 

    Marina launched her career in 2009 and saw major chart success in the U.K., with 2012’s “Electra Heart” debuting at No. 1 and “Froot” and “Love + Fear” both making the top 10.

    Marina is represented by Janelle Lopez Genzink, Bianca Nour, and Merce Jessor at Volara Management.

  • Netflix Teen Thriller ‘The Body’ Sets November Release Date, Drops First Look Photos (TV News Roundup)

    Netflix Teen Thriller ‘The Body’ Sets November Release Date, Drops First Look Photos (TV News Roundup)

    Netflix has officially set the release date for “The Body,” which draws inspiration from ‘90s and Y2K teen movies such as “Carrie” and “Jennifer’s Body.”

    Created by Quinn Shephard, a group of unholy Catholic school girls start to have prophecy-like visions that send their town into a panic after a dance-team initiation takes a turn for the worse. 

    The eight-episode series will release on the streaming platform Nov. 11 with Kristina Bogic (“Playing Gracie Darling”) as Anya Butler, Sara Boustany (“PEN15”) as Elise Zakaria, Geena Meszaros (“The Order”) as Lisbeth Anderson, Nnamdi Asomugha (“The Knife”) as Father Franklin, Louisa Krause (“King Kelly”) as Maddie Delaney, Jackson Kelly (“The Pitt”) as Leo Anderson and Sofia Wylie (“The Map That Leads To You”) as Grace Franklin. 

    Recurring cast members include Kyra Pierce, Phallon Pierce, Marcel Ruiz, Orlando Norman, Gabby Windey, Ashley Madekwe, Motell Foster, Cale Ambrozic, Anna Tierney, Chloe Longname, Sarah Abbott, Emily Roman, Michela Luci, Bella Neuspiel, Julia Lowe and Christine Solomon. 

    Shephard also serves as showrunner and director. Executive producing are Peter Chernin, Amy Israel and Josh Stern for North Road; Riley Keough, Gina Gammell and Sacha Ben Harroche for Felix Culpa; and Blair Breard.

    See first like photos below.

    Courtesy of Netflix

    Courtesy of Netflix

    Courtesy of Netflix

    Courtesy of Netflix

    CASTING

    Netflix has announced new additions to the cast of “The Sticks,” the official title for the hockey series created by Nick Naveda. 

    Series regulars include Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”) as Coach Brody Hansen, Logan Marshall-Green (“Marshals”) as Coach Sully and Alex MacIsaac (“The Social Reckoning”) as Emma Boone. 

    The newly announced recurring characters features Bryan Greenberg (“Emily in Paris”) as Cliff Barnes, Chelsea Field (“NCIS: New Orleans”) as Alice Hansen, Patrick Gallagher (“Big Sky”) as Principal Montgomery, Alison Araya (“Riverdale”) as Joan Garcia, Aman Smardon (“Allegiance”) as Kai Becker, Krista Bridges (“Narc”) as Frankie Ryder and Ben Cotton “(The Night Agent”) as Mr. Marchbanks. 

    After a tragedy rocks a small hockey town in Minnesota, “a grieving wife steps behind the bench of the team her husband built, guiding a found family of wounded young athletes through a season of loss, love and rivalry that will decide whether South Dorothy has anything left to believe in, and who will lead it into its next chapter,” per the series logline.

    “Sticks” will premiere on Netflix in 2027, with Naveda executive producing alongside showrunner Bridget Bedard and director Trey Edward Shults. Additional executive producers include Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Robert Atwood for 21 Laps.

    The eight-episode series previously announced cast members Michelle Monaghan as Harper Sullivan, Emilie Bierre as Riley Sullivan, Shari Chase as Henry Sullivan, Josh MacQueen as Rhett Nelson, Costa D’Angelo as Owen Boone, Carter Shimp as Austin Ryder, Ethan Holder as Cooper Cunningham, Isaac Arellanes as Manny Rodriguez, Chloe Avakian as Izzy Miller, Caleb Baumann as Elu, River Codack as Tyler Walker, Angus Albinati as Jack McGrath and Callum Orchison as Derek Marchbanks. 

    See behind-the-scenes photos below. 

    Courtesy of Netflix 2026 ©

    Courtesy of Netflix 2026 ©

    Courtesy of Netflix 2026 ©

  • Ari Emanuel’s Mari Acquires ATG Entertainment, Theater Owner Behind ‘Wicked’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Productions

    Ari Emanuel’s Mari Acquires ATG Entertainment, Theater Owner Behind ‘Wicked’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Productions

    Mari, Ari Emanuel‘s new global events and experiences company, has agreed to acquire theater giant ATG Entertainment from Providence Equity Partners.

    ATG operates a total of 70 venues across the U.K., U.S., Germany and Spain, including 10 on London’s West End and seven on Broadway. Its theaters have hosted landmark productions including “Wicked,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and “The Lion King.”

    Though financial details of the deal were not disclosed, the Wall Street Journal reported that it’s worth $6 billion. The acquisition will be subject to regulatory approval and the two companies will operate independently until then.

    “I’ve spent my whole career in entertainment, and I started out in theater,” Emanuel said in a statement. “I’ve seen the industry reinvent itself many times, but live has only grown more powerful. Nothing connects great talent with audiences more directly. ATG has built one of the world’s great theater businesses around that experience. This is a long-term bet on where live goes next.”

    Added Melanie Smith, global CEO of ATG Entertainment: “Mari understands live entertainment and what matters most to ATG: our theaters, the people behind them and the relationships we have built with producers, artists and audiences. That makes Mari the right home for our next chapter. We look forward to this new era and thank Providence for their unwavering support over the past 13 years.”

    More to come…

  • Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ Spends 17th Week at No. 1, Now Solely Holds Fourth Place Spot Among All-Time Hot 100 Streaks

    Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ Spends 17th Week at No. 1, Now Solely Holds Fourth Place Spot Among All-Time Hot 100 Streaks

    Ella Langley‘s “Choosin’ Texas” is unquestionably the biggest hit single of the year, and all that’s left to decide is where the seemingly unstoppable song ultimately lands among the biggest chart hits of all time. The country crossover smash just landed its 17th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which gives it still more bragging rights, as the tune is now in sole possession of the No. 4 spot on the list of historic chart-topping streaks.

    As of last week, “Choosin’ Texas” was tied with three other songs that had also landed 16 weeks at No. 1: Morgan Wallen‘s “Last Night,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” and Mariah Carey and Boys II Men’s “One Sweet Day.” Now that she has left those songs in the dust, there are just three more tunes to surpass to set an all-time record: Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” each of which was No. 1 for 19 weeks, and Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” the all-time record-holder with 22 weeks on top. Not long ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine anyone edging past Carey’s holiday perennial, but with the roll Langley is on, another six weeks at No. 1 is not a laughable goal.

    One reason to think that “Choosin’ Texas” may not be slowing down much, if at all, on its march toward setting further records: it just reached the top 10 on Billboard’s pop airplay chart for the first time this week, as stations that would have never, ever played a traditional country song find themselves giving in to audience demand. Overall radio play for the song was up 4% for the week, because of the added pop play, according to Billboard.

    Langley landed another week at the top despite a strong showing from Ariana Grande, who has two songs in the top 10 as a result of the “Petal” album’s release. Leadoff single “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which debuted on top when it came out in May, jumped back up from No. 8 to No. 2. One other song from the new set made it into the upper ranks: “Petal,” the album’s title track, debuted at No. 4.

    Of course, the Grande resurgence means that country songs do not occupy all five of the chart’s top spots, as they did on last week’s historic chart. But the representation for the genre is barely diminished. Wallen’s “Been by Now” dropped just one position, to No. 3, in its second week out. Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” fell two spots to No. 5. Stella Lefty’s freshman smash “Boston” dropped a single spot to No. 6. The Wallen/Langley duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore” dropped three slots to No. 7. And Langley’s “Be Her” slipped one spot to No. 10.

    Obviously, there is not much room in the top 10 at present for anyone who is not either a country star or Ariana Grande. But two songs that don’t fit either of those criteria made the grade. “Dracula” by Tame Impala and Jennie is at No. 8, down two spots from last week, and Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (to Fall in Love)” is right behind it at No. 9, also down two slots.

    While Grande wasn’t able to surge past Langley to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, she does own the top position on the Billboard 200 album chart with “Petal,” as reported Sunday. (Langley’s “Dandelion” album is No. 4 on that chart.)

    This week’s metrics for “Choosin’ Texas,” as reported by Billboard, add up to 24.9 million official streams (down 2% for the week) and 54.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 4%)..

    If “Choosin’ Texas” manages to go the distance and somehow beat “All I Want for Christmas” as the all-time leader in weeks at No. 1, it may be a short-lived victory, of course, since the Carey song has tended to go No. 1 for a few weeks every December in recent years. But who knows — at this rate, listeners could yet choose Texas over Xmas.

  • Bill Bellamy to Receive Icon Award at Whats Funny Comedy Festival, Co-Founded by Lil Rel Howery

    Bill Bellamy to Receive Icon Award at Whats Funny Comedy Festival, Co-Founded by Lil Rel Howery

    Comedian, actor, and entertainer Bill Bellamy will be presented with the Icon Award at the 2026 Whats Funny Comedy Festival, recognizing his decades of excellence and impact on stand-up comedy and entertainment.

    The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was co-founded by Knowledge Beckom and Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out,” “Rel,” “Vacation Friends 2”) with the mission to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and make Chicago the “next great home of comedy discovery.”

    The festival’s upcoming third edition will be held September 19-26 at venues throughout Chicago, including Comedy Bar, Laugh Factory, Bellagio 223, ETA Theater, and Wax Vinyl Bar. More than 50 comedians from 20 cities will perform in showcases, including Cousin Tiera, Correy Bell, Eva Evans, Rich Thomas, Shang and Chris ‘CP’ Powell, host of the latest reboot of BET’s “Comic View.”

    On Sept. 21, Bellamy will receive the Icon Award during the inaugural Whats Funny Today Show Chicago Comedy Legends ceremony. Bellamy will be honored alongside 15 Chicago comedians whose careers helped shape the city’s comedy legacy. The celebration will conclude with a live taping of the “Whats Funny Today Show” podcast featuring Bellamy and special guests.

    Another one of the week’s marquee events will be the live taping of Howery’s next stand-up comedy special on Sept. 20; his previous special, “Rel Talk,” was filmed during the inaugural Whats Funny Comedy Festival and released on Tubi last year. Howery will also lead a master class, sharing insights from his journey through stand-up, television and film.

    “The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was created to celebrate the incredible legacy of Black comedy while creating meaningful opportunities for today’s comedians to learn, perform, and build lasting careers,” Beckom, the festival’s co-founder and executive director, said in a statement. “Every year we strive to elevate the experience for audiences and performers alike, and 2026 will be our biggest and most impactful festival yet.”

    For the full schedule, tickets and additional information, visit the Whats Funny Comedy Festival website.