Moontower Just For Laughs Austin Adds Jenny Slate, Leslie Jones, Samantha Bee, and More to Lineup
Photos by ABC Peggy Sirota / Katie McCurdyThere’s simply no escaping Austin in the springtime; first SXSW in March, now Moontower Just For Laughs Austin, which will take place in more than 10 venues across the city from April 12 to 23. Maybe we should get a timeshare.
The two week comedy festival—featuring stand-up, drag shows, live podcast tapings, and more—just added a bevy of new acts to the already stacked lineup. Jenny Slate, who wrote and starred in the Oscar-nominated film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, will be playing the Paramount Theatre, along with fellow SNL alum Leslie Jones. Political comedian Samantha Bee will also grace the Paramount, along with the ever-incisive Ziwe, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars champ Monét X Change, and the formidable trio of Megan Stalter, Sarah Sherman, and Patti Harrison. Honestly, those last three performing together will be a beautiful, terrifying wonder to behold.
Moontower Just For Laughs Austin has another Studio 8H veteran, Jay Pharaoh, appearing at The State Theatre. The Australian puppet Randy Feltface and human comic Matt Rife will also perform at the venue. And Abbott Elementary fans are in for a treat: Lisa Ann Walter (the tough-talking teacher Melissa Schemmenti) will be playing at one of the club shows as part of the festival.
These comedians join already-announced headliners Trevor Noah, Seth Myers, Chelcie Lynn, Ben Schwartz and Friends, Maria Bamford, Vir Das, Giggly Squad, and Nimesh Patel. That’s only the tip of the iceberg lineup-wise. Surreal comedy duo Girl God will be performing, along with Ariel Elias (one of Paste’s best comedians of 2022), Joe Pera Talks with You alum Jo Firestone, and so many more. Buy badges for entrance to the festival and check out the full lineup here.