The New Yorker Festival is culture for cool people (according to those of us who think our new Banana Republic v-neck sweater is “cool”). In the past, it has served up some mouth-watering comedy content. I was prepared to cringe while looking over the newly released schedule – via an email to their “exclusive” mailing list full of people who are just going to turn around and blog it) since I’m unable to attend this year.
How will the New Yorker Festival top itself from last year’s offering of the amazing Political Humor panel with Jim Downey, Allison Silverman, and Todd Hanson (which I wrote about here on The Apiary, and Stephen Colbert interviewed by Ariel Levy (which I wrote about here on this very blog)? The short answer, at least in comedy-nerd terms, is that it isn’t.
While I’d kill to see Rachael Maddow interviewed by Levy this year, and would jump at the chance to see a couple of Wainrights Wainwrights (Rufus and Loudon III), most of the purely comedic discussions are likely to be lost within talks about film and acting.
Of note:
-Tyler Perry interviewed by Henry Finder
-Character Actors
With Christine Baranski, Joan Cusack, Luis Guzmán, Richard Kind, and John Turturro.
Moderated by Nancy Franklin.
-Jason Schwartzman talks with Richard Brody
-Shouts & Murmurs Live
With Jenny Allen, Woody Allen, Noah Baumbach, Yoni Brenner, Ian Frazier,
Patricia Marx, David Owen, Amy Ozols, Simon Rich, Paul Rudnick, George Saunders, Paul Simms, and Calvin Trillin. Hosted by David Remnick.
If you live in New York, by all means jump at these and the Festival’s other offerings. Everything the New Yorker puts on is top-notch. But as someone who is forced to miss it, for my particular tastes, there is thankfully no dagger currently piercing my heart.
More info will be posted on newyorker.com/festival. The schedule gets “released” (ha) September 14, and tickets go on sale September 18. I can’t help with tickets, but my wicked copy & paste skills have taken care of the former, after the jump.
Sharilyn Johnson is a full-time television writer, part-time blogger, and sometimes comic.