2026 Comedy Executive Survey

Since Pollstar’s last comedy special in August 2024, much has changed. A new presidency has been a year under way, the post-pandemic boom has somewhat tapered out, and comedians are learning they don’t necessarily have to start out in N.Y.C, L.A. or Chicago as Joe Rogan built an empire in Austin and Nate Bargatze runs the comedy gamut from Nashville. English-speaking comedians are finding success overseas in non-English speaking countries, while canceled comedians remain an issue – this time, with Jimmy Kimmel having been threatened to be taken off the air. To get a pulse of the current State of Comedy, Pollstar reached out to executives for their take.

ENTERTAINMENT EXECS

Matt Blake
Head of Comedy Touring, CAA
Clients: Gabriel Iglesias, Katt Williams, Trevor Noah, Jeff Dunham, Jo Koy, Andrew Schulz, Jimmy O Yang, Ron White, Gary Owen, Mo Amer, Dave Attell, Tim Dillon
YEARS IN THE BIZ: 30
FAVORITE COMEDIAN YOU DON’T BOOK: George Carlin

Judi Marmel
Founder, Levity Talent
Clients: Bert Kreischer, Taylor Tomlinson,
Leanne Morgan, Fortune Feimster and Dusty Slay
YEARS IN THE BIZ: 37
FAVORITE COMEDIAN YOU DON’T MANAGE: Bill Hicks

Kat Valentine
Agent, WME
Clients: Jeff Arcuri, Morgan Jay, Jimmy Carr,
Kam Patterson, Gianmarco Soresi, Matt Mathews, Fern Brady, Joel Kim Booster
YEARS IN THE BIZ: 8
FAVORITE COMEDIAN YOU DON’T BOOK: Shane Gillis

Heidi Feigin
Agent, United Talent Agency
Clients: Sebastian Maniscalco, Bert Kreischer,
Taylor Tomlinson, Nick Offerman, Stavros Halkias
YEARS IN THE BIZ: 25
FAVORITE COMEDIAN YOU DON’T BOOK: Marcello Hernandez

Geof Wills
Live Nation
YEARS IN THE BIZ: 35

How did you get into the comedy biz?
Matt Blake: I wanted to be in music but I found an assistant job in comedy and since it was touring I took it to get a foot in the business.

Heidi Feigin: After spending three years in NYC as an investment banker, I made the leap into the entertainment industry by joining the William Morris agent trainee program in L.A. Soon after, I began working in the comedy touring department, where I quickly developed a passion for representing comedians and building tours. I worked there until I joined UTA in 2009 as the agency’s first comedy touring agent, helping to establish and grow the division from the ground up.

Judi Marmel: Right out of high school, I started working as a ticket taker at the Comedy Corner in Colorado Springs.

Kat Valentine: I had little exposure to comedy touring before becoming an assistant to a comedy touring agent, a role I was assigned to somewhat unexpectedly as my first position after graduating from college. The environment was fast-paced and immersive, requiring me to learn quickly and adapt on the fly. As I gained experience, I developed a genuine love for stand-up comedy and found myself spending four to five nights a week at comedy clubs. After 11 months as an assistant, I was promoted to Coordinator and began signing clients. In 2022, I moved to WME, where my first client signing was Jeff Arcuri, who quickly went on to sell approximately 3,000–6,000 tickets per market. From that point forward, I was fully immersed in the comedy world and truly off to the races.

Geof Wills: I interned for a company that booked the Punch Line in San Francisco. That was about 35 years ago and I never looked back. 

The broader live entertainment market is showing some adjustments as the post-pandemic boom eases with lower grosses and tickets in 2025. Comedy benefited perhaps more than any sector from the end of the pandemic. How has the comedy market changed in the last year and what do you expect looking forward?
Blake: We hit a rough patch in 2025. Ticketmaster went to all-in pricing when going into the summer and leading into a government shutdown, which led to the softening of the market. The good news is that has changed and the forecast is extremely bright for 2026!

Feigin: The comedy touring business surged post-pandemic as audiences sought escapism through live, shared laughter and experiential entertainment. Growth has accelerated rapidly since then, with more comedians than ever emulating major music acts by playing multiple arena shows in key markets. UTA represents over a dozen comedians who tour at the arena level, including my longtime client Sebastian Maniscalco who performed a record-breaking five shows at Madison Square Garden on his 2025 “It Ain’t Right Tour.” Even amid broader touring normalization over the past year, comedy touring has remained robust, driven by streaming and self-released stand-up specials, the ability for comedians to connect with and grow their audiences directly via social media, and expanding demand in secondary and tertiary markets in the US alongside rising global touring. Looking ahead, the comedy touring business will undoubtedly continue to grow, evolve, and adapt – but with strategic guidance, comedians across all levels are well-positioned for sustained success. UTA’s top headliners will expand through “eventized” touring, innovative residencies and intimate specials that reflect their unique passions. Theater and club level performers will leverage fan data and analytics to improve and grow audience connections, while low barriers to entry will propel the next generation from social media, podcasts, and regions beyond L.A. and N.Y.C. In the year ahead, savvy comedy touring agents who are able to pivot swiftly to accommodate market shifts will continue to excel amid broader industry challenges.

Marmel: In my opinion, the comedy market is going to continue to grow and boom. The need for laughter in this world of chaos is higher than ever. With Netflix, Youtube and Podcasts continuing to become more and more popular, the business will continue to find new stars going forward.

Valentine: There has been a noticeable oversaturation across the market. Compared to just a few years ago, there are significantly more comedians capable of selling 1,500–3,000 tickets per city. As a result, many of these performers have transitioned from comedy clubs to theaters, which has also driven higher ticket prices. At the same time, audiences are becoming more selective with their discretionary spending. Rather than attending four or five comedy shows a year, many consumers are choosing to save their money to see their one favorite comedian. Looking ahead, my strategy for clients is to make each city appearance feel more intentional – often spacing visits more than 18 months apart – so that audiences feel a sense of urgency to attend, rather than assuming the artist will return the following year.

Wills: The comedy market has continued to evolve, but it remains very healthy overall. We’re seeing more competition than ever, which is exciting, and it feels like the space is ripe for the next wave of breakout talent.

For decades, the conventional wisdom was that comedians had to earn their bones in New York, LA and/or Chicago. In recent years, we’ve seen an ecosystem build up around Joe Rogan in Austin and more recently around Nate Bargatze in Nashville. Where’s the next emerging comedy center?
Blake: The Internet and social media is the true next comedy center.

Feigin: Comedians no longer need to relocate to L.A. or N.Y.C. for discovery or to have a successful touring career. In recent years Austin and Nashville have emerged as comedy hotbeds, attracting major touring acts with their vibrant comedy scenes. UTA client Tony Hinchcliffe has built a stable of young comedy talent in Austin through his Kill Tony podcast and in Nashville, UTA client Nate Bargatze has made his hometown an epicenter for comedians with Nateland. These central geographic locations also simplify nationwide touring for comedians and connect performers to “middle America,” enhancing relatability with diverse US audiences. Amid this shift, I recently made the move to Nashville, relocating there after spending 25 years in LA to be a part of Nashville’s booming comedy market. With stand-up comedians increasingly being discovered digitally and growing their fanbase online, this trend will continue to accelerate, evidenced by UTA’s recent signings of comedic talent residing in Denver, Atlanta and the Midwest – proving comedians from anywhere can succeed and thrive.

Marmel: The comedy scene in Denver has continued to grow and is only getting more inspired.

Valentine: Denver has consistently been an under-the-radar market that comedians love performing in, thanks to audiences that reliably show up in large numbers and are enthusiastic, engaged participants in the experience. Comedy Works has established itself as one of the premier clubs in the country, offering comedians an ideal environment to perform and test new material. As a result, I believe more comedians will continue to plant roots in Denver—even without the tax advantages that have drawn many performers to cities like Austin. A close second market would be Portland, Oregon, for similar reasons.

Wills: New York and Los Angeles are still the epicenters of stand-up comedy, but it’s been exciting to see strong scenes develop elsewhere. Austin has become a force thanks to Joe Rogan, and Nashville continues to grow with Nate Bargatze leading the charge. It’s also worth noting what Dave Chappelle has built in Yellow Springs — creating a unique ecosystem with his own club and events throughout the town. It shows that great comedy communities can thrive anywhere when the right people are invested.

North American comics have started to find touring success overseas, even in non-English speaking markets. The Riyadh Comedy Festival – though not without controversy – had an enviable lineup. So much of comedy’s foundations are in language and culture, how do you break a new market with a different language and culture?
Blake: We have been touring for over a decade overseas anyplace that the English language is played on television – regardless of the language of the region. Now the internet is taking that reach even further. There are more and more markets to hit overseas that we never knew existed before for stand up comedy.

Feigin: Many U.S. comedians are achieving significant success in non-English speaking international markets by emphasizing universal humor often rooted in physical comedy. Platforms like YouTube and Netflix facilitate global reach through subtitles, dubbing, and short-form viral clips that transcend language barriers. Comedians build international fanbases via social media, international festivals, and material centered on cultural universals like family dynamics, everyday observations, and interactive crowd work that resonate worldwide. Some comics leverage their ethnic, religious, or cultural backgrounds, incorporating local languages to connect authentically with diverse audiences. UTA client Modi has found huge success both in the US and internationally by tapping into his Israeli roots and Jewish humor. And while UTA’s client Matteo Lane primarily performs in English, he is fluent in 5 languages and frequently showcases his ability to speak and joke in other languages, particularly while touring internationally. The reverse is also true, with UTA representing many comedians who hail from international countries and tour in the US performing in their native language. Most recently, UTA client Zakir Kahn, who is a stand-up comedian from India, sold out Madison Square Garden performing his show entirely in Hindi.

Marmel: With different platforms like Netflix and YouTube available around the world – funny is funny, and the fans around the world can access comedians easier than ever, which will contribute to the demand to see them perform live.

Valentine: There are a few avenues for reaching international audiences. One approach, which my client Morgan Jay has successfully pursued, is comedy through music. His comedic songs allow him to perform in markets like Brazil, where Portuguese is the primary language, and in many Asian countries, because non-English-speaking audiences can connect with the music even if they don’t fully understand the lyrics. Instead of relying solely on jokes, fans engage with the performance through the music itself. Another effective strategy is providing subtitles for all released content. While time-consuming, my client Gianmarco Soresi has seen strong success in a wide range of unique and emerging markets by investing in translations of his videos into multiple languages. Finally, the most reliable way to reach audiences globally is simply to keep sharing content. No matter where your audience is, they will discover you as long as you are actively putting your unique voice and humor out into the world.

This year we saw the White House pressuring ABC/Disney to cancel Jimmy Kimmel. The administration has threatened broadcast licenses for jokes made by other late-night hosts and SNL performers. Are stand-ups and comedy clubs feeling any pressure, implicit or otherwise? How do you help your clients navigate this environment?
Blake: One of the first things I learned as an assistant was that comedians don’t do very well with someone telling them not to do something. They are going to do what they want and say what they want and for the most part it doesn’t matter what anyone wants them to do. I don’t see that changing anytime in the near future.

Feigin: Many comics now steer clear of politics, opting for material on lighter subjects that offer audiences a much-needed escape from the endless news cycle. Events like hosting the White House correspondence dinner, which in the past have been universally considered prestigious, are now something that most comedians are choosing to stay away from. Yet even in this tense environment, the rush to judgement culture that in recent years condemned “politically incorrect” comedians has subsided somewhat. Comedians today seem to feel less fearful of cancellation, signaling that the public increasingly values their right to express controversial views freely in order to preserve freedom of speech.

Marmel: The foundation of stand-up comedy is based on the performer exercising their first amendment rights. The purest form of that is seeing someone live. Speaking from the heart in that moment in time, as an artist representative and advocate, I have long believed this is one of the most important areas we continue to advise, support and protect.

Valentine: Comedians want the freedom to express multiple perspectives – often humorously – even if those opinions aren’t popular. My role isn’t to censor my clients. I’m a fan and a supporter, here to help them express their thoughts and ideas in the ways that feel true to their work. Of course, if they are performing in an environment that I know may be more sensitive, I will provide guidance on the parameters, and it’s up to them whether they wish to proceed with the show.