Ready to get your funny bone in shape? Then look out for the “Second Annual Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival” (BTF) coming to D.C., Sept. 27-29. The three-day event comes to D.C. with various events between the Southwest Wharf and DC Improv on Connecticut Avenue NW.
Produced by the company NICE CROWD in partnership with Events DC, this festival is returning to the District after last year’s successful festival. Comedians and actors Leslie Jones and Deon Cole will headline this year’s BTF.
Opening night for BTF will honor veteran comedian George Wallace. The beloved comic will receive the festival’s 2024 Trailblazer award. Wallace is an iconic comedian who is admired for his longevity in entertainment.
“This unique event showcases the exceptional talent right here in Washington, DC, while giving back to our local community, ” said Angie Gates, president and CEO of Events, DC. “ I am thrilled that major acts will come to D.C. for people to enjoy.”
BTF will be more than comics telling jokes. It is the place to understand the business of careers in comedy.
“There are panels, comedy classes, and networking events, and our ‘BTF Cares’ Charity Fundraiser,” said Jeff Friday, CEO of NICE CROWD. “Several events, such as the panels, are free, but registration is required.”
Friday emphasized the importance of the work the NICE CROWD does in an interview with The Washington Informer.
“We are really like activists for people of color and women,” Friday said. “When we find inequities in the entertainment business, we create live events to fix it.”
Created for anyone who likes to laugh, BTF’s lineup includes headline shows and a “Breakout Comedian of the Year Competition.” This nationwide competition received more than 300 submissions. Six finalists will perform on Saturday, Sept. 28, at a showcase hosted by Cole.
The winner, to be announced that night, receives a $10,000 grand prize and an invaluable opportunity to secure representation with Innovative Artists talent agency.
Jones, who is on a 20-city tour, will make D.C. one of her stops. She closes out BTF with a performance on Saturday, Sept. 29. Jones was featured doing hilarious interviews with athletes during the broadcast of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
It’s grueling to be on the road all the time, and that is the impression of what comics do. The ideal situation for a comic would be long-term, like with a television show or a couple of movies booked.
“But stand-up is the way to remain funny,” said Nicole Friday, president of NICE CROWD, the company that founded the American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
Tickets for the “Second Annual Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival” can be obtained at eventsdc.com.