With under three weeks to go before the Great American Comedy Festival, organizers continue to add more comedic acts to their lineup.
Festival organizers have announced that Stephnie Weir will be joining Bluebird Improv for its performance at the Johnny Carson Theatre on Friday, June 19.
One of the most renowned performers in Second City history, Weir eventually spent 5 1/2 seasons on MadTV. She created many stand-out characters and impressions during her time on the show, including Dot Goddard and her impression of the Olsen twins.
Her other credits include a recurring role on “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and appearances on shows such as “Key and Peele,” “Life in Pieces” and “Veep.” She was also a regular on “Big Day” and “The Comedians with Billy Crystal and Josh Gad.”

“What an honor it is to get Stephnie here to Norfolk,” said festival board president Pat Janssen. “She is such a force of nature. Obviously her film and television roles have made her known, but I’m always most blown away by her ability as a live performer. When Bluebird floated the idea of her coming along with them, my jaw hit the floor.
“Being a part of this festival, there are moments where it just doesn’t feel real. Getting Stephnie Weir to Northeast Nebraska is one of those moments of surreal good fortune.”
Weir joins an already-packed Bluebird Improv team featuring Matt Walsh, Marc Evan Jackson, Brad Morris and Joe Canale. Since it is an improv show, it can be wildly unpredictable. Festival organizers are suggesting parental discretion.
The four-day festival begins Wednesday, June 17, with the regional comedy showcase at District Event Center in Norfolk. It continues at the Johnny Carson Theatre on Thursday, June 18, with the magic show featuring Juliana Chen, David Kovac and the Evasons, Friday night also features the adults-only late show at the District Event Center featuring Ian Abramson, Tommy Bechtold, Dwayne Kennedy and Elyssa Phillips. The festival wraps up with Charlie Berens back at the Johnny Carson Theatre on Saturday, June 20.
The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for more than 25 years.

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, along with Midwest Acutech. Tickets for the festival are on sale now.

There’s just too much funny to contain the 2026 Great American Comedy Festival to just three nights.
Comedy festival organizers have announced the addition of a regional comedy night at the District Event Center in Norfolk on Wednesday, June 17.
“We have wanted to continue growing this festival in creative ways for some time, and this show gives us an opportunity to do just that,” said festival board president Pat Janssen in a press release. “Having lots of shows gives us more opportunities to reach all of the different audiences we have in Northeast Nebraska.”
The night will feature two shows. First is the District Debut, a curated showcase highlighting the strength of the Midwest comedy scene. This high-energy lineup features some of the region’s most promising and established talent.

The District Debut will be hosted by Clem Jameson — the mastermind of Quik Draw Comedy — and be headlined by Quik Draw mainstay Addy Herman. The show also will feature Omaha comic Breanna Kallhorn, with additional performances by some of the Midwest’s best up and coming comedians.
Following the District Debut will be Quik Draw Comedy Live. The show, hosted by Jameson and Herman, is one of the Midwest’s fastest-growing comedy podcasts, now coming to the stage for a unique live experience. Quik Draw features a rotating lineup of comedians, with each performer delivering two two-minute sets, followed by a live panel interview — creating an engaging mix of stand-up and spontaneous comedy.
“The work that Clem, Justin Stephens and Addy have done to put this show together is incredible,” Janssen said. “They really value building comedy from the ground up in our region. At a festival where we honor the contributions of a Nebraska native son like Johnny Carson, I think it’s important to recognize the incredible talent we’ve got brewing in our region right now.”
The festival continues at the Johnny Carson Theatre on Thursday, June 18, with the magic show featuring Juliana Chen, David Kovac and the Evasons. Bluebird Improv and Brian James O’Connell will perform at the Johnny Carson Theatre on Friday, June 19, followed by the adults-only late show at the District Event Center featuring Ian Abramson, Tommy Bechtold, Dwayne Kennedy and Elyssa Phillips. The festival wraps up with Charlie Berens on Saturday, June 20.

The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for more than 25 years.

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, along with Midwest Acutech.

(NORFOLK, Neb.) - In an effort to continually bring new and exciting comedy acts to northeast  Nebraska, the 2026 Great American Comedy Festival will feature a first for Norfolk - a one-man  improvised comedy show!  
Comedian Brian James O’Connell will be opening the festival’s show on Friday, June 19th, with  a show that features just him on stage performing comedy that’s completely improvised in the moment.  
“Brian is one of the most beloved figures in all of improv,” said GACF Executive Director Pat  Janssen. “He's trained so many of the best comedic voices, and he himself is a treat to watch on stage.  His one-man improv show is truly a feat.”  
Brian is a filmmaker and teacher based in Los Angeles. His directing credits include Killer View,  
and Angry White Man starring Matt Berry. BOC (as his friends call him) also wrote Killer View.  
His other writing credits include: the SYFY animated series Hell Den starring Maria Bamford  
and Matthew Lillard, MOCKpockalypse starring Sam Richardson and Brendan Hunt and Pitchslap 
starring comedy festival alum Joel McHale.  
“Brian has worked with everyone from Matthew Lillard to Scoot McNairy to Pedro Pascal,”  
Janssen said. “He's such an accomplished writer, actor, and performer, I'm excited to just have his  
presence in Norfolk, let alone see his show. He's going to be such a fantastic addition to our improv  
night.”  
Brian will be followed on the Johnny Carson Theatre Stage by Bluebird Improv, featuring  
comedians Matt Walsh, Marc Evan Jackson, Brad Morris, and Joe Canale, along with other comics yet  to be named!  
The festival kicks off Thursday, June 18th, with the traditional family Comedy Magic Show, and  
wraps up Saturday the 20th with the annual GACF Gala featuring Charlie Berens.  
 All three shows are at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre.  
The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska  
Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and Midwest Acutech.  
The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson,  
who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson” for over 25 years.  
Tickets for the festival are on sale now!

(NORFOLK, Neb.) - Once again, the Great American Festival is bringing a variety of hilarity  
from all over the nation to northeast Nebraska!  
Comedians Ian Abramson, Tommy Bechtold, Dwayne Kennedy, and Elyssa Phillips are coming  
to Norfolk to fill out the Saturday Comedy Gala lineup headlined by Charlie Berens on June 20th and to  perform in the Friday night adults-only late show on June 19th.  
“One of the things we really take pride in is creating a full lineup of amazing talent,” Festival  
Executive Director Pat Janssen said. “We've had so many feature acts who have been incredibly  
accomplished when they came here, and even bigger deals after they left. This is a group of comedians  that Norfolk can look back on and say 'Holy cow, remember when they were here?'” 
Tommy Bechtold is an actor and comedian from Rochester, NY. Tommy has appeared in over 50  
TV shows and films. For five years Tommy played Kenny on ABC’s “The Middle”. Tommy has also  
appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! More than 20 times. Tommy has also worked with Christopher Guest  and his troop of improvisers on several projects. Other credits include Abbott Elementary, GLEE! And  Hunters. As a comedian, Tommy has performed for crowds all over the country as a solo act and with  many touring sketch and improv groups including “iOWest” and “The Second City”.  
“Tommy is a gem of a human being and a ridiculously talented performer,” Janssen said. “He's  
been on TV so much that I feel like he lives in my living room. He brings so much great energy, and he's  still so incredibly relatable.”  
Elyssa Phillips is a nationally and internationally touring stand-up clean comedienne, actress, and  
writer whose energy has made her a festival favorite and club headliner. Most recently, she’s been seen opening for Iliza Shlesinger and Jay Leno, along with headlining some of the most infamous comedy clubs across the U.S. and Europe. On screen, her quick one-liners have appeared in fan-favorite series  including Hacks, Silicon Valley, Fresh Off the Boat, The Mindy Project, and Leanne.  
“Elyssa is one of those comics who works clean, but She's got you cracking up the whole time,”  
said Janssen. “She's someone who's constantly working and is never satisfied with what she's done.”  
Ian Abramson co-created The Pitch and Talent Scout’s Honor, both web series for Tom Snyder  
(of Dr. Katz fame). Ian also voiced an episode of the producer/writer’s Explosion Bus, featured alongside Daryl Hall of “Hall and Oates.” He is also a regular contributor for The Onion. Ian also created the  Comedy Central web series, 7 Minutes in Purgatory, during which comedians are given noise-canceling  headphones and forced to perform in a room separated from their audience.  
“I'm so excited to meet Ian at this year's festival because I've admired his work from afar for  
years,” Janssen said. “He's kind of an abstract artist. He's so goofy and weird in all the best ways, but his  comedy is always so accessible to every crowd.” 
Dwayne Kennedy is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, who won a 2019 Emmy Award  
Winner for the original series United Shades of America. Winner of Best Comedian at the 2002 HBO US  Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Dwayne has performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late  Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and has both a Comedy Central  
Presents and Showtime special. Dwayne has also written for The Arsenio Hall Show (CBS) and The  
Orlando Jones Show (FX). Dwayne’s acting credits include roles on such classic series  
as Seinfeld, Martin, 227, Amen and the upcoming indie-film Thin Skin.  
“Dwayne has such a unique perspective on life, and his material reflects that,” Janssen said.  
“Beneath his goofy and strange on-stage persona is someone who's an incredibly accomplished writer  and producer. Basically, he's a mad scientist who knows how to pull laughter out of a crowd."  
The festival kicks off Thursday, June 18th, with the traditional family Comedy Magic Show. All  
three shows are at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre. The Friday Night Late Show starts at 10:30 p.m.  at the District Event Center in Norfolk.  
The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska  
Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring  
Johnny Carson” for over 25 years. The festival is made possible thanks to the support of the Nebraska  Arts Council and Midwest Acutech.  
Tickets for the festival are on sale now! For tickets and information, visit  
www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com

The opening night of the 2026 Great American Comedy Festival will feature a world-class group of magicians on the Johnny Carson Theatre stage, festival organizers announced Tuesday morning.
Juliana Chen, David Kovac and the Evasons will headline the comedy and magic show on Thursday, June 18, in Norfolk.
“All four of these performers have been raved about by other top magicians and comedians,” said festival executive director Pat Janssen. “Everyone I talk to says, ‘Holy cow, what a trio of acts.’ We have former GACF performer Ben Seidman to thank for that. He spends a lot of time advocating on our behalf, and I rely on him to help curate the show. He has knocked it out of the park this year.”

Chen was born in Hunan, China, and graduated from the Academy of Arts in China. After training as a ballerina, she transferred to the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe. In 1982, she decided to become a magician. Since then, she has won many awards, including Best Magician of China (1985), first prize at the International Brotherhood of Magicians (1992), the Grand Prix at Spain’s XXI Congreso Nacional de Magic (1996) and Germany’s Magic Hands (1996). In 1997, she became the first woman and first magician of Chinese heritage to win a world championship in the 50-year history of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques, the world’s leading organization for the art of magic. She has performed all over the world, and her magic continues to inspire young magicians everywhere.

Kovac specializes in combining humorous monologues with cleverly crafted magic routines. He has spent two decades honing a variety of performance skills in Chicago. Kovac portrayed 10 different characters — including a magician — in his critically acclaimed solo show, “Fooling Buddha.” Kovac has been nominated for stage performer of the year at the Magic Castle. He resides in Los Angeles and serves on the board of trustees for the Academy of Magical Arts.

The Evasons — Jeff and Tessa Evason — are internationally acclaimed mentalists whose demonstrations of telepathy have amazed audiences in more than 40 countries. One of the few married couples in history to master the rare art of second sight, they create the impression that two minds are working as one. Their performances have been featured on television shows including “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” “Powers of the Paranormal,” “Masters of Illusion” and “The World’s Greatest Magic.” They also served as consultants on Guillermo del Toro’s film “Nightmare Alley.”

“My favorite thing in the world is when I nervously approach all these high-profile performers and they ultimately tell me that they’re excited and have been waiting for this call for years,” Janssen said. “There are so many different people who have worked on this festival over the years. The way people talk about this festival is a tribute to each and every person who has donated their time, whether they’re still a part of the festival or not.
“It’s also a massive credit to the audiences who come out and support what we’re trying to do each and every year.”
The magic show kicks off the festival Thursday, June 18, with two nights of comedy headlined by Bluebird Improv on June 19 and Charlie Berens on June 20. All three shows begin at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre.
The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk native Johnny Carson, who hosted NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for more than 25 years.
The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with support from the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

(NORFOLK, Neb.) - A group of some of the greatest talents in improv comedy are coming to Norfolk to bring a new twist to the Great American Comedy Festival.  
Bluebird Improv - featuring comedians Joe Canale, Marc Evan Jackson, Brad Morris, and Matt Walsh - will be the headliners of the festival’s show on Friday, June 19 at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk.  
“Long form improv is one of the truly great comedic art forms,” said festival executive director Pat Janssen. “I'm so happy we get to honor it this year with one of the best improv teams on the planet.” 
Matt Walsh is a two-time Emmy-nominated actor from HBO’s award-winning comedy series Veep, and cast member of Apple TV’s acclaimed limited series Manhunt. He is also a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Recently, he appeared in Hulu’s Unplugging, which he cowrote, and starred alongside Eva Longoria. He can also be seen in The Good Half starring Nick Jonas. Walsh has appeared in memorable roles in several popular comedy films including Life of the Party, Old School, Starsky and Hutch, Ted, and Keeping Up With The Joneses. 
"Virtually every great improviser and sketch comedian this century has been trained by Upright Citizens Brigade,” Janssen said. “He is - and this is no exaggeration - one of the most influential people in comedy."  
Joe Canale has been improvising around the world for the past 30 years, including stints at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and The Second City Mainstage in Chicago among many others. While he’s not made appearances in film and television his greatest pleasure is derived from performing live improv for an audience.  
“Joe is perhaps the fastest and most light-on-his-feet improviser I've ever seen,” Janssen said. “He’s a whip-smart comedian who brings energy so effortlessly. Plus, his dad used to teach at UNL, so he's a huge Husker fan. That's got to earn him some extra points with our audience!”  
Marc Evan Jackson is an comedian, writer, improvisor and actor best known for his work on NBC's The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. His recent film credits include Jumanji, Kong: Skull Island, and 22 Jump Street. He moved from the Second City Detroit to Los Angeles in 2001. He has taught improv at Second City Hollywood and in 2003 formed a long-form improv group of other Second City alumni called The 313, an homage to Detroit. He is also a contributor to the after-school literacy program 826 LA.  
“Marc is is a consummate performer,” Janssen added. “He's had some of the most memorable roles in some of the best television shows of the century.”  
Brad Morris is a veteran tv and film writer, producer, actor, director and improviser. An alum of four of Chicago’s Second City’s Mainstage revues, the iO Theatre and The Annoyance, Brad is a member of the renowned long form improvisational groups, The Reckoning and Uncle’s Brother with Tim Meadows. Brad has improvised around the world with the Second City National Touring company and Matt Walsh and Friends for the USO. As a TV writer, Brad spent three seasons as a producer on the TBS comedy, Cougar Town, was a producer on the Showtime series, Dice, and was co-ep and head writer for seasons 1 and 2 of the critically acclaimed series for Paramount and Seeso, Bajillion Dollar Properties.  
“It's no stretch to say I've seen Brad Morris perform more than any other improv comedian, and that's because he's been an integral part of so many great teams,” Janssen noted. “When I lived in LA, I'd watch him perform every week and just be blown away every time. I'm so happy he'll be here in northeast Nebraska.”  
Bluebird is an improv team with several talented and highly-regarded members. These four comedians represent the likely lineup, but it is subject to change with the possibility of some team  
members being added or removed ahead of the show. Since it is an improv show, it can be wildly unpredictable. Festival organizers are suggesting parental discretion.  
The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson” for over 25 years. It begins with the family comedy magic show on Thursday, June 12th, and continues with the Friday Theatre Show on  
Friday June 13th along with the Friday Late Show at Norfolk’s District Events Center.  
The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the Norfolk Visitors Bureau.
Tickets for the festival go on sale Thursday, March 12th! For tickets and information, visit  
www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com 
Interested in sponsoring the Great American Comedy Festival? Contact Pat Janssen for more  
information.
Photo ID L to RJoe Canale, Marc Evan Jackson, Brad Morris, Matt Walsh

(NORFOLK, Neb.) - The 2026 Great American Comedy Festival will be bringing a Midwestern  
voice that’s made millions laugh to the Johnny Carson Theatre stage.  Charlie Berens will be headlining the annual Gala on Saturday, June 20th at the Johnny Carson  Theatre in Norfolk.  
Charlie is a comedian, New York Times Best Selling Author, Emmy-winning journalist, musician  
and creator of the viral sensation, The Manitowoc Minute, a comedic news show about the  
Midwest which first launched him into notoriety in 2017. Since then, Charlie’s been creating Midwestinspired sketch comedy videos that connect to a worldwide social media audience of over 10 million.  
“A key piece of what made Johnny Carson who he was as a performer was his Midwestern  
upbringing. That's why I'm so excited to bring Charlie Berens to Norfolk,” Janssen said. ‘There's not a  
more Midwestern comic out there today than Charlie. He's selling out massive venues, and people across the globe are hearing him give voice to our part of the country. I can't wait for him be here in northeast Nebraska and connect with our little piece of the Midwest.” 
His ability to connect with audiences goes far beyond his home state of Wisconsin. Berens just  
wrapped up his third sold-out nationwide stand-up comedy tour, the Good Old Fashioned Tour, which played 127 shows in 88 cities and was shot as a follow-up special to his 2023 one hour debut, Midwest Goodbye.  
In his free time, Charlie hosts the Cripescast podcast where he has meaningful conversations  
with a wide range of guests, including musicians, headlining comedians, dairy farmers, groundbreaking scientists, government officials, world-renown chefs, artists, business leaders, sports Hall of Famers,  explorers, Olympians, and creators about their story and connections to the Midwest. In addition to Cripescast, Charlie also co-hosts the Bellied Up podcast w/ “Myles The You Betcha Guy” where the two of them belly up at a small-town bar every Thursday and take live calls from all over the Midwest and rest of the world.  
His reach is about to get even bigger. Charlie’s 2021 New York Times Best Seller The Midwest  
Survival Guide is being optioned for TV development.  
Throughout all his work, Charlie aims to connect with people through comedy and authenticity.  
“I frequently find myself on my phone watching different clips of Charlie's comedy,” said festival  
executive director Pat Janssen. “I feel like he's really honed in on my individual experiences growing up in Nebraska. I've never even met the guy, but it sure feels like he observed my whole Midwestern  
upbringing. I love our festival because it's a beautiful cultural exchange, but sometimes it's just nice for all of us to connect with someone who knows exactly what we've experienced and exactly what we're feeling.”

The 2025 Great American Comedy Festival will feature a diverse lineup of up-and-coming, national comedians that would make the man the festival honors proud.
Five comedians will grace the Johnny Carson Theatre stage on Friday, June 13 — River Butcher, David Perdue, Amy Shanker, Adam Tiller and host Chip Chantry.

"I'm frequently amazed by the caliber of comedians who are willing and excited to come to Northeast Nebraska and be a part of our festival," said festival executive director Pat Janssen. "All of our feature acts are regular headliners in their own right, and they will really help give us what I believe will be a fantastic festival."

Butcher is a standup comic, actor and writer. His first half-hour special "A Different Kind of Dude" made its debut on Comedy Central's YouTube channel and was called "a master class in culture war commentary" by Esquire.com. The special also garnered the title of "Some of the Best Jokes of 2022 So Far." River recently wrote on the FX pilot "Belated," previously wrote for "A League of Their Own" and created/starred in/wrote the critically acclaimed TV show "Take My Wife."

Perdue has appeared on Kevin Hart Presents: "Hart of the City" on Comedy Central and "Uproarious" on Fuse. Perdue is also an actor appearing in "Love Is ..." on OWN and "Bobcat Goldthwait"s Misfits and Monsters" on truTV. He also co-hosts the sports/comedy podcast "Forth and Ten" hosted on ForthDistrict.com and is a co-producer of the Atlanta favorite “1AM Secret Show.”

Growing up with a family that her friends dubbed "The Jewish Griswolds," Shanker had no choice but to go into standup comedy. Her dry comedic style stems from her time as an inner-city high school English teacher in Chicago. She performs at clubs across the U.S. and has opened for Chad Daniels, Gary Gulman and Colin Quinn, among others. She also may be found on “Max's Pause” with Sam Jay and on Kevin Hart's LOL channel.

Tiller is a standup comedian, podcaster and writer based out of Seattle. He was a semifinalist in the 2022 Seattle International Comedy Competition. In 2025, not only will he be featured in the Great American Comedy Festival, but also the San Francisco Comedy Competition (San Francisco) and the Savage Henry Comedy Festival (Eureka, California). He has been featured on the road for comedians Dan Soder, Big Jay Oakerson, Dave Landau and Brendan Schaub. He also has opened for comedians Kevin Nealon, Jay Mohr and Ari Shaffir.
"While Adam is based in Seattle, he has family ties to the state," Janssen said. "I'm so excited to have him here because he's a fantastic performer, but I'm also excited that he gets to perform for so many people he knows."

Hosting the Friday show is Chantry, who is a standup comedian and television writer. He has written for “Crazy Talk,” a comedy/talk series for NBC Universal and the syndicated series “Whacked Out Sports.” He most recently wrote on the NatGeo series “Howie Mandel's Animals Doing Things.” Formerly a fourth grade teacher, Chantry left the classroom to pursue comedy and writing. He has opened for national headliners such as Dave Chappelle, Bob Saget and Tig Notaro.

These five comics round out what will be a night of comedy headlined by James Austin Johnson of “Saturday Night Live.”

The Great American Comedy Festival opens Thursday, June 12, with the family comedy/magic show and wraps up on Saturday, June 14, with the festival gala headlined by Yakov Smirnov. All three shows are at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre.

The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk's favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC's "Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson" for more than 25 years.

"I love how much our audiences love our shows each year," Janssen said. "But I also take a lot of pride and joy introducing all these wonderful comedians to our home. It's a wonderful cultural exchange, and I think everyone gets to benefit from it."

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

The 2025 Great American Comedy Festival will begin with a lineup of magicians that spans generations and the globe.

Gabriella Lester, Joe Monti and Mat O’Neill have been announced as the lineup for the Family Magic Show on Thursday, June 12, at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk.

“I'm never unimpressed with our lineup of magicians,” said festival executive director Pat Janssen. “We lean heavily on one of our former performers, Ben Seidman, to help curate our magic show and connect us with folks from that world. Ben has a fantastic eye for the magic show, and as one of our former performers, he knows exactly what we're looking for. This magic show is such a gem, and I'm always so glad it's part of our festival programming."

Joe Monti
Monti is a name that has resonated in the industry for over three decades. With experience as head consultant for Criss Angel's “Mindfreak,” Monti has performed for clients in 40 countries across the world, including more than 300 colleges and hundreds of Fortune 500 events. He has performed thousands of shows and was named the winner on the 10th season of Penn & Teller's hit series “Fool Us.”

Mat O'Neill
O'Neill is a Los Angeles-based mentalist and magician with a passion for blending mystery, psychology and illusion to create truly unforgettable experiences. His performances go beyond traditional magic, using a deep understanding of the human mind to read thoughts, influence decisions and leave audiences questioning the boundaries of possibility.
In February 2024, he was invited to perform in Blackpool, England, at the world’s largest and most prestigious magic convention. Although he was on the bill with the top magicians in the world, O’Neill became the talk of the conference with standing-room-only crowds. 

Gabriella Lester
Lester is a 21-year-old internationally award-winning magician from Johannesburg, South Africa. Known for her quick wit and sardonic charm, she's quickly become one of the fastest-growing names in the industry.

Lester is one of the youngest performers to ever do Houdini's daring suspended straitjacket escape (at the age of 14), she's performed on some of the biggest stages in Las Vegas and is also a frequent headliner at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.
Most recently, she appeared on Penn and Teller's hit show “Fool Us,” which was featured in The New York Times, and performed more than 500 shows in 2023 while solo touring in both Europe and North America. Aside from live performances, Lester worked as a magic consultant for Hallmark while filming movies such as “We Need a Little Christmas.” Last year, she became an associate producer on Penn and Teller's “Fool Us.”

“Gabriella, Mat and Joe will fit our festival perfectly and give Northeast Nebraska a heck of a show,” Janssen said. “I love this collection of performers, and I'm beyond thrilled that they'll be here this summer. The diversity of skills, backgrounds and perspectives will create a show with something everyone can love. This will be an amazing way to kick off our festival."
The magic show kicks the festival off June 12 with two nights of comedy headlined by James Austin Johnson on Friday, June 13, and Yakov Smirnov on Saturday, June 14. All three shows are at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre.

The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson” for more than 25 years.
"Obviously, magic was super important to Johnny Carson,” Janssen said. “That was his very first medium as a performer. To honor and respect his love for the art form is really important to us as a festival and as a community."

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

(NORFOLK, Neb.) - The year 2025 is a banner year for comedy in America. Saturday Night Live turned 50 years old in the same year that former Tonight Show host Johnny Carson would have turned 100 - and this year’s Great American Comedy Festival is celebrating both at the same time!

Legendary comedian Yakov Smirnoff will be headlining the festival’s annual Gala on Saturday, June 14th, while current Saturday Night Live cast member James Austin Johnson will headline the Friday night Comedy Showcase on June 13th.

“Johnny Carson was a comedy legend, and certainly SNL is in that same pantheon,” Festival Executive Director Pat Janssen said. “To have a member of the current SNL cast during the same year that we recognize Johnny's 100th birthday just feels so perfect.”

After escaping communist Soviet Union in the 1977, Yakov came to the United States with nothing but a dream. Before even learning the language, Yakov humbly began working as a bartender at the famous Grossinger’s Catskill Resort in New York, where he started telling jokes to his customers each night. As his English improved, he quickly grew in popularity. He made a daring move to Hollywood where the owner of The Comedy Store, Mitzi Shore, spotted him and advised him to stay. His lovable view of life through the eyes of a poor immigrant captured the hearts of America. He soared to the top of the comedy world, performing on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and countless other television programs, including as a regular character on “Night Court.” He became a star of his very own show, named after his famous catchphrase, “What a Country!” Yakov branched out to the big screen where he starred in movies with Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Meryl Streep, and Jack Nicholson, to name a few. In 2016 and 2017 his TV special “Happily ever laughter” was voted “The best special” on PBS. He has given command performances for 4 US presidents.

“Johnny Carson made a lot of comedy careers. If Johnny Carson liked you, you had to be good. And one of Johnny's favorite and most popular guests was Yakov Smirnoff,” said Janssen. “Yakov has had nothing but incredible things to say about his time performing for Johnny.”

Living a life that is as exciting as ever, Yakov has married his sweetheart, currently has his very own 2000 seat theater in Branson, Missouri, and tours the world doing stand-up Comedy at performing arts centers.

James Austin Johnson will be making history when he takes the Johnny Carson Theatre stage. He’ll be the first active cast member of “Saturday Night Live” to perform at the Great American Comedy Festival. Johnson is originally from Nashville and a featured player on SNL. The New York Times has called him “one of SNL’s most versatile celebrity impressionists.” His spot-on impression of Pres. Donald Trump paired with his improvisational ramblings about Weird Al, Julia Louis Dreyfus, and Scooby Doo have garnered over 5 million views, with profiles on James in Vanity Fair, Slate, Mashable and VICE to name a few.

“James Austin Johnson is a comic's comic,” Janssen said. “So many comedians I've talked to, who all have credits of their own, have reached out because they want to perform with him.”

As an actor, James' TV/Film credits include “Future Man”, “Baskets”, “Robbie”, “Better Call Saul”, “The Last Tycoon” and the Coen Brothers’ feature “Hail, Caesar!”. As a stand up, James has performed on the Vice series “Flophouse”, as well as Riot LA and Just For Laughs as a New Face.

The festival kicks off Thursday, June 12th, with the traditional family Comedy Magic Show. All three shows are at 7 p.m. at the Johnny Carson Theatre.

The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “Late Night Show Starring Johnny Carson” for over 25 years.

Tickets for the festival are on sale now! For tickets and information, visit
www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com