October 21, 2026
THE MOTH AND COMIC RELIEF JOIN FORCES FOR “FUNNY STORY” AT THE NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL
Laura Benanti, Hari Kondabolu, and more to take the stage as part of the first-of-its-kind comedic storytelling show collab
Saturday, November 14 at 3:00 p.m. at The Town Hall. Tickets on Sale Now.
NEW YORK, NY (October 21, 2026) – The Moth, the acclaimed global nonprofit dedicated to the art and craft of true, personal storytelling,and Comic Relief, the nonprofit that uses the power of comedy to fight childhood poverty, are teaming up for Funny Story, a special Moth Mainstage, presented as part of the 22nd annual New York Comedy Festival. Hosted by comedian and Moth favorite Ophira Eisenberg, the special show will take place Saturday, November 14 at 3:00 p.m. at The Town Hall. Tickets are on sale now.
Funny Story brings five comedians—Laura Benanti, Hari Kondabolu, Jake Cornell, Jay Jurden, and Devon Walker—to the Moth stage to tell true stories from their own lives. Rather than performing a traditional stand-up set, each teller will take on the Moth’s signature format: a true personal tale, told live and without notes.
“Comedy and storytelling have a lot in common: both depend on timing, honesty, and the ability to engage with an audience in a personal way,” said Sarah Austin Jenness, Executive Producer at The Moth. “We’re excited to bring these two traditions together with Comic Relief and give audiences the chance to hear a different side of some of today’s funniest performers.”
“True personal stories, especially when rooted in comedy, have a unique power to lower barriers, build empathy, and move people to action,” said Michele Ganeless, CEO of Comic Relief. “We are thrilled to team up with The Moth at the New York Comedy Festival to share an afternoon of honest, hilarious storytelling at Town Hall. Having Ophira host, along with Laura, Hari, Jake, Jay, and Devon, gives audiences a fresh way to connect with today’s top comedians while helping us drive real support for children and families facing poverty.”
“Not only is it a joy to tell a story with The Moth, but developing and telling those stories has genuinely helped me find my comedic voice,” says Ophira Eisenberg, comedian and host of the evening’s show. “It has taught me not to hide behind a character, and to lean into the truth, emotion, and authenticity of my own experiences. Writing and developing stories with The Moth, I found some of my best comedic material — and became a better stand-up comic in the process.”
SHOW DETAILS:
The Moth x Comic Relief Present: Funny Story
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Show begins at 3:00 p.m.
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street (btwn Sixth Ave and Broadway)
New York, NY
Host: Ophira Eisenberg
Featuring: Laura Benanti, Jake Cornell, Jay Jurden, Hari Kondabolu, and Devon Walker
ABOUT THE MOTH
The Moth is a global storytelling nonprofit dedicated to connecting humanity through the power of personal storytelling. Since launching in 1997, The Moth has presented more than 70,000 true stories — told live and without notes — to standing-room-only audiences around the world. Today, The Moth produces more than 600 live events annually and maintains an ongoing presence in 29 cities worldwide. Its work spans live storytelling, workshops and education, and media and publishing, including the internationally touring Mainstage series, open-mic StorySLAMs, and global storytelling initiatives. Each year, The Moth leads thousands of new storytellers through workshops for students, educators, adults, advocates, and professionals. Its Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour airs weekly on more than 540 public radio stations, while The Moth Podcast is downloaded tens of millions of times annually. The Moth has published five New York Times bestselling books and released My Life in Stories: A Guided Journal from The Moth (Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, $22.99) in February. More at TheMoth.org | @MothStories
ABOUT COMIC RELIEF
Comedy moves culture. Comic Relief uses this power to build awareness, raise money, and drive action in communities to support kids facing poverty. To date, we’ve helped more than 50 million children and families live healthier, safer, and more empowered lives. In 2026, Comic Relief is advancing its mission through new public initiatives, including Neighborhood Festivals, a series of free community events bringing people together through laughter and local impact by combining comedy, volunteering, and local non-profits; and “Not Our Problem,” a new awareness campaign that uses satire as a provocative force to disrupt indifference toward the issue of childhood poverty. Learn more at ComicRelief.org and follow us across platforms @ComicReliefUS.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL (NYCF)
Launched in 2004, the New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) is produced by Carolines and features over 200 comedians performing in more than 100 shows across New York City’s most prestigious venues, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and the Beacon Theatre. Over its history, the week-long festival has brought together the biggest names in comedy and the most exciting emerging talent from around the world. For more information, visit the official New York Comedy Festival website. The 22nd annual New York Comedy Festival will take place November 6 – 15, 2026.
Media inquiries:
For The Moth:
Meryl Cooper, The COOPERation, 917 – 974-0022, meryl@thecooperationinc.com
For Comic Relief:
Steve Albani, AB Creative, 917.439.3212, steve@abcreativepr.com
Aileen Budow, AB Creative