Launched in 2008, the “New York’s Funniest Stand-Up” competition is open to any and all comedians who think they have what it takes to be New York’s Funniest and previous winners have gone on to become some of the biggest names in comedy. The ten finalists will perform a ten-minute set in front of a panel of comedy industry judges.   The winner to receive a cash prize.

The 2023 finalists are:

Pat Burtscher – As a New Yorker, Pat Burtscher regularly performs at The Comedy Cellar and New York Comedy Club, and has also performed during the New York Comedy Festival, Just for Laughs Montreal, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and Singapore Comedy Fringe. @patburtscher

Peng Dang – Born in China, Peng Dang is a regular performer at the Comedy Cellar. His comedy focuses on adapting from his traditional Asian upbringing and life in America. @pengdangcomedy

Julio Diaz – As a Dominican-American stand-up comedian and born and raised in Brooklyn, Julio has performed at NY clubs for half a decade and was recently featured on the Netflix “Comedy is a Joke“ festival in Los Angeles. His podcast “TJ Squared” is on Apple, YouTube and Soundcloud. @juliodiazcomedy

Matt Koff – Matt Koff is an award-winning TV writer and standup comic, who has won an Emmy for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Matt has appeared on Comedy Central, WNYC, WFMU, and The History Channel and has also written for The Onion and The White House Correspondents’ Dinner hosted by Trevor Noah. He co-created the Twitter sensation TrumpComedyNerd, which was named one of the 207 Top Comedy Moments of 2010s by Vulture. @mattkoff 

Gavin Matts – A New York-based writer and stand-up, Gavin was the winner of Canada’s Top Comic in 2017 and was named a TBS comic to watch in 2018. He has made stand-up appearances on Bill Burr Presents: The Ringers, CONAN, and Comedy Central’s Stand Up Featuring. ‘progression’, his debut special, premieres on All Things Comedy on October 27, 2023. @gavinmatts

Paris Sashay – From Washington, D.C., Paris was named a New Face at the 2018 Just For Laughs festival in Montreal. Her stand-up was also featured on Epix’s UNPROTECTED SETS season one, produced by Wanda Sykes. She can most recently be seen on BET’s 50 CENTRAL. She recently headlined at Carolines in New York and has appeared at The Kennedy Center, the Apollo Theater, Howard Theatre, DC Improv and Carolines on Broadway.

Tre’ Stewart – As a Detroit native, Tre’ has a relaxed, laid-back comedic delivery where the punch lines come in an intimate and conversational style. Stewart is based in NYC and is a regular at The Comedy Cellar. @trestewart1 

Vishnu Vaka – Vishnu Vaka is a stand-up comedian. Originally from India, he moved to US as a teenager but kept his accent as he loves it. He got fat and became an American citizen in that order. Vishnu wants everyone to be happy and laughing all the time. Vishnu is doing his part by being the best damn comedian on the land, he is also an extremely good-looking man. He believes people who take themselves seriously are nincompoops. @vishnuvakacomedy

Jake Velazquez – Born and raised in the Bronx, Jake Velazquez is son of a Jewish east village artist and a Puerto Rican musician and has been featured on New York Comedy Festival’s Comics to Watch, Rogue Island Comedy Festival, and Red Clay. He also is a regular at New York Comedy Club and performs around the country opening for Jordan Jensen. @jakevcomedy

Maddie Wiener – Maddie Wiener has been a “New Face” at the Just for Laughs Festival and filmed stand-up sets for Comedy Central and Don’t Tell Comedy. She has appeared on You Up with Nikki Glaser on SiriusXM and was a semi-finalist for Stand Up NBC.  On the road, Maddie has opened for Dave Attell, Nikki Glaser, Robert Kelly, Anthony Jeselnik, and Joe List.  You can listen to her on the hit podcast “We’re Having Gay Sex,”  which she co-hosts with Ashley Gavin. @maddietwiener

PLEASE NOTE TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE. THERE IS NO BOX OFFICE AT THE VENUE.