Jim Gaffigan to Receive Variety’s Inaugural Comedy Vanguard Award
Variety and the New York Comedy Festival, the largest and longest-running annual comedy festival in the United States, announced that comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan will receive Variety’s inaugural Comedy Vanguard Award presented by the New York Comedy Festival. The award will be presented during the 21st edition of the New York Comedy Festival on Sunday, Nov. 9, at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater following a career-focused conversation with Gaffigan moderated by Variety reporter Ethan Shanfeld. The New York Comedy Festival runs Nov. 7 – 16.
This inaugural award recognizes Gaffigan’s trailblazing contributions to comedy and his remarkable career milestones. It also honors him as an inspiration to the entertainment community and a generous supporter of his peers in comedy. Gaffigan will be part of the annual Stand Up for Heroes and Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine, an event benefiting the Scleroderma Research Foundation during this year’s festival.
Gaffigan is an Emmy Award–winning, eight-time Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He starred in the semi-autobiographical series “The Jim Gaffigan Show,” starred in films such as “Unfrosted,” “Chappaquiddick,” “Hotel Transylvania,” and “Linoleum,” and authored the New York Times bestselling books “Dad Is Fat” and “Food: A Love Story.” Gaffigan has delivered 11 acclaimed stand-up specials including his most recent, “The Skinny,” which was the first original stand up special for Hulu. He is currently touring with his Everything Is Wonderful stand-up show.
“Jim Gaffigan has been making us laugh since the very beginning of his career, and I’ve had the pleasure of watching him grow into one of the most respected and beloved voices in comedy today,” said Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival. “His originality, consistency, and sheer brilliance on stage make him the perfect recipient of this inaugural Comedy Vanguard Award. No one is more deserving, and Jim truly represents the spirit of innovation and excellence that this honor celebrates.”
In addition, Variety and NYCF will host a dynamic “Business of Comedy” panel bringing together voices from across the industry to explore the evolving landscape of comedy. The conversation will feature a creative executive shaping content, a business executive driving deals and strategy, a comedian offering an artist’s perspective from the stage and possibly others. Together, they’ll unpack how comedy is developed, financed, distributed, and consumed in today’s market, while reflecting on where the industry is headed next. Moderated by Shanfeld, the panel will feature Hirsch, NYCF founder and producer; Lilly Burns, producer of “Search Party” and “Emily in Paris”; Emmy-nominated comedian Jeff Ross, widely known as the “Roastmaster General” for his iconic Comedy Central Roasts including Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which garnered over one billion minutes of viewing who is coming off his critically acclaimed one-man show on Broadway “Take A Banana For The Ride”, and Talent Executive, New York Comedy Festival Louis Faranda.
Previously announced highlights at NYCF include: a screening of “St. Denis Medical,” T”he Basement Yard,” Hannah Berner, Michael Blackson, Louis C.K., Margaret Cho, “Comics To Watch,” Alex Edelman, Chris Fleming, Chris Gethard, John Goblikon, Patti Harrison, Pete Holmes, Morgan Jay, Ismo, Ryan Long, Jaye McBride, New York’s Funniest Stand-Ups Presented by Threads, Nurse John, Maddy Smith, Yohay Sponder, “Strangers With Candy” with Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, Ricky Velez, Trevor Wallace and more.
Founded by Hirsch in 2004, the festival brings together some of the biggest names in comedy and stand-up, featuring more than 100 shows over ten days across all five boroughs. Featuring 200+ top comedians from around the globe, the festival takes over iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, Madison Square Garden and Town Hall — cementing New York City’s status as the comedy capital of the world.
The 2025 NYCF is made possible by its partners Bread Financial, Threads, Hard Rock Hotel New York, ABC7, iHeart Radio, NBC Peacock, NYC Media & Entertainment, NYC Tourism + Conventions, Founded in NYC, New York Magazine, New York Post, Vulture, and The Wall Street Journal.For tickets, full schedule, and more information, visit nycomedyfestival.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X using #makeNYlaugh
This inaugural award recognizes Gaffigan’s trailblazing contributions to comedy and his remarkable career milestones. It also honors him as an inspiration to the entertainment community and a generous supporter of his peers in comedy. Gaffigan will be part of the annual Stand Up for Heroes and Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine, an event benefiting the Scleroderma Research Foundation during this year’s festival.
Gaffigan is an Emmy Award–winning, eight-time Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He starred in the semi-autobiographical series “The Jim Gaffigan Show,” starred in films such as “Unfrosted,” “Chappaquiddick,” “Hotel Transylvania,” and “Linoleum,” and authored the New York Times bestselling books “Dad Is Fat” and “Food: A Love Story.” Gaffigan has delivered 11 acclaimed stand-up specials including his most recent, “The Skinny,” which was the first original stand up special for Hulu. He is currently touring with his Everything Is Wonderful stand-up show.
“Jim Gaffigan has been making us laugh since the very beginning of his career, and I’ve had the pleasure of watching him grow into one of the most respected and beloved voices in comedy today,” said Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival. “His originality, consistency, and sheer brilliance on stage make him the perfect recipient of this inaugural Comedy Vanguard Award. No one is more deserving, and Jim truly represents the spirit of innovation and excellence that this honor celebrates.”
In addition, Variety and NYCF will host a dynamic “Business of Comedy” panel bringing together voices from across the industry to explore the evolving landscape of comedy. The conversation will feature a creative executive shaping content, a business executive driving deals and strategy, a comedian offering an artist’s perspective from the stage and possibly others. Together, they’ll unpack how comedy is developed, financed, distributed, and consumed in today’s market, while reflecting on where the industry is headed next. Moderated by Shanfeld, the panel will feature Hirsch, NYCF founder and producer; Lilly Burns, producer of “Search Party” and “Emily in Paris”; Emmy-nominated comedian Jeff Ross, widely known as the “Roastmaster General” for his iconic Comedy Central Roasts including Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady,” which garnered over one billion minutes of viewing who is coming off his critically acclaimed one-man show on Broadway “Take A Banana For The Ride”, and Talent Executive, New York Comedy Festival Louis Faranda.
Previously announced highlights at NYCF include: a screening of “St. Denis Medical,” T”he Basement Yard,” Hannah Berner, Michael Blackson, Louis C.K., Margaret Cho, “Comics To Watch,” Alex Edelman, Chris Fleming, Chris Gethard, John Goblikon, Patti Harrison, Pete Holmes, Morgan Jay, Ismo, Ryan Long, Jaye McBride, New York’s Funniest Stand-Ups Presented by Threads, Nurse John, Maddy Smith, Yohay Sponder, “Strangers With Candy” with Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris, Ricky Velez, Trevor Wallace and more.
Founded by Hirsch in 2004, the festival brings together some of the biggest names in comedy and stand-up, featuring more than 100 shows over ten days across all five boroughs. Featuring 200+ top comedians from around the globe, the festival takes over iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, Madison Square Garden and Town Hall — cementing New York City’s status as the comedy capital of the world.
The 2025 NYCF is made possible by its partners Bread Financial, Threads, Hard Rock Hotel New York, ABC7, iHeart Radio, NBC Peacock, NYC Media & Entertainment, NYC Tourism + Conventions, Founded in NYC, New York Magazine, New York Post, Vulture, and The Wall Street Journal.For tickets, full schedule, and more information, visit nycomedyfestival.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X using #makeNYlaugh