Please note: This performance may contain adult themes and strong language. Audience discretion is advised.
NYLaughs, a comedy arts nonprofit that excels at sneaking world-class stand-up into public spaces, returns to Lincoln Center for a sixth summer on June 17 with a comedy lineup so stacked it feels dangerously funny. Headlining the night is James Austin Johnson from Saturday Night Live – beloved for his uncanny Trump and Biden impressions and his scene-stealing work across film and television. Joining him is Comedy Cellar favorite and former The Tonight Show writer Jourdain Fisher alongside comedy/music chaos queen Charlene Kaye, hailed by Rolling Stone as a “breakout comedy star” and critically acclaimed for her TED Talk, How to Become a K-Pop Superstar in 7 Minutes. Also joining the lineup is Olivia Carter, whose star is currently blasting into another galaxy as one of the final six remaining comedians competing on Kevin Hart’s Funny AF on Netflix. More special guests announced soon.
General Admission.
Limited advance tickets are free | Seating is first-come, first-served.
Lincoln Center’s FastTrack Ticket link can be found here:
https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/nylaughs-874
Lineup
James Austin Johnson Headliner
James Austin Johnson is a comedian and actor currently in his fourth season as a cast member on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Known for his prolific voice-over work in both TV and film, his acting credits include BARRY, BETTER CALL SAUL, SHE SAID, and HAIL, CAESAR!. He voices the Grinch in Wondery’s podcast series ‘TIS THE GRINCH HOLIDAY PODCAST, which recently wrapped its second season. On SNL, Johnson is widely recognized for his uncanny portrayal of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. In 2024, he appeared in two Oscar-nominated films, voicing Pouchy in INSIDE OUT 2 and making a cameo in the Bob Dylan biopic A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, starring Timothée Chalamet.
Olivia Carter Performer
Olivia Carter currently one of the six remaining comedians competing on Kevin Hart’s stand-up comedy competition, Funny AF, on Netflix. Olivia blends razor-sharp writing, deadpan delivery, and theatrical precision into sets that feel like beautifully awkward performance art. Olivia has quickly become one of comedy’s breakout voices. She was named a 2025 Just for Laughs New Face and has appeared on The Tonight Show, Kill Tony and Don’t Tell Comedy.
Jourdain Fisher Performer
Jourdain is a hilarious comedian, writer, and actor…and a food-forward creative known online as Gangsta Chef, where he cooks everything from cornbread to cookies with swagger and soul. A North Carolina native now based in NYC, Jourdain started stand-up at just 17, choosing punchlines over his family’s funeral home business (a career pivot we all appreciate). He’s performed on Comedy Central and made a show-stopping debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, earning a standing ovation so loud it landed him a job as a staff writer. His credits include Netflix, and BET, with honors as a Just For Laughs New Face and Stand Up NBC finalist. Offstage and in the kitchen Jourdain commands a massive online audience, with 800K+ on IG and over 1 million views on his recipes alone, proving he can bring the heat whether it’s comedy or cuisine.
Charlene Kay Performer
Charlene Kaye is a musician and comedian that has been called a “breakout comedy star” (Rolling Stone magazine). As a musician, she has toured the world and opened for Arctic Monkeys, alt-J, St. Vincent, and Metallica. As a comedian, for the past three years, she has been touring her critically acclaimed show “Tiger Daughter: Or, How I Brought My Immigrant Mother Ultimate Shame,” presented by Margaret Cho. Tiger Daughter played to sold-out runs at Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025, and it will soon be filmed as her first comedy special. Kaye’s internet comedy is in a league of its own. She created the wildly viral “Every Taylor Swift Song,” which has over 100M views and the viral TED Talk titled, How to become a K-Pop Star in 7 Minutes.
