The National Comedy Center, the United States’ official cultural institution dedicated to the art form of comedy, will present Lewis Black for two stand-up shows in Western New York as part of the two-time Grammy Award-winning comedian’s “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour.” Black will perform in Buffalo at the Riviera Theatre (North Tonawanda, NY) on Thursday, September 5, 2024, and at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, NY on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Comedian, actor and writer Black recently announced that his current tour would be his final one – after 35+ years as a touring comedian – marking the end of his legendary world-touring career. He will write the next chapter of his career by going back to his roots and focusing on writing a new play, penning a new book, and expanding his podcast, RantCast, to include live recordings.
Known as “King of the Rant,” Black is beloved for his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger-pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world. He is the longest-running correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and is currently starring as the voice of “Anger” in the Disney and Pixar box-office blockbuster film Inside Out 2.
Black is a National Comedy Center Advisory Board member and a longtime supporter of the non-profit cultural institution, which became the nation’s first official archive and museum dedicated to preserving and presenting comedy’s heritage when it opened its doors in 2018.
“It’s always been a thrill for me to come to Jamestown and Buffalo, spend time in this incredible museum and perform for National Comedy Center audiences,” said Lewis Black. “It means a lot to me to take the stage on this final tour, for these two very special shows, performing for friends and fans who love comedy as much as I do.”
“Audiences here in Western New York have loved and appreciated Lewis Black’s comedy for decades – since he first performed at one of the earliest Lucille Ball Comedy Festivals in Jamestown back in the early ‘90s,” stated National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson. “Lewis has become a steadfast supporter of the National Comedy Center’s non-profit mission. On this his final tour of his extraordinary career, it’s an honor to bring him back for two final shows so that we can share that experience together. He’s been an ambassador for the comedy community to receive an elevated level of regard within the arts, and he’s one of most respected practitioners of the craft. From being the longest-running correspondent of The Daily Show, to his singular style and voice gracing stages for decades, he’s an artist taking a final bow on tour, and it’s not to miss if you live in Western New York.”
All ticket holders for these shows will receive the benefit of a special admission offer for the National Comedy Center museum experience in Jamestown, NY – a complimentary museum admission ticket with the purchase of one regular museum admission. Details are available at ComedyCenter.org/LewisBlack.
Lewis Black has performed for audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. Since 2014 he has done over 400 live streaming shows called The Rant is Due, which is streamed from each of his stand-up performances.
His recent theatrical release, Inside Out 2, is currently the highest grossing film of 2024, earning $1 billion at the box office worldwide faster than any other animated movie in history. The film had the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar history and the second-biggest animated movie opening of all time.
Black’s stand-up specials have appeared on major streaming platforms as well as HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and Epix. His most recent stand-up special, Tragically, I Need You, was released last year and has surpassed 1.8 million views on YouTube to date. The special explores topics including his ways of coping with the pandemic, his frustrations with the evolving world, and of course his thoughts about the chaos of America these last few years.
Black’s Rant Cast podcast adds a unique element to podcasting, as he delivers audience-written rants which have been submitted from fans around the world.
In 2020, Black released Thanks for Risking Your Life. In 2015, he notably voiced the character “Anger” in Pixar’s original Academy Award-winning Inside Out. His other notable films include Universal’s Accepted co-starring Jonah Hill, Blake Lively and Justin Long, and Man Of The Year opposite Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney and Jeff Goldblum.
The comedian has released eight critically acclaimed comedy albums including the 2007 Grammy Award-Winner, The Carnegie Hall Performance. He won his second Grammy in 2011 for his album, Stark Raving Black, and has a total of 6 Grammys nominations. He has published three bestsellers: Nothing’s Sacred, Me of Little Faith and I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas.
A published playwright, he’s written over 40 plays and has found his work performed throughout the country, including at the A.C.T. Theatre, the Magic Theatre, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The Public Theatre.
Special offer for Lewis Black fans who buy tickets to the Jamestown and Buffalo Lewis Black Shows:
Visit the National Comedy Center this fall and bring a friend for free!
Receive a complimentary admission ticket to the National Comedy Center when you purchase one regular admission and show proof of purchase of a Lewis Black show ticket for the Buffalo (September 5) or Jamestown (September 6) shows.
Offer valid September 1 through November 30, 2024.
Offer can only be redeemed at the National Comedy Center ticket counter upon entry with purchase of one regular admission ticket. Offer has no cash value, is non-transferable and cannot be combined with other offers. Limit one redemption per ticketholder.
About the National Comedy Center
The National Comedy Center is the United States’ official cultural institution and museum dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations, as formally designated by the U.S. Congress. Opened in 2018 in Jamestown, New York, the museum complex offers an unprecedented, immersive visitor experience using state-of-the-art technology, interactivity, and personalization.
USA Today named the National Comedy Center the “Best New Museum in the Country, TIME magazine named it one of its “World’s Greatest Places,” and U.S. News & World Report selected it as one of the “25 Top Family Weekend Getaways in the U.S.,” while Condé Nast Traveler called the National Comedy Center “one of the best museums in the country,” and People magazine named it one of “100 Reasons to Love America.”
The National Comedy Center has been featured in The New York Times, on CBS Saturday Morning, CBS Sunday Morning and on NBC’s TODAY Show, which called it “the Smithsonian of Comedy.” Visitors from all 50 states and eighteen countries have given the Center a rare 5/5 rating on TripAdvisor, ranking among the highest in the attraction and tourism industry.
Based on the vision of Jamestown native Lucille Ball for her hometown to become a destination for comedy, the non-profit National Comedy Center’s mission is to provide education on the comedic arts in the form of commentary and contextualization of its bodies of work across all eras and genres of the art form.
The National Comedy Center has collaborated with dozens of artists and estates to preserve materials that represent comedy’s significant artistic, social, and political contributions to American culture including collections illustrating the careers of legendary artists like George Carlin, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Lenny Bruce, The Smothers Brothers, and the development of groundbreaking creative work such as sketch comedy series In Living Color, Saturday Night Live, and more.
The National Comedy Center operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which explores the lives, careers, and legacy of the “First Couple of Comedy” and the incredible impact they had on the world, as well as the pioneering role and remarkable influence that I Love Lucy and Desilu Studios had on the entertainment industry for generations to come.
The annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, produced and presented by the National Comedy Center, showcases comedy’s most significant artists including Jerry Seinfeld, Trevor Noah, Lily Tomlin, John Mulaney, Margaret Cho, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Jeff Foxworthy, Taylor Tomlinson, Jay Leno, Amy Schumer, Sebastian Maniscalco, W. Kamau Bell, David Spade, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, Joan Rivers, Kevin Nealon, The Smothers Brothers, and more than 300 comedic artists. The 2024 festival, August 1-4, will feature Nate Bargatze, “Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross, Nicole Byer, and dozens of comedic artists over 50 live events. Tickets for 2024 festival events are currently on sale to the public at ComedyCenter.org.
The National Comedy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit national archive and museum. Donations and grants support its work to present the vital story of comedy and preserve its heritage for future generations.