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The menu is set for Belly Laughs, a new comedy and food festival in Los Angeles that celebrates Asian American culture.

Set to take place at L.A. Live on July 12-13, Belly Laughs will feature stand-up sets and appearances from 30 comedians and a sampling of more than 20 Asian restaurants from across the city with standout names across both lists. For example, the former includes Hasan Minhaj, Kumail Nanjiani, Margaret Cho, Joel Kim Booster, Nimesh Patel, Sherry Cola, Jonnie Park (Dumbfoundead), Jason Cheny, Irene Tu, Dylan Adler, Sabrina Wu, Jenny Yang, Aaron Chen and others. The restaurant list, curated by Mama’s Nightmarket, features chef Tuệ Nguyễn and Điđi, Bobapop, Feng Mao, Guzzu Bento-Ya, Holy Basil, and more.

Belly Laughs will be spread across three stages at L.A. Live with support from sponsors like 99 Ranch Market, Martell Cognac, Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey and Asian Comedy Fest. Tickets for the...

Exclusive: Canada’s Quentin Lee has touched down at Series Mania this week with scripted show Morning, Paris! and a third season of their stand-up show Comedy InvAsian in their back pocket.

The director-producer’s Margin Films has again teamed with Comedy InvAsian co-creator and showrunner Koji Steven Sakai from Little Nalu Pictures and exec producer Victor Elizade from Viva Pictures on the show, which spotlights Aapi comedians doing 30-minute sets in each episode. Lee is the director.

The show is produced by Little Nalu Pictures and distributed by Viva Pictures Distribution. It was the TV debut of Aapi comedians such as Atsuko Okatsuka, Joey Guila, Robin Tran and Jiaoying Summers.

Seasons 1 and 2 premiered on Hulu as an exclusive in 2018, and both are now streaming on Peacock, Tubi and Prime Video. Season 3 is set for principal photography in July.

“With Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Dei) a hot-button in the national discussion,...

The documentary “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution” is set to premiere globally on June 18 on Netflix. The feature-length documentary, the first of its kind to address this topic, examines the history of queer stand-up comedy as — according to its logline — “an instrument for social change over the past five decades, actively reflecting and challenging cultural norms and values.”

The film combines stand-up performances and talking head interviews, as well as archival materials featuring LGBTQ+ comedians, and includes Lily Tomlin, Sandra Bernhard, Wanda Sykes, Suzy Izzard, Hannah Gadsby, Tig Notaro, Rosie O’Donnell, Margaret Cho, Bob The Drag Queen and Trixie Mattel.

Historians interviewed for the documentary include Dave Holmes, Roger Mason, Shar Jossell, Susan Stryker and Kate Aurthur, Variety‘s Editor-at-Large.

“Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution” is written and directed by Page Hurwitz. “I’m excited for the film to premiere, particularly at this time, because comedy has the power to unite, and...

On July 26, Robin Tran took the stage at Hollywood Boulevard’s Fonda Theatre. The Roast Battle crowd roared, the Comedy Central cameras rolled and Tran turned to face competitor Alex Duong, a fellow Los Angeles comic who came dressed to kill in a Bruce Lee tracksuit. Tran, styled more discreetly in a burgundy dress, black boots and blonde highlights, nervously raised her microphone.

“Alex quit med school to pursue stand-up comedy,” she began. “He’s the only Asian to disappoint his parents more than I did.”

“You’re right, Robin,” Duong shot back....