Forty years after Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams headlined the original Comic Relief telethon, the charity is set to return to New York’s Carnegie Hall this fall with John Oliver hosting and a slew of funnymen and funnywomen lined up to take the stage.
Nonprofit Comic Relief US announced on Wednesday the return of its annual “Comic Relief Live” benefit, which will take place Monday, Oct. 19. Oliver is returning as the event’s host at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, following his hosting duties at the 2025 benefit.
“Comic Relief puts comedy to work where traditional approaches fail, lowering defenses around difficult issues and bringing people together to be part of the solution,” the nonprofit said in a press release. Through this and other events, the nonprofit uses the power of comedy to drive positive change toward its vision of a just world, free from poverty.
The nonprofit also announced several performers on Wednesday. Oliver’s fellow Daily Show alumni Roy Wood Jr. and Josh Johnson are set to appear, along with Indian American stand-up Zarna Garg and Overcompensating actress Mary Beth Barone.
This year’s benefit also marks the 40th anniversary of the original HBO special and Comic Relief’s new satirical “Not Our Problem” PSA campaign.
At the event, Comic Relief will present its 2026 Visionary Award, an honor established to recognize leaders and organizations who use their platform, innovation, and resources to advance systemic change for children and families facing poverty. This year, the award will be given to ServiceNow for its work empowering young people and investing in youth-led projects at the intersection of technology and social impact.
Ticket packages and individual tickets for the Oct. 19 event go on sale Thursday.