Celebrity Comedy Benefit Supports Americares COVID-19 Response

Stamford, Conn. – April 23, 2020 – The biggest names in comedy are coming together to help health workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with a special virtual comedy fest on Friday, May 1.

The COVID IS NO JOKE comedy show will be a night of levity, laughter and community in support of frontline health workers—the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic.The show will air LIVE on covidisnojoke.org and Americares YouTube channel at 8 p.m. EDT, benefiting Americares COVID-19 response.

The star-studded event will feature a mix of sketches, stand-up comedy and heart-felt messages from Elizabeth Banks, Ike Barinholtz, Jack Black and Tenacious D, Wayne Brady, D’Arcy Carden, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Cotter, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Will Ferrell, Gal Gadot, Kyle Gass, Linda Hamilton, Chelsea Handler, Mindy Kaling, Kerri Louise, Jonathan Mangum, Patton Oswalt, Natalia Reyes, Adam Scott, Finn Straley, Paige Weldon, Jenny Yang and more. Americares board member and actor, director, producer Tony Goldwyn will host the one-hour event.

“We can’t be together right now, but we can laugh together – and help frontline health workers at the same time,” said Goldwyn, who has supported Americares for nearly 20 years.

“This is what Americares does best – helping people in crisis – and we hope this comedy event raises awareness and critical funding for its COVID-19 response.”

Hollywood producers and longtime Americares supporters Bonnie Curtis, Kristin Hahn, Linda Goldstein Knowlton, David Koplan, Julie Lynn and Marti Noxon are serving as executive producers of the comedy benefit.  

Americares, a health-focused relief organization, is providing critically needed protective gear, training and emotional support for health workers in the United States and around the world. An anonymous donor has agreed to match the first $100,000 in donations to Americares during the comedy event.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Americares has provided protective gear and infection-control supplies to health facilities in the United States, Haiti, Honduras, India, Lebanon, the Philippines and Tanzania. In the U.S. alone, Americares has delivered 34 tons of protective supplies, including gloves, masks, gowns and disinfectants, to health facilities in 40 states. In addition, Americares is training health workers in infection prevention and control, disaster preparedness and mental health and psychosocial support.

Americares has a long history of responding to infectious disease outbreaks, including cholera, Ebola, dengue and Zika outbreaks. The organization has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters at a moment’s notice and stocks emergency medicine and supplies in warehouses in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. Americares responds to more than 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings disaster preparedness programs to vulnerable communities. Since its founding more than 40 years ago, Americares has provided more than $18 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.

“Now more than ever, the world can use a little levity,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “Humor is a great way to lessen stress, so let’s use the power of comedy to come together and support our frontline health workers.”

Viewers can support Americares COVID-19 response by making a donation on sandbox.americares.org or by texting “JOKE” to 20222 to make a $25 donation.