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River Leanox

River Leanox edits Open Comedy's newsroom. Coverage runs across stand-up's full ecosystem: comics on the rise, club owners booking the rooms, festivals, specials, and the working-comic economics behind the laughs. Tips, corrections, and counter-arguments welcome at river@opencomedy.com.

Mock The Week’s Summer Bonus: What the TLC Comeback Says About Panel Shows in 2026

May 7, 2026 River Leanox

A free-to-air comeback finds extra room Mock The Week is back for an extra summer run. Warner Bros. Discovery announced on 6 May that TLC…

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Edinburgh Fringe Lineup 2026: What the May Programme Drop Tells Working Comics

May 6, 2026 River Leanox

The May programme drop in detail On 5 May 2026 the Gilded Balloon revealed 88 further shows for August’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The same afternoon…

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BBC Comedy Festival Heads to Liverpool: What Free Tickets and Regional Rotation Mean for Working Comics

May 5, 2026 River Leanox

Why Liverpool, why now The BBC Comedy Festival 2026 arrives at the Royal Court Theatre on 13 and 14 May. It is the fifth edition…

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Josh Johnson’s HBO Bet: Why Evergreen Comedy Still Wins the Special Slot

May 5, 2026 River Leanox

Josh Johnson uploaded 38 hours of topical stand-up to YouTube in 2025. On 22 May 2026, HBO will premiere his first hour-long network special, Symphony,…

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Gorilla Comedy+ Launches: What a Stand-Up Streaming Service Means for Working Comics

May 5, 2026 River Leanox

A niche streamer steps into a crowded room 800 Pound Gorilla Media flips the switch on Gorilla Comedy+ today, 5 May 2026. The Nashville-based label…

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Lenny Henry’s 16-Year Return: What Veteran Stand-Up Comebacks Reveal About 2026 Booking

May 5, 2026 River Leanox

On Tuesday 5 May 2026, Sir Lenny Henry walked onto the stage at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury. He started the first nationwide stand-up tour he…

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Banana Cabaret Farewell: What London’s 43-Year Comedy Club Handover Teaches Indie Venues

May 5, 2026 River Leanox

One of British comedy’s longest-running rooms is taking its final bow this month. Banana Cabaret, the Balham institution that opened in 1983 above The Bedford…

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Comic Timing in 2026: Why Ashley Padilla’s SNL Success Proves Technical Skill Still Matters

May 4, 2026 River Leanox

What Is Comic Timing, Actually? Comic timing is the interval between the setup and the punchline. More specifically, it’s the purposeful control of pace, rhythm,…

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Sinbad’s Comedy Comeback: What His Return Teaches Working Comics About Resilience

May 4, 2026 River Leanox

The night a 69-year-old legend walked back on stage On April 29, Sinbad announced that he was finally returning to stand-up. His first show ran…

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Stand-Up Goes Pop Star: What Nikki Glaser’s ‘Good Girl’ Signals for the Industry

May 3, 2026 River Leanox

On April 24, Hulu dropped Nikki Glaser: Good Girl, and it did not look like a normal stand-up special. Glaser walked out to a custom…

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