McSTREAMY.COM (03/28/2015) – AXS TV presents a night of comedy and awareness in the star-studded stand-up special Lewis Black and Friends: A Night to Let Freedom Laugh, airing Thursday, April 16, at 10pE/7pP.
The two-hour event brings some of America’s best and brightest comedians together for an unforgettable evening that celebrates, honors, and sheds some light on the freedoms and principles outlined in one of the Nation’s most vital documents: The Bill of Rights.
Filmed at the historic Warner Theater in downtown Washington, DC, Let Freedom Laugh features performances from a wide variety of established comedy heroes and celebrated up-and-comers, each delivering their own unique and opinionated take in front of a sold out audience.
The A-list roster is headlined by stand-up stand-out Lewis Black, best known for his fiery personality and politically-charged sets that take aim at society’s issues and cultural trends.
Rounding out the lineup is civil rights activist and stand-up pioneer Dick Gregory; beloved comedian and first amendment hero Tom Smothers; groundbreaking sitcom star Cristela Alonzo; Richard Pryor Award-winner Ahmed Ahmed; and comedian and political commentator John Fugelsang.
Let Freedom Laugh is the brainchild of MyBillofRights.org, as part of their innovative “Bill of Rights Monument Project.” The organization’s mission is to elevate, protect, and preserve the legacy of the Bill of Rights by erecting permanent monuments and displays in civic buildings nationwide, starting with all 50 State Capitols.
MyBillOfRights.org experienced great success in 2012 when their first comedy event, held at Phoenix Symphony Hall, led to the creation of America’s first monument to the Bill of Rights at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix.
Asked about his involvement, Lewis Black said: “I am doing this because from what I’ve seen in the news it seems that some folks in America need a little bit of a reminder of what our founding fathers really said”.
“It’s going to be nice to see the cornerstone of our democracy on real stone, especially someplace prominent like our State Capitols, where the politicians can go read it again when necessary”, Black said.
MyBillOfRights.org founder and comedian Chris Bliss.
Added MyBillofRights.org founder and fellow comedian Chris Bliss: “Humor is a powerful tool for opening people to new perspectives, and to one another, so what better way to celebrate our freedoms and diversity than with great stand-up comedy, the purest form of free expression?”
“AXS TV is proud to be a part of this unique event that aims to educate the public about one of America’s most important documents, using some of the most influential names in comedy,” said Evan Haiman, vice president of music programming and production, AXS TV.
“Powered by an iconic lineup featuring living legends Lewis Black and Dick Gregory, this special promises to be as hilarious as it is insightful”, Haiman added.
AXS TV is the cable industry’s general entertainment network for live event programming, and the premier destination for some of the nation’s biggest music festivals in 2015.
Launched in July 2012 by visionary entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is dedicated to providing groundbreaking music programming, stand-up comedy performances from today’s top comedians, and hard-hitting mixed martial arts promotions.
AXS TV boasts over 70 hours of exclusive live broadcasts of premier music festivals in 2015, featuring Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach Country Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Rock on the Range Music Festival and Firefly Music Festival. The HD channel heavily concentrates on bringing the industry’s biggest names directly into their viewers’ homes, for the ultimate front row experience.
Other hit network franchises include such original programs as The Big Interview with Dan Rather; Discovering Lucy Angel; The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands; Gotham Comedy Live; Art Mann Presents; AXS Tv Fights; and Inside MMA.
AXS TV is a partnership between Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. The network is available in the United States via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also distributed in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
For more information, visit the website, www.axs.tv or go to the Facebook page and follow the company on Twitter (@axstv), on Instagram, Tumblr, Cyber Dust, and YouTube.
TOP PHOTO CREDIT: Pictured, left to right, are Dick Gregory, Lewis Black, Cristela Alonzo, Ahmed Ahmed, Tommy Smothers, John Fugelsang. Photo by Joy Asico.
