At the 2026 Netflix Is a Joke Festival, The Shortlist brought together 10 nationally touring comedians already earning acclaim and building momentum across the comedy world.

The featured comics — Comedian CP, Ethan Simmons-Patterson, Gabby Bryan, Lucas Zelnick, Maddie Wiener, Opey Olagbaju, Peter Revello, Shapel Lacey, Sophie Buddle, and Zach Noe Towers — took the stage at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles for a showcase celebrating some of comedy’s most exciting rising voices.

The Shortlist was created with a focus on investing in emerging talent, with Netflix casting and content executives across stand-up, film, series, and animation helping shape the concept and select the lineup. Each comedian performed a set during the May 4 showcase, which was recorded as part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026.

Keep reading to get to know the comedians who made The Shortlist — and watch clips from their performances.

Peter Revello

Peter Revello is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer based in New York who made his late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has appeared on CBS’s Comics Unleashed. Follow Peter on Instagram here.

Comedian CP

Comedian CP (Chris Powell) is a writer and performer whose comedy special Sunday After Six debuted in 2025 and was most recently on the staff of the second season of Diarra from Detroit. Follow Comedian CP on Instagram here.

Sophie Buddle

Sophie Buddle is a stand-up comedian, TV writer, and podcaster who served as the head monologue writer for CBS’s After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson and has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS, and CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Follow Sophie on Instagram here.

Opey Olagbaju

Opey Olagbaju is a Los Angeles–based stand-up comedian who’s been recognized by Vulture as one of the “Comics You Should and Will Know” and has writing credits on series including HBO Max’s Bob Hearts Abishola. Follow Opey on Instagram here.

Maddie Wiener

Maddie Wiener is a stand-up comedian who made her Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon debut last year on NBC and has filmed stand-up sets for Comedy Central and Don’t Tell Comedy. Follow Maddie on Instagram here.

Lucas Zelnick

Lucas Zelnick is a stand-up comedian born, raised, and based in New York City, who has been featured on Comedy Central and in films including Regulars, Fade to Black, and Pizza Movie. Follow Lucas Zelnick on Instagram here.

Ethan Simmons-Patterson 

Ethan Simmons-Patterson is a stand-up comedian who has been featured on Comedy Central and is a regular at The Comedy Cellar. Follow Ethan on Instagram here.

Gabby Bryan

Gabby Bryan is a New York-based stand-up comedian, actress, podcaster, and Emmy-winning producer currently performing across the US and UK to sold-out crowds with her tour Gabby Bryan is My Best Friend. Follow Gabby on Instagram here.

Shapel Lacey

Shapel Lacey is a Los Angeles–based stand-up comedian who performs regularly at the Comedy Store and co-hosts a YouTube series called Cooked in the Comments. Follow Shapel on Instagram here.

Zach Noe Towers

Zach Noe Towers is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, and writer who appeared on Netflix’s Dear White People or as one of the hosts of E!’s Nightly Pop and Dating #NoFilter. Follow Zach on Instagram here.

The showcase was part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026, the week-long comedy festival produced by Netflix in partnership with Live Nation. Held May 4–10 across Los Angeles, the festival featured more than 350 live events, including stand-up performances, variety shows, comedy podcasts, tapings, exclusive events, and screenings.