Punching Up Comedy Festival brings free speech and satire to FreedomFest 2026, with stars including Rob Schneider among many more.
MALIBU, CA, UNITED STATES, June 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Punching Up Comedy Festival, a multi-day program of stand-up, satire and free expression, will take place as part of FreedomFest 2026, July 8-11 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. The festival is produced by Lou Perez of Cancelled Productions and Hatem Gabr of Rethink Production and includes stand-up shows, a competition, podcasts, game shows and conversations with comedians and creators. According to festival organizers, the lineup is built around comedians whose material addresses political and social topics through satire. The festival is open to comedy professionals, aspiring comics, creators, podcasters, writers and the public.
The Funniest Night at FreedomFest
The festival’s signature event, Punching Up: The Funniest Night at FreedomFest, will feature Rob Schneider as headliner, with Lou Perez, Bridget Phetasy and Andrew Heaton also performing. The winner of the Punching Up “Truth in Comedy” competition will perform a set during the show.
Confirmed lineup
• Rob Schneider — “Saturday Night Live,” “Deuce Bigalow” (headliner)
• Lou Perez — “We the Internet TV,” “Gutfeld!”
• Bridget Phetasy — “Dumpster Fire,” “Walk-ins Welcome”
• Andrew Heaton — Reason TV’s “The Political Orphanage”
The Punching Up Comedy Festival: The Truth in Comedy competition
The “Truth in Comedy” competition at the Punching Up Comedy Festival is open to professional comics, first-time comedians and festival attendees, under the theme “Think Funny. Think Independent. Think Free.” Organizers describe the competition as built around five themes: free speech, political satire, individuality, independent thinking and challenging convention.
Competition prizes
• Grand prize: a $500 cash award, a trophy presented on the FreedomFest main stage and a performance slot in the Punching Up comedy show alongside Rob Schneider
• Audience Favorite Award: recognition by audience vote from the FreedomFest main stage
• Best Original Punching Up Jokes: recognition for the festival’s top 10 joke writers
The speakers
FreedomFest 2026’s broader speaker lineup includes the following figures from media, academia and industry:
• Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes and FreedomFest co-ambassador
• John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market
• Adam Carolla, comedian, broadcaster and host of “The Adam Carolla Show”
• Rob Schneider, comedian and actor from “Saturday Night Live”
• Kelsey Grammer, actor on “Frasier” and “Cheers,” writer, producer, director, comedian
• Kennedy, news commentator and former MTV VJ
• Dean Cain, actor, producer and television presenter
• Glenn Beck, media commentator, founder of TheBlaze and co-founder of Blaze Media
• Nick Shirley, independent journalist and social media influencer
• Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU and host of “Real Talk with Marissa”
About the Punching Up Comedy Festival
Organizers describe Punching Up as a festival centered on comedy as social commentary, presented through stand-up, satire, live shows, a competition, podcasts, game shows and conversations with comedians and creators. Festival organizers say the event is intended for comedy professionals, aspiring comics, creators, podcasters, writers and audiences interested in stand-up comedy that engages with political and cultural topics.
About FreedomFest
FreedomFest, which organizers describe as “the world’s largest annual gathering of free minds,” returns to Las Vegas July 8-11, 2026, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence. Founded in 2002 by economist Dr. Mark Skousen, the four-day conference is expected to draw more than 2,500 attendees for sessions on philosophy, economics, technology, health and the arts.
Programming includes the Anthem Film Festival, an international showcase of narrative films and documentaries; the Global Financial Summit, an investment conference featuring economists and financial advisers; the Tradeshow for Liberty, where think tanks and grassroots organizations convene; the Principled Business Pitch Competition, for entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders; and the Punching Up Comedy Festival.
The 2026 theme is “Think Independent.” Dr. Skousen has described FreedomFest’s role as a venue for people who want to “think, create, and innovate.” Organizers describe FreedomFest as a gathering focused on liberty, free markets and prosperity, drawing attendees from the United States and other countries.
Event information
FreedomFest 2026 takes place July 8-11 at Caesars Forum, 3911 S. Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89109. The conference begins Wednesday, July 8, at noon and concludes Saturday, July 11, with the Independence Ball. Registration options range from full conference passes to Anthem Film Lovers and one-day passes.
https://freedomfest.com
Phone: 855-850-3733
Instagram: @thefreedomfest
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freedomfest/
Works cited
[1] FreedomFest. “About Us.” https://freedomfest.com/about
[2] FreedomFest. “Media Kit.” https://freedomfest.com/media
[3] Anthem Film Festival. “About the Anthem Film Festival.” https://anthemfilmfestival.com/about/
[4] Skousen, Mark. “FreedomFest Conference Press Kit.” https://mskousen.com/online-press-kit/freedomfest-conference/
[5] FreedomFest. “Past Speakers.” https://freedomfest.com/speakers
Bruce Edwin
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Valerie Durham discusses FreedomFest
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