New York Comedy Festival Announces 2025 Stand Up for Heroes Lineup of A-List Comedians, Musicians

The New York Comedy Festival’s annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit for U.S. military veterans, service members and their families will return for its 19th year with another lineup of top comedians and performers.

The event is slated to take place on Nov. 10 at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York with a slate that includes regulars Jim Gaffigan and Jon Stewart; comedians Mike Birbiglia, Alex Edelman a star of Peacock‘s The Office spinoff The Paper and Tom Papa; as well as actor-singers Idina Menzel, Lea Michele and Leslie Odom Jr.

Billed as a “night of hope, healing and laughter,” the event is presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival, which runs Nov. 7-16. In addition to the performances, the show will spotlight inspiring stories of resilience and service by members of the military, while raising awareness and critical funds for the foundation.

“For 19 years, Stand Up for Heroes has been a chance to show our gratitude to the extraordinary men and women who have served our country with courage and sacrifice,” said Bob Woodruff, an ABC correspondent who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2006 while covering the Iraq War, and after battling his way back to health, co-founded the organization. “This year’s event continues the tradition of bringing together world-class performers and a community of supporters to recognize their service.”

In 2007, NYCF founders Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox partnered with Woodruff and his wife, Lee, to create Stand Up for Heroes, which has raised $113 million to date to help veterans and military families. Over the past 19 years, comedians and performers including Stewart — a longtime activist for veterans and first responders — Gaffigan, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney, Stephen Colbert, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Hasan Minhaj, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Jeff Ross and Iliza Shlesinger.

“Stand Up for Heroes brings together the healing power of laughter and music to uplift and honor those who’ve served our country. We’re proud to once again partner with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to unite acclaimed comedians, musicians, and special guests around a shared mission: to support and celebrate our nation’s heroes,” Hirsch said in a statement. “Together, we’ll laugh, inspire, and invest in those who have sacrificed so much.”