NY Comedy Fest Announce Selections for Annual Comics To Watch Showcase

The extensive nationwide search has ended and the very best young talent on the comedy scene today has been chosen. COMEDY CENTRAL and The New York Comedy Festival have teamed up again for the second annual "Comics To Watch" showcase taking place at Carolines on Broadway on Wednesday, November 9 which is part of the 2011 New York Comedy Festival, running from November 9-13. The event will be filmed and premiere on cc.com/standup on Friday, November 11 at 5:00 p.m. ET. This year's "Comics To Watch," presented by Pandora® internet radio, is hosted by Jeffrey Ross and features the following comedians: Kevin Biggins, Kurt Braunohler, Michael Che, Emily Heller, Sam Morril, Mark Normand, Josh Rabinowitz and Daryl Wright.

-- Kevin Biggins - has written for "The Cleveland Show" and "Tosh.0" and
performs stand-up in Los Angeles for free beer.
-- Kurt Braunohler - hails from Brooklyn and was most recently seen at the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he was nominated (along with Kristen
Schaal) for "Best Comedy Show."
-- Michael Che - a native of Lower Manhattan whose comedy blends street
culture with world issues to hilarious results.
-- Emily Heller - a San Francisco Bay Area native known for her brainy,
sarcastic, unladylike style.
-- Sam Morril - a native New Yorker and winner of the 2011 Laughing Skull
Comedy Festival.
-- Mark Normand - born and raised in New Orleans, is a New York-based comic
who performs at festivals including Montreal, Seattle and Laughing
Skull, as well as colleges and clubs around the country.
-- Josh Rabinowitz - a 23 year-old comedian who was featured in the
breakout artist series of the 2010 New York Comedy Festival and will
appear next year on MTV's "I Just Want My Pants Back."
-- Daryl Wright - born in Washington, D.C., believes the best humor comes
out of real life. He resides in a padded cell with a view.

"Comics To Watch" is a showcase featuring a wide range of diversely talented young comedians. It was created to launch the careers of the next generation of comedians by putting them in front of industry executives and comedy fans. The selection process involved live showcases in multiple cities and online video submissions via comedycentral.com. The all-comedy network and the festival organizers worked closely together to identify the best new stand-up comedians.