The line-up for the 2015 Comedy Festival is out today with a programme featuring everyone from returning international and local stars to provocative new acts.

Eddie Murphy refused to play troubled comedian Bill Cosby in a sketch during Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary show.

Early on in Eddie Izzard's performance, one of two in Auckland before his 26-country Force Majeur tour returns him to the UK, there was the matter of the pesky fly.

His last tour here was called Life is Pain but it seems Alan Davies will be in a bit of a better mood when he visits again in July.

Michael Palin gives Dominic Corry insights on Kiwis and humour.

A festival show has patrons pounding streets, finds Rebecca Barry-Hill.

British funnyman Rowan Atkinson is set to reprise his role as Mr. Bean.

The international magician dubbed The Unusualist is returning to New Zealand with his own box of tricks.

The name of Eddie Izzard's latest tour Force Majeure means a superior force, an act of God, an unavoidable event.

Whoa, this can't be right. Guys, guys, guys - this isn't the end. It feels like the lights have just come on in the theatre just when I was settling down to my popcorn...

Mike Myers has reprised his Austin Powers villain Dr Evil to poke fun at the Sony/North Korea hacking scandal on Saturday Night Live.

How offensive can Chelsea Handler get? Chris Schulz braved the TV comedian's first Auckland show to find out.

Two North American comedy stars are making their way to Auckland next year. Canadian Russell Peters is returning to New Zealand after his sold-out 2013 show.

Veteran comedy star Bill Cosby struck a defiant pose and lapped up standing ovations at one of his live shows in America at the weekend as he faced down growing allegations of rape and sexual assault....

Russell Brand has fired back at social media users who have ridiculed his political rants using Blur's Parklife by re-recording the song himself.

Prince Charles has roasted Molly Meldrum in a tongue-in-cheek message coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Countdown.

Comedian and top-class driver Urzila Carlson explains why it’s easier to drive in New Zealand than South Africa and why she’s not a good passenger.

Things are bound to get personal when Chelsea Handler brings her lippy stand-up show to Auckland. The former Late Night host talks to Chris Schulz.

She came under fire last month for apparently lip-synching during a performance with Jennifer Lopez.

The 200-strong audience at the Xperia Access Q Awards were less than impressed by Jimmy Carr's particularly dark joke about the Oscar Pistorius trial.

Reggie Watts’ live show is an explosion of improvisation. Just don’t ask him how he does it, writes Chris Schulz

Barcelona comedy club Teatreneu has installed facial-recognition technology on the back of its chairs to track how much each person in their theatre has enjoyed the show. Each single laugh will cost you €0.30 (NZ50 cents), and customers could face a maximum charge of €24 (NZ$38).

Teatreneu has installed facial-recognition technology on the back of its chairs to track how much each person in their theatre has enjoyed the show.

JJ Fong, Perlina Lau and Ally Xue are three Auckland actresses who decided they wanted to make a comedy series based around their own experiences as New Zealanders - so they did.

Andy Griffiths creates worlds where killer koalas from outer space invade and robots riot — and kids can’t get enough of them, writes Dionne Christian.

"I think," said the comedian Urzila Carlson, "I'm girlier than most girls ... in my situation." Giggle, giggle, she went.

The joker in this year's political pack, Ben Uffindell, is claiming success in last weekend's election after his Civilian Party outpolled his "main opposition", Brendan Horan.

David Farrier writes about playing interviewer to various versions of Rhys Darby in the comedian's new television show, Short Poppies.

Joan Rivers may not have floated everybody's boat. She was a force of nature who spoke her mind with a glorious disregard for taste or diplomacy.

Chris O'Dowd had Hollywood at his fingertips. Instead of indulging, he went home and created a surreal TV show about his childhood. He tells Chris Schulz why.