Netflix postpones inaugural L.A. comedy festival over coronavirus threat

In a measure of how rapidly the spread of COVID-19 has changed the entertainment landscape, just two weeks after its announcement Netflix has postponed its all-star Netflix Is A Joke Fest due to concerns over the widening coronavirus pandemic, the streaming service announced on Tuesday.

The comedy festival, which was scheduled to run April 27 to May 3 at more than 20 L.A. venues, was to have featured several top comedians, including Dave Chappelle, David Letterman, Amy Schumer and Ali Wong, culminating in a hall-of-fame homage to a quartet of late comedy luminaries: George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Joan Rivers and Robin Williams.

Though Netflix did not announce a new date for the festival, its statement encouraged those who’ve already planned to attend to “hold onto your tickets,” and that additional information for ticket holders will be available on its website, NetflixIsAJokeFest.com, “in the weeks ahead.”

The event is the latest in a long list of entertainment cancellations and postponements due to the coronavirus outbreak, including Coachella and SXSW.