The application for the 2025 Yes, And… Laughter Lab Fellowship is now open!
Deadline to submit is Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. NO exceptions will be made for those who missed the deadline.
About the 2025 Yes, And… Laughter Lab
The Yes, And Laughter Lab (YALL) invites all comedy creators to apply for a chance to receive some training, some money, and a chance to pitch their project to a room full of potential allies and partners. YALL is a pipeline for the best comedy projects that address pressing social issues.
YALL will select a limited number of Fellows with original comedy projects from the pool of applicants. Fellows will present their original projects at YALL Comedy Fest in New York City (April 2026), to a curated room of traditional and digital media platforms, grantmakers and investors, leading NGOs/nonprofits, production companies, and other select industry players. We aim to build support around each comedy project to accelerate its impact and influence.
YALL also provides year-round pitch training and other professional development opportunities for Fellows to take their project to the next level. Fellows will attend an intensive in-person training in Los Angeles the weekend of November 7-10, 2025. All applicants are asked to hold those dates on their calendar in the case they are selected to the program.
YALL will also select ten or more runners-up as Finalists. The Finalists will receive public recognition of their status as members of the YALL 2025-26 cohort and will receive invites to participate in year-round virtual trainings and other networking offerings from YALL, including the opportunity to submit to perform at YALL Comedy Fest.
See Official Rules for specific entry periods, complete entry details, judging criteria, and prize descriptions.
The Yes, And... Laughter Lab is a project of The Center for Media & Social Impact based at American University’s School of Communications and Moore+Associates, in partnership with 3Arts Entertainment, A Penny For Your Thoughts Entertainment, Above Average, Artists First, BoomGen Studios, CAA Foundation, CAPE, Caring Across Generations, ViacomCBS, Color Creative, Color of Change, Comedy Central, Define American, GLAAD, GloNation, Harness, Imagine Artist Management, Irony Point, Key Rat Inc., Levity Entertainment, MGM, MPAC Hollywood Bureau, MuslimArc, National Lampoon, NBCUniversal, NBCU Launch, Netflix, The Opportunity Agenda, Pillars Fund, Powderkeg Media, RAINN, RespectAbility, Spotify, Starfish Accelerator, Topple Productions, TBS, truTV, Wise Entertainment and WV Entertainment.
Thinking of applying in 2025?
Sign up here to attend our Applicant Webinar taking place Wednesday, May 14 at 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET on Zoom. The YALL team and a 2024 YALL Fellow will answer questions from interested applicants and explain more about the application and selection processes, what it means to be selected as a fellow, and what to expect along the way!
Can’t make it to the live webinar? No problem! The 2025 webinar will be uploaded to our YouTube channel, so please check back there after the event. The 2024 Applicant Webinar is also available to view on our YouTube channel.
Make sure to follow the Yes, And… Laughter Lab on Instagram and Twitter/X @YALLcomedy. Sign up for our mailing list here. To get in touch, please contact us at info@yesandlaughterlab.com
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. See Official Rules here or at www.yesandlaughterlab.com/apply for specific entry periods, complete entry details, judging criteria, and prize descriptions. Void where prohibited.
The personal information collected through this Contest (if any) is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy, located at https://www.american.edu/policies/privacy-notice.cfm and is subject to Submittable’s privacy policy, located at https://www.submittable.com/privacy.
To get in touch, please contact us at info@yesandlaughterlab.com.
Make sure to follow YALL on Instagram and Twitter @YALLcomedy.
DISCLAIMERS:
- In order to apply to become a Yes, And… Laughter Lab (YALL) Fellow, please submit your application by 11:59pm ET Sunday, June 8, 2025
- Please note the deadline to submit is on Eastern Time (11:59pm ET on 6/8). No exceptions will be made for those who miss the deadline
- Selected participants will be notified no later than September 30, 2025
- Each applicant (name on application) may submit no more than one project for 2025 Yes, And...Laughter Lab
- If selected as a Fellow, no more than two attendees per team may participate in the training
- YALL does not assume any rights to any material, content, or ideas submitted, selected, or pitched. You do not give up any rights to your work by participating in the lab
- Fellows will be compensated with a $2,000 Creative Stipend (per team), as well as a Travel Stipend (per person) for any travel expenses to attend the Events (training and showcase) pursuant to the following terms: $1,500 per person if traveling more than 250 miles; $750 per person if traveling between 50-250 miles, and $100 within the metro area. NOTE: No Travel Stipends are available if the event is online. Travel Stipend only applies to up to two people per team
- Fellows will be provided an in-depth, hands-on training from November 7-10, 2025 in Los Angeles. This training is anticipated to take place in person, but certain health & safety precautions may need to be followed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- You must be able to attend the showcase event at YALL Comedy Fest (April 2026) to be selected as a Fellow