Comic Stars Aligning for the 2023 New Hampshire Film Festival Comedy Panel
PORTSMOUTH, NH (September 27, 2023) – If you’re in the mood for some laughs at the 21st Annual New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF), coming Oct. 12-15, look no further than the highly anticipated comedy panel. The signature, annual event will take place Sat. Oct. 14 from 5:00 to 6:20 p.m. at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth.
The NHFF Annual Comedy Panel is a standing-room only event that’s a cross between a talk show and Inside the Actors Studio. Guests will discuss the current state of comedy and offer insight into the entertainment world, while audience members have the opportunity to ask questions.
Popular on-air personality Greg Kretschmar of Greg & The Morning Buzz will return to moderate. This year’s participants include:
Tom Bergeron
As a two-time Emmy award-winning tv host, Tom always guarantees his audience a fun and memorable evening with his wit and humor. He began his broadcasting career in 1972 in his hometown of Haverhill, MA and is known as the longtime host of a hit network show featuring footwork with the famous. Tom also recently wrapped his tenure as the longtime host of a popular show featuring comical clips. His first book “I’m Hosting as Fast as I Can! Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood” released to rave reviews.
Marcy Carsey
Marcy was a partner with Tom Werner in the Carsey Werner Company, responsible for some of the most successful sitcoms in TV history. Born in Weymouth, MA to a dad who worked in the shipyard and a mom who taught her to always go for it, she graduated from UNH and headed to NYC to get a foothold in TV as a network tour guide. She rose through jobs on both coasts, culminating in being named Head of Series Television at a major network in LA. In 1980, she formed her own company and had a great run.
Lenny Clarke
Lenny decided to pursue stand-up one night when he was working as a janitor to put himself through college at UMass Boston. That night he went to the Ding-Ho Restaurant in Cambridge, MA and saw some comics performing. Convinced he could do it too, Lenny returned the next week and the rest is history. After years of hard work, he was “discovered” at the Montreal Comedy Festival. Since then, he’s had his own TV show, appeared for long stints on many successful series, and landed many a feature film role.
Eliza Coupe
Eliza is most known for some really funny roles she played written by some very talented people on some successful shows airing on some big networks. Her career launched from a one woman show, “The Patriots”, that she wrote and performed at UCB/NY. “The Patriots” was later presented at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. She won the “Breakout Award” for that show. She has co-written a feature that she plans to star in and direct that is set in the Granite State. She hails from Plymouth, NH.
Jon Rineman
Jon is a comedian and headwriter who has appeared and written on one of the biggest late-night shows. He is currently host of “Rineman in the Morning” for TownSquare Media and 102.1/105.3 The Shark, and co-host of the WWE/AEW-Centric Podcast “Turnbuckles.” Jon has written for the Golden Globe Awards and the White House Correspondents Dinner, and has performed regularly at the Comedy Cellar and The Comedy Studio. He is a native of North Hampton, NH and a graduate of Emerson College.
The Annual Comedy Panel is open to VIP, Festival and Saturday passholders, which can be purchased HERE. Be sure to arrive early, as this event will fill up.