In 2010 USC became the first university in the nation to offer a program dedicated to training filmmakers in the art of comedy. USC Comedy at the School of Cinematic Arts offers instruction in the writing, directing, production as well as the history and theory of comedy. Students work with a distinguished, award-winning faculty of comedy professionals to discover and develop their comedic voices, while getting unrivaled access to the field through workshops, internships, demonstrations and screenings and festivals.
Students at the USC Comedy Festival
USC Comedy Festival Vol. 1 Women in Comedy Panel (From Left) Barnet Kellman, Liz Meriwether, Chelsea Peretti, Kate Micucci, Riki Lindhome, David Isaacs, Nahnatchka Khan, Jack Epps, Jr. and Joanna Cherensky
The set of USC Comedy Live!
Bill Prady interviews James Burrows at the USC Comedy Festival Vol. 1
Jack Epps Jr interviews Ivan Reitman at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 1
Bill Prady, James Burrows, Paul Junger Witt, Phil Rosenthal, and Larry Wilmore at the USC Comedy Showrunners Summit
James Burrows recieves the Oakie Award at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 2, moderated by Lisa Kudrow
USC Comedy master class with Larry Moss and James L. Brooks
Alumni Paul Feig and Gabe Sachs in conversation about Freaks and Geeks at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 1
Lawrence O'Donnell, Conan O'Brian, Greg Daniels and Al Jean at USC Comedy Festitval Vol. 2 Tribute to the Harvard Lampoon
Peter Segal and Steve Carell at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 1 where Carell received the Jack and Victoria Horne Oakie Award
The cast of the second season of USC Comedy Live!
USC Comedy Co-Founders (From Left to Right) David Isaacs, Barnet Kellman, and Jack Epps Jr.
Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans discuss their work at the USC Comedy 30th Anniversary Screening of Hollywood Shuffle
Audience at a taping of USC Comedy Live!
USC Comedy alumni return to discuss their lives 5 years out of school at the annual USC Comedy Young Alumni event
James L. Brooks and Larry Moss at USC Comedy Directors’ Workshop
Women in Comedy - Stars of Their Own Story at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3 Nicole Byer, Suzanne Todd, Maria Bamford, Cameron Esposito
Paul Feig receives the Jack and Virginia Horne Oakie Award - interviewed by Barnet Kellman at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Students at Physical Comedy Workshop
Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Jerrod Carmichael visit USC Comedy
Beyond Bridesmaids: Women taking Charge of Comedy at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 2 Dana Fox, Tracy Oliver, Jen Statsky, Joanna Cherensky, Katie Dippold
Betty White at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 2
Tribute to Witt/Thomas/Harris Panel at USC Comedy Festival vol. 2 (moderator Ken Levine with Mitch Hurwitz, Jay Sandrich, Tony Thomas, Paul Junger Witt and Betty White)
Norman Lear talks with a student at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
USC Comedy Young Alumni Mixer
Director Jason Reitman visits Barnet Kellman’s Directing Comedy Class
Jason Reitman advises a comedy directing student
Jack Epps Jr. and David Sonne at the Jack and Virginia Horne Oakie USC Comedy Student Film Festival
Murphy Brown creator Diane English and Barnet Kellman at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Alums Rob Turbovsky, Allison Raskin, Lanie Siegel, and Matteo Borghese at the USC Comedy Young Alumni Forum Vol. 3
Director Peter Segal talks with USC Comedy students
Lisa Kudrow received the 2018 Jack and Virginia Horne Oakie Award interviewed by Michael Patrick King
Barnet Kellman with Panelists at USC Comedy Young Alumni Forum Vol. 1
Jay Roach and Norman Lear at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Paul Junger Witt, Dean Elizabeth Daley, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Robert Townsend
Barnet Kellman Interviews Peter Segal
USC Comedy Students in Class
Cameron Esposito on the Women in Comedy Panel at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
USC Comedy Live! Control Room
USC Comedy Live! Student Audience
USC Comedy Live!
Barnet Kellman's Directing Class
Jason Reitman Visits Barnet Kellman's Directing Class
Jason Reitman Visits Barnet Kellman's Directing Class
Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce with Students at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 4
Fraiser 25th Anniversary Celebration
Norman Lear and Frank Rich at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Screening of HBO Comedy Series Crashing and Q&A with Creator and Star Pete Holmes
Young Alumni Mixer Vol. 3
Young Alumni Mixer Vol. 3
Tony Shalhoub with USC Students
Kenya Barris In Conversation With Tim Story
Jack Oakie Comedy Student Film Festival
Diane English, Norman Lear, Frank Rich at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Jay Roach with USC Students at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Issa Rae and Prentice Penny Discuss Insecure at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
The Changing Face of Comedy Panel at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Judd Apatow And Pete Holmes In Conversation at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 3
Women Running the Show Panel at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 4
David Hyde Pierce and Kelsey Grammer at Frasier 25th Anniversary Celebration USC Comedy Festival Vol. 4
Kenya Barris In Conversation with Tim Story at USC Comedy Festival Vol. 4
Tim Story
Lisa Kudrow, Matt Besser, Demetri Martin, and Wayne Federman discuss the question: “Can Comedy Be Taught” during the USC Comedy Festival Vol. 5.
Oakie Award Recipient, Bill Hader, with Wayne Federman during the USC Comedy Festival Vol. 5.
USC Comedy Festival Vol. 6 is happening from Feb 24-26th 2023!
Comedy Legend received our 2024 Oakie Award on March 5th
Henry Winkler
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Comedy Icon Honored by USC Comedy with the Jack Oakie Masters in Comedy
Kenya Barris
Oakie Profile
Mutli Hyphenate Comedy Filmmaker Honored by SCA
Bill Hader
SCA Comedy Fest