Our Comedians:
October 30, 2024
Murray, Kentucky
Join us as we kick off the Kentucky Comedy Festival with a special “College Night” for Murray State students.
This event is limited to Murray State students and faculty advisors of student groups attending. Murray State students and faculty advisors must RSVP and bring a valid Murray State student or staff ID and at least 2 items of non-perishable food per person for the Racers Supporting Racers food bank to be admitted as we look to have a fun night and also support our fellow Racers.
Kelly Collette
Headliner – October 30
Kelly is a standup comedian and writer who began her career in Cincinnati, Ohio. She now works the road full time, performing in clubs, theaters, and independent rooms. She has been featured on Sirius XM, NPR, and Pandora. Her comedy special, I Made You This, produced by DryBar Comedy, has amassed over 3 million views in clips. She was a finalist on CMT’s Next Big Comic and toured with “The Nobodies of Comedy”, a rotating cast of comedians hand selected as the best unknown talent in the country. Kelly was named Cincinnati Citybeat’s Best Comedian in 2020. In 2022, she was an Artist In Residence at Acadia National Park- the first standup comedian in the National Parks history.
Our Comedians:
November 1 – 2, 2024
Murray, Kentucky
Greg Warren
Headliner – November 1
Greg is a St. Louis native and has been featured on Amazon Prime, The Bob & Tom Show, Dry Bar Comedy, Comedy Central, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and other hosts, Late Night with Seth Meyers, NBC’s Last Comic Standing and much more. His recent special The Salesman has been a massive hit!! Greg has been a great headliner for years and will be a treat to our fans at the Kentucky Comedy Festival.
“Cowboy Bill” William Lee Martin
Headliner – November 2
Hailed as the “King of Cowtown,” Cowboy Bill is one of the fastest growing comedians in the country with over 800,000 followers on Facebook and Instagram, and he has had specials featured on CMT and Amazon Prime. Don’t miss this hilarious Texan as he brings his King of Cowtown tour to Western Kentucky!
Drew Thomas
Friday, November 1
The art of classic stand-up comedy is still a thing! And one of today’s talented comedians lending to that style comes from the voice of Drew Thomas. For over 10 years, Drew has been treating the stage like his home, drawing his diverse audiences into a world of “face hurting” laughter with his quick wit and smooth delivery he gives accounts of relationship follies and keen retorts on everyday life.
Drew Harrison
Friday, November 1
Drew Harrison is a comic on the rise from Nashville, TN by way of Wilmington, NC. A product of small-town, southern USA, Drew takes the absurd and ridiculous events and observations that have shaped his life and blends it into his own style of comedy. Drew is the host and creator of ‘Stoned Cold Sober’ a unique team comedy competition where each comic is at different stages of inebriation. He also is the co-host of the ‘My Funny Friends’ podcast with fellow Nashville comic Will Abeles.
Dave Dugan
Saturday, November 2
Dave’s original, clean humor and observations have earned him appearances on HBO, Comedy Central, Fox, CBS, ABC, the Bob and Tom Show, Sirius/XM and have made him a highly-sought after corporate comedian. An award-winning writer, he customizes humor for each performance to best fit each audience.
Our Comedians:
November 8 – 9, 2024
Paducah, Kentucky
Rik Roberts
Headliner – November 8
Pure Comedy Stress Buster! With over 20 yrs of stand-up comedy experience, Rik delivers a 100% clean comedy show. Rik’s act is multi-dimensional. In addition to his stand-up routines, he engages audiences with original comedy songs. You may even find yourself onstage with him!
Get a sneak peek of Rick and his incredible Barney Fife impression as featured on this Dry Bar Comedy Special.
Don McMillan
Headliner – November 9
What do you get when you cross an Engineer with a stand-up comedian? You get Don McMillan. This former chip designer has been doing his one-of-a-kind, PowerPoint-Driven comedy show for audiences for over 20 years. In his show packed with graphs & charts, Don will show you the funny side of your world that has been sitting right in front of you – you are just too busy working to notice.
Brian Bates
Friday, November 8
Brian Bates is a Nashville based comedian who tours the country performing at comedy clubs, theaters, corporate events, and churches. You may have seen his Dry Bar Comedy specials or heard him as a guest on The Grand Ole Opry. He can also be heard regularly on LaughUSA on SiriusXM radio.When not on the road, Brian joins fellow comedians Nate Bargatze, Aaron Weber and Dusty Slay as one of the hosts of the “NateLand Podcast” which is heard by thousands of listeners each week.
Keith McGill
Saturday, November 9
Keith McGill is clever, insightful, and a little bit eye-opening. His comedy is truth with a twist. Keith was also a STANDUP NBC Competition finalist. As well as touring internationally on Royal Caribbean and Holland America Cruise Lines, Keith has appeared on BET, CMT, LAUGHS on FOX and is a Bob and Tom Show favorite, and a much sought-after entertainer for corporate events
meet your hosts
Ben Wilson, Founder
Kentucky Comedy Festival
Ben Wilson is the founder of the Kentucky Comedy Festival and native of Paducah, Kentucky and Calvert City, Kentucky. He is a 1999 graduate of Murray State University and a 2004 graduate of the University of Miami (FL) law school with a Masters of Law in Real Estate Development. Ben has been practicing law as a real estate attorney in Florida since 2004. He is excited to bring the Kentucky Comedy Festival to his hometown area to bring laughter to Western Kentucky and support to Murray State!
Mallory Hudson
Miss Kentucky 2023
Mallory Hudson served as Miss Kentucky 2023, and was 4th Runner-Up in the 2024 Miss America Pageant. She’s a passionate advocate for inclusion and education. She’s a graduate of the University of Kentucky and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism at Murray State University. Mallory has a strong background in theater, championing her Community Service Initiative, “Inclusive Stages.” She serves as the official spokesperson for Kentucky Proud, supporting local agriculture. Mallory aims to be remembered for her advocacy, leadership, and commitment to empowering others.
Karlie Holmen
Miss Kentucky Teen USA
Karlie Holmen is Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2024 and returns to Co-Host the Kentucky Comedy Festival after Co-Hosting the 2024 Summer Series. Karlie is currently a senior at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky where she is an honors student and a member of the cheerleading team. Karlie has a passion for helping animals, and she plans to attend Murray State University upon graduation from high school to become a veterinarian.
Sponsor Opportunities
Are you looking for an opportunity to support a great cause and gain valuable exposure for your business? Look no further than the Kentucky Comedy Festival Sponsorship program. Contact us to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Presenting Sponsor
$5,000
As a Presenting Sponsor for the festival, you’ll receive a variety of benefits that will give your business the recognition it deserves. For a contribution of $5,000, you’ll receive 40 tickets to the festival, be listed as the Presenting Sponsor on the festival website and marketing materials, with 2 dedicated social media posts promoting only your business. Your business logo and website link will also be displayed on the Kentucky Comedy Festival website to direct our customers to your business website.
Additionally, you’ll get a meet and greet with Kentucky Comedy Festival participating comedians, who have been featured on shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon, America’s Got Talent, Showtime, Dry Bar Comedy, and more.
General Event Sponsor
$2,500
If you’re looking for a more modest investment, our Sponsor package may be the perfect fit. For a contribution of $2,500, you’ll receive 20 tickets to the festival, be listed as a Sponsor on the festival website and marketing materials, with 1 dedicated social media post promoting only your business. Your business logo and website link will be displayed on the Kentucky Comedy Festival website to direct our customers to your business website. And you’ll also get a meet and greet with Kentucky Comedy Festival participating comedians.