OUR STORY
ABOUT WFCF
A festival built to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and make Chicago the next great home of comedy discovery.
ORIGIN STORY
Whats Funny Comedy Festival was founded by Knowledge Beckom and Lil Rel Howery with a mission to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and build the cultural infrastructure they deserve. Born from Chicago and rooted in community, WFCF is the kind of festival the founders always wished existed.
OUR MISSION
To spotlight Black and Brown comedians, create pipelines for new voices, and establish Chicago as a comedy discovery hub on par with any city in the world.
ICON AWARD HISTORY
2024
Mary Lindsey
2025
Bob Sumner
FOUNDERS
Knowledge Beckom · Lil Rel Howery
WHY CHICAGO
Chicago has always been a launchpad for the funniest people in America. WFCF doubles down on that legacy — programming across iconic neighborhoods and venues to make the entire city the stage.
YEAR 1 & YEAR 2 HIGHLIGHTS
• Sold-out showcases across multiple Chicago venues
• Live podcast tapings of the Whats Funny Today Show
• National press coverage and industry attendance
• Honoring two comedy icons with the WFCF Icon Award
YEAR 3 VISION
Bigger venues, deeper programming, expanded podcast and video production, and new opportunities for emerging Black and Brown comedians from Chicago and beyond.