Eddie Murphy, Tiffany Haddish, Adam Sandler Set for NBC Hunger Fundraiser

NBC has lined up a slew of comedians — Eddie Murphy, Tiffany Haddish and Adam Sandler among them — for the lockdown-friendly special Feeding America Comedy Festival. 

The two-hour event, set to air May 10, is being done in partnership with Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group and Funny or Die. Like so many specials airing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this one is also a fundraiser, bolstering support and money for hunger-relief organization Feeding America. 

Among the other comedians confirmed to contribute pretaped segments to the telecast are Louie Anderson, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Wayne Brady, Adam Carolla, Cedric the Entertainer, Margaret Cho, Andrew Dice Clay, Deon Cole, Billy Crystal, Whitney Cummings, Tommy Davidson, Bill Engvall, Mike Epps, Billy Gardell, Brad Garrett, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin James, Jim Jefferies, Jamie Kennedy, Keegan-Michael Key, George Lopez, Jon Lovitz, Howie Mandel, Sebastian Maniscalco, Marc Maron, Tim Meadows, Caroline Rhea, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, JB Smoove, Kenan Thompson, Sheryl Underwood Marlon Wayans and Allen. 

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“In partnership with Feeding America, my comedian friends and all of us at Allen Media Group are pleased to announce this global live-streaming comedy event on May 10th,” said Allen, CEO of Entertainment Studios and Allen Media Group, in a statement Thursday. “Laughter is often the best medicine, and we are extremely motivated to bring attention to issues of food insecurity, and to assist in providing meals to families across the country who are financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
 
The special will air on a Sunday night and run from 7 to 9 p.m. ET/PT. More comedians are expected to announce their participation in the coming weeks.

“There’s nothing more important right now than doing everything we can to make sure everyone affected by this pandemic is able to feed themselves and their families,” said NBC Entertainment special programs executive vp Doug Vaughan. “We’re honored to be partnering with Feeding America and the amazing work they’re doing to make sure there is food on everyone’s table.”

Viewers are suggested to support Feeding America via the festival’s website. 

“The coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn it has created is shining a light on the fragile nature of people’s household budgets,” said Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot. “Millions more of our neighbors are turning to food banks for help and we cannot thank Byron Allen and Allen Media Group enough for their support to raise funds and awareness of our work.”