On Thursday, the biggest names in comedy descended on the home of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos for a brunch celebrating the third Netflix Is a Joke Festival in Los Angeles.
The biennial comedy festival produced by the streaming giant launched in 2022 and features a range of performances, from stand-up to live podcasts and roast battles.
Matt Friend — an impressionist known for his takes on Jeff Goldblum, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and more — took fans inside the star-studded brunch Thursday, sharing a series of photos and videos on Instagram.
“Netflix Comedy Brunch at the gorgeous home of Ted Sarandos & Nicole Avant… I’m a kid in a candy store! Living the dream, let’s keep going,” Friend wrote in his caption.
Sarandos and his wife, Avant — former U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas — bought their home in L.A.’s Hancock Park for $15 million in 2015.
“This is crazy,” Friend says in the selfie video as he scans the crowd of A-listers behind him. He exclaims, “Oh my god!” as Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy casually shake hands behind him.
As he pans around, a few of the faces include Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Chris Rock, Kate Hudson, Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, John Stewart and Sarandos himself.
Friend then cuts to him asking fellow comic Bert Kreischer how he feels. “I feel f***ing incredible,” Kreischer replies, before Friend pans round to Sarandos, who parodies his famous Trump impression, saying: “I love it! It’s a very important day.”
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
“Wow! This is where the secret service needs to be,” wrote one fan in the comments of Friend’s post.
Another asked: “What is this? The Comedic Avengers?!”
“Nearly every funny person alive is in that photo. Wild,” another added.
Photos shared by the official Netflix Is A Joke Instagram page revealed yet more stars, including: Dave Chappelle, Jelly Roll, Will Forte, David Spade, Ken Jeong and Brittany Snow.
This year’s festival, which is running May 4 to 10, features over 350 events across 35 L.A. venues, including the Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theatre, the Intuit Dome, The Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, and Hollywood Improv.
“What makes this fest so special is the sense of community — it’s a rare moment where the comedy industry and the fans come together in one place,” said Tracey Pakosta, Netflix Vice President of Comedy Series in a statement. “We’re not just putting on shows; we’re creating one-of-a-kind experiences that celebrate the range, depth, and sheer brilliance of the comedy world right now.”