By Valerie Milano and Teri Kinne
Video By Teri Kinne (THT)
Palm Springs, California (The Hollywood Times) 09/27/2024 – The desert sizzled last Saturday night at Hotel Zoso in downtown Palm Springs with the 2024 edition of the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival Awards Gala. Creatives of comedy showed up on the red carpet and stage to accept, present, emcee or support and honor the best comedic celebrity talents in stand-up, film and television.
Festival Director/Founder Paul Cruz is responsible for hosting and producing both events. Paul is an actor, writer and producer, he’s committed to showcasing new talent and celebrating creative legends.
“We’re so happy to be back ‘live’ in Palm Springs again after the global challenges of recent years,” comments Cruz. “Saturday’s awards ceremony was magical – a true celebration of inclusivity and diversity, and the healing power of comedy. I’m very humbled that so many of the top names of comedy have come out to the desert to support my event.”
PSICF Hall of Fame Awards were presented to Cybill Shepherd, Tom Arnold, Anne Ramsay (Mad About You, A League of Their Own), Debra Wilson (MAD TV), Will Sasso (Apple TV’s Acapulco, The Three Stooges), and Mo Collins (MAD TV, Parks & Rec, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), which were presented by festival alum Kathy Griffin.
Click below to see our exclusive youtube red carpet video:
THT’s Milano and Kathy Griffin (Photo: Teri Kinne/THT)
Transgender Latina comedian Roz Hernandez was honored with the PSICF Diversity in Comedy Award. Hernandez brings her comedic wit to the Hulu series Living for the Dead, which is executive produced by Oscar-nominated actor Kristen Stewart. Hernandez also hosts the weekly podcast Ghosted!.
Zach Noe Towers, Roz Hernandez, PSICF Founder Paul Cruz, Guest, Anne Ramsay. (Photo: Ashley Mangione)
LA-based comedian, actor, and writer Zach Noe Towers received the 2024 PSICF Breakthrough in Comedy Award. He is featured in season three of Netflix’s Dear White People and hosts the E! series Nightly Pop and Dating #NoFilter. Towers entered the comedy scene in 2018 and was named one of Time Out’s Comics to Watch. Towers was also recognized as one of the New Faces of Comedy at the prestigious Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.
Valerie Milano & Tom Arnold (Photo: Teri/KinneTHT)
Jonathan Kite (2 Broke Girls, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me) was presented with the 2024 PSICF Best Male Stand-up Comedian Award. Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) also received the PSICF Spotlight in Comedy Award.
Queen comedian Luenell (Hacks, Lopez) was named PSICF’s Comedian of the Year for 2024. Although she couldn’t attend in person to accept her award, she sent us a heartfelt and funny video message to convey her appreciation for the recognition.
The family of legendary film director Stanley Kramer, Golden Globe-winning actress Karen Sharpe-Kramer, and daughters Kat Kramer and Jennifer Kramer presented the PSICF Stanley Kramer Mad World Comedy Award to filmmaker Nicholas Eliopoulos for his documentary “Celebrating Laughter: The Life and Films of Colin Higgins.” The film is produced by Dolly Parton, narrated by Cybill Shepherd, and features Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Shirley MacLaine, and Goldie Hawn.
Stanley Kramer’s It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World will be screened on September 29th in honor of the legendary director’s birthday, for which the PSICF award was named after.
Tommi Rose, who is also a board member of PSICF helped produce the nights event. Tommi Rose has been a professional female impersonator, singer and entertainer for nearly 48 years, starring in some of the biggest shows with female impersonators and drag performers. Rose was a headliner and emcee at the world-famous Finocchio’s, Jewel Box Revue, and many productions of Evening At La Cage.
Tommi Rose and Tom Arnold. (Photo: Ashley Mangione)
Notable guests included television actor/host BJ Korros, author/artist James Randall Chumbley, David White – Business Development Director for Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, Joey Ratliff – Business Development for Ramsey Realty, architectural photographer Michael Arden & HIV activist Bob Blackford, Palm Springs internationally acclaimed artist – Nancy Worthington, along with writer/director Odalys Nanin.
The gala was hosted by Egyptian American comedian Ahmed Ahmed who has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, two Showtime comedy specials, and in films Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show, Weeds, Swingers, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, and Iron Man. He directed the award-winning documentary Just Like Us, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was featured on Netflix and other streaming platforms. The documentary earned him an invite to dinner with President Barack Obama at the White House.
Before the evening’s close, Cruz presented a special Hall of Fame Award to Ahmed Ahmed, a true surprise for the comedian. PSICF will present the special live performance Ahmed Ahmed and Friends, on Saturday, October 5th, as well as the premiere of his new comedy special It Only Takes One Of Us on Sunday, September 29 at 8:45 pm, both at the Mary Pickford Theatre.
The Palm Springs International Comedy Festival (PSICF) is a premier annual event celebrating the art of comedy in all its forms. Featuring a diverse array of performances, films, stand-up, sketch comedy, and improv, PSICF attracts top-tier comedic talent and filmmakers from around the globe. The festival is committed to nurturing new talent while honoring comedy legends, making it a significant influencer in the comedy world.
PSICF runs from September 21st – October 6th, 2024. Screenings and live comedy events will be held at The Mary Pickford Theater (36850 Pickfair Street Cathedral City, CA 92234). For more information about the festival, including tickets and program details, please visit www.psicf.org.
THT’s Milano & Cybill Shepard (Photo: Teri Kinne/THT)
