Rob Schneider to headline Punching Up Comedy Festival at FreedomFest

FreedomFest 2026 will add the Punching Up Comedy Festival to its July 8-11 program at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, with Rob Schneider headlining the signature comedy night. The free-speech-focused event pairs stand-up, satire and a joke competition with a broader conference expected to draw more than 2,500 attendees.

Why it matters: - The Punching Up Comedy Festival puts comedy and free speech inside one of the country’s biggest liberty-focused gatherings. - The addition gives FreedomFest 2026 a higher-profile entertainment draw while tying satire to the conference’s “Think Independent” theme. - The festival is open to comedy professionals, aspiring comics, creators, podcasters, writers and the public.

What happened: - FreedomFest 2026 will host the Punching Up Comedy Festival July 8-11 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. - Rob Schneider will headline the festival’s signature event, Punching Up: The Funniest Night at FreedomFest. - Lou Perez, Bridget Phetasy and Andrew Heaton are also scheduled to perform. - The festival is produced by Lou Perez of Cancelled Productions and Hatem Gabr of Rethink Production.

The details: - The festival will include stand-up shows, a competition, podcasts, game shows and conversations with comedians and creators. - Organizers say the lineup centers on comedians whose material addresses political and social topics through satire. - The “Truth in Comedy” competition is open to professional comics, first-time comedians and festival attendees. - The competition theme is “Think Funny. Think Independent. Think Free.” - Organizers say the contest is built around free speech, political satire, individuality, independent thinking and challenging convention. - The grand prize includes $500 cash, a trophy on the FreedomFest main stage and a performance slot in the Punching Up comedy show alongside Rob Schneider. - The Audience Favorite Award will be decided by audience vote from the FreedomFest main stage. - Best Original Punching Up Jokes will recognize the festival’s top 10 joke writers. - Rob Schneider is listed as the headliner, with credits from “Saturday Night Live” and “Deuce Bigalow.” - Lou Perez is listed with “We the Internet TV” and “Gutfeld!” - Bridget Phetasy is listed with “Dumpster Fire” and “Walk-ins Welcome.” - Andrew Heaton is listed with Reason TV’s “The Political Orphanage.”

Between the lines: - The comedy festival broadens FreedomFest beyond policy panels and speaker sessions into live entertainment built around satire and contrarian humor. - The lineup blends comedians, commentators and creators, signaling an audience that overlaps with political media and free-speech advocacy. - FreedomFest organizers describe the conference as “the world’s largest annual gathering of free minds.” - The event’s 2026 theme is “Think Independent.”

What’s next: - FreedomFest 2026 runs July 8-11 at Caesars Forum, 3911 S. Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89109. - The conference begins Wednesday, July 8, at noon and ends Saturday, July 11, with the Independence Ball. - Registration options include full conference passes, Anthem Film Lovers passes and one-day passes. - FreedomFest expects more than 2,500 attendees. - The broader 2026 speaker lineup includes Steve Forbes, John Mackey, Adam Carolla, Kelsey Grammer, Kennedy, Dean Cain, Glenn Beck, Nick Shirley and Marissa Streit. - FreedomFest also includes the Anthem Film Festival, the Global Financial Summit, the Tradeshow for Liberty and the Principled Business Pitch Competition. - More information is available at FreedomFest.