Oliver is host of the hit HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which takes a satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events. As a stand-up comedian, Oliver plays to sold-out crowds across the U.S., including two upcoming sold-out performances at New York City's Beacon Theatre on January 30th. Oliver has been hailed by critics and viewers for his work for seven years on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart including an eight-week run in 2013 as guest host. Born and raised in the UK, and now a resident of New York, he has hosted four seasons of John Oliver's New York Standup Show on Comedy Central. The Bugle, his hugely popular podcast with Andy Saltzman, is downloaded more than 500,000 times each week.
Oliver joins comedic giants Lewis Black, Bill Burr, Dane Cook, Billy Gardell and J.B. Smoove, as well as actor Steve Schirripa, who will serve as host of the evening. Joining the celebrated lineup will be an esteemed list of entertainment and sports icons who will serve as presenters for this one-night-only event. Garden of Laughs is Executive Produced by Emmy Award-winning television producer and talent manager Rory Rosegarten.
Tickets for Garden of Laughs, ranging from $50 to $130, are available now through www.gardenoflaughs.com, at the box offices at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre, and through Ticketmaster Charge By Phone (1-866-858-0008) and all Ticketmaster outlets. All net proceeds go directly to Garden of Dreams, a non-profit organization that works with The Madison Square Garden Company to bring the magic of MSG - including MSG Entertainment, the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty and MSG Networks - to children facing obstacles.
Over the last eight years, Garden of Dreams has brought joy and happiness to more than 250,000 children and their families. The Foundation works with 25 partner organizations throughout the tri-state area - including hospitals, wish organizations and community-based organizations - to reach children who are facing challenges such as homelessness, extreme poverty, illness and foster care. Driven by its commitment to truly change lives, Garden of Dreams conducts more than 500 events each year. Through its Garden of Dreams Giving program, the foundation also provides resources to its partner organizations to help them meet critical needs in their service to children. This includes direct support of scholarships and tangible, targeted community projects such as hospital refurbishments and community center refurbishments.
The inaugural Garden of Laughs in 2013 was a sold-out smash, raising almost $1 million - the most successful fundraiser in the eight-year history of the Foundation. The inaugural event was hosted by Bob Costas and featured comedians Ray Romano, Wanda Sykes, Robert Klein, Brian Regan, Darrell Hammond and Adam Ferrera, along with a full lineup of celebrity presenters, including Ben Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Brooke Shields, John Leguizamo and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels.
