In an effort to create a different kind of comedy experience in western Kentucky, Murray State alumnus Ben Wilson is bringing the Kentucky Comedy Festival to the University.

Wilson grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, and graduated from Murray State with a major in environmental engineering technology in spring 1999. After graduation, Wilson worked on various political campaigns, including the campaign of former Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton and the Kentucky Senate campaign for President Bob Jackson.

After graduating from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 2003, Wilson moved to Miami, Florida to obtain his Master of Laws in real estate development. Ever since then, Wilson has worked as a real estate attorney in Miami.

While Wilson says he has always been a comedy fan, it was not until his time in Miami he thought of hosting his own comedy event.

“When I lived in Miami, Comedy Central hosted the South Beach Comedy Festival that brought in a lot of the top comedians of the time, such as Dave Chapelle, Kevin Hart, David Spade to Miami Beach, and I went every year,” Wilson said. “The comedy festival was a big hit in Miami Beach, both from an entertainment perspective and also financially for Miami Beach.”

Wilson began planning the event in 2020, and after careful consideration of the costs, he says he finally decided it was time to bring his passion for comedy back home to Lovett Auditorium.

“I felt that Murray State and Lovett Auditorium would be the perfect location for the Kentucky Comedy Festival because Lovett Auditorium is an amazing and classy venue,” Wilson said.

Wilson says he has several goals for the Kentucky Comedy Festival.

“The goal is for the guests of the Kentucky Comedy Festival to have a really fun time at the event and then to make it an annual event at Lovett Auditorium featuring new comedians each year, if this year’s event goes well,” Wilson said.

Once he found his venue, Wilson faced the challenge of selecting a lineup of comedians. During the selection process, Wilson says he looked for comedians who were funny, had clean comedy acts and diverse stories to tell.

The festival’s current lineup features eight comedians representing many different styles of comedy.

The festival is split between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. The first night’s lineup includes “White Trash Cinderella” Lace Larrabee, Eric O’Shea, Jasmine Ellis and “Kentucky Corp Jester” Mark Klein.

Larrabee, who will be the headliner, has a comedy style that blends observational humor with her Southern background. Larrabee’s debut comedy album, which was released in September 2022, took the No. 1 spot on the comedy charts.

Klein, who is a native Kentuckian, will open on the festival’s first night. Wilson says Klein will provide a Kentucky perspective for audiences.

The second night’s lineup will include Kevin Farley, Tammy Pescatelli, Brad Upton and Katherine Blanford.

Farley, who is the brother of the late “Saturday Night Live” star Chris Farley, will open.

“It is very special to me to be able to bring in Kevin Farley to the first Kentucky Comedy Festival because when I was on [Student Government Association] at Murray State I was pushing really hard to try to get Chris Farley to do a comedy act at Lovett Auditorium,” Wilson said.

Farley will be introduced by Wilson’s “special co-host,” his English bulldog puppy who is named “Farley.”

Blanford, who will follow in the lineup, has a special connection with Murray State: Blanford’s mother is an alumna. Blanford and Larrabee also co-host a podcast together called “CHEATIES!” where they interview guests who have cheated or been cheated on in relationships.

That night’s show will be closed by Upton, who left his job as a school teacher in 1986 to pursue a career in comedy. Throughout his 37-year career, Upton has been featured on “The Tonight Show,” Comedy Central and a new comedy platform named Dry Bar Comedy.

In addition to his effort to make the Kentucky Comedy Festival an annual event, Wilson also will be using the proceeds from the comedy festival to provide funding for his “Living the Dream with Ben and the Bulldogs” scholarship for Murray State intramural sports.

To learn more about tickets and the lineup of comedians featured at the Kentucky Comedy Festival, visit www.kentuckycomedyfestival.com.