Tiffany Haddish has joined the National Comedy Center’s advisory board of the directors. She fills the seat formerly held by the late Carl Reiner.
The announcement coincides with Lucille Ball’s 110th birthday. The center is located in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York.
“Comedy is a true art form — its artists deserve to be celebrated and its creative work needs to be preserved,” Haddish said on Friday morning. “I’m truly honored to be part of the National Comedy Center. Lucille Ball was an extraordinary influence on my career and my work, so to help bring her vision for this cultural institution to life is a dream come true for me.”
Lewis Black, founding chair of the advisory board, said, “On behalf of the entire advisory board, it’s a thrill to have Tiffany Haddish join us. With Tiffany’s participation, we become a more vital resource for all who value comedy’s impact on our world. She pushes our art form forward fearlessly — and believes in the Comedy Center and its important work to tell comedy’s history for generations to come.”
The board also includes Paula Poundstone, W. Kamau Bell, George Schlatter, Laraine Newman, Jim Gaffigan, Peter Docter, Kelly Carlin, George Shapiro, Rain Pryor, Paul Feig, Kitty Bruce, Robert Klein, David Steinberg, Violet Ramis Stiel, Mark Russell, Alan Zweibel, Robin Zweibel, Paul Provenza, Joan Dangerfield, Jeff Abraham and Stephen J. Morrison.
“We are so pleased to welcome Tiffany Haddish to this esteemed board,” National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson said. “It’s particularly meaningful for Tiffany to be joining us on this day — as we remember Lucille Ball on what would have been her 110th birthday. Tiffany’s creativity, talent and commitment to the art form embody Ball’s own pioneering achievements and extraordinary work in front of and behind the camera”
