Contest Overview:

The Breakout Comedian of the Year Competition ("Competition") is the flagship event of the Because They're Funny Comedy Festival ("Festival"), This Competition provides a platform for discovering and nurturing burgeoning BIPOC stand-up comedy talent, leading them towards career opportunities in film and television. Drawing hundreds of entries nationwide, the Competition culminates with the top six finalists vying for the grand prize of $10,000 and the opportunity to secure representation by a prominent Hollywood talent agency.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. You must be a legal United States resident, with the unrestricted right to work for any U.S. employer and to live in the United States and you must be eligible to accept the applicable prizes, if awarded. You must provide ABFF Ventures, LLC d/b/a NICE CROWD ("Producer") with any documentation or proof that Producer requests to confirm the foregoing, including, without limitation, (i) a valid US passport or combination of valid US driver's license and valid social security card, and (ii) any work permits required by the state of California (if any).
2. You must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. All applicants who meet this criterion, including all persons significantly older than twenty-one (21) years of age, are welcome and encouraged to apply to be a participant.
3. You must be of African, Latino, Indigenous American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander descent.
4. If you are selected as a contestant, you must be willing to travel (at your expense) to Los Angeles, CA, Aug 13-15 to perform live for the Semi-Finals round. If you are selected as a Finalist, you must be willing to travel (at the Festival's expense) to Washington, D.C. from October 10-12 and be willing to perform live in the Finale show, where a winner (the "Winner") and two (2) runners-up will be selected by a panel of esteemed industry professionals.
5. You do not have any contractual arrangement that would prohibit you from fully participating in the Competition and/or entering into any contracts required by Producer, an agency live performance booking contract, or an exclusive management contract.
6. You may not participate in the Competition if you or any of your immediate family members are an employee, officer, or director of the Producer or any of the sponsors of the Festival as of the date of your entry.
7. You may not participate in the Competition if: (a) the principal source of your income has been derived from performing live comedy shows for the last seven (7) years or more prior to the date of your entry in the Competition; or (b) you have been the headline performer in any comedy program that was produced by or for any major broadcast network, cable network or streaming service or in any advertiser-supported comedy program that was shown on any such network or service.
8. Previous finalists are not eligible to reapply, but all other past applicants, including semifinalists, may submit again.
9. The foregoing eligibility requirements may be amended, revised, or changed at any time and in any fashion in the Producer's sole discretion.

How To Enter/Audition Video Submission Requirements:

1. Complete all required fields and upload one (1) audition video featuring a stand-up comedy routine performed solely by you, of between 4-5 minutes in length, recorded after January 1, 2024.
2. Please state your name and hometown at the top of the submission and record horizontally.
3. Audition video must be an MP4 or MOV file and available online (via video sharing sites Vimeo.com or YouTube.com). If the link is private, you must also provide the password.
4. One (1) entry per person only.
5. Submission Deadline: May 31, 2025.

Judging and Selection of Quarterfinalists, Semi-finalists, and Winner:

1. All eligible submissions will be judged by a panel of industry experts (the "Selection Committee"), whose decisions are final on all matters relating to this competition. The Selection Committee will base its decisions on the following criteria: Performance - 50%, Originality of Material - 50%.
2. Semifinals – Up to sixteen (16) comedians will be selected from the pool of submissions to perform live in Los Angeles in the semifinal round taking place August 13-15 (date subject to change). Six (6) of the competitors (the "Finalists") will be selected by a panel of esteemed industry professionals to advance to the next round.
3. The Finale – The Finalists will perform at the Festival in Washington, DC, on a date between October 10-12. One (1) competitor will be selected as the Winner by a panel of esteemed industry professionals and receive a grand prize of $10,000.