Premiering in VR on Thursday, May 16 Exclusively in Meta Horizon Worlds

LOS ANGELES – May 2, 2024 – Meta and The Soapstone Comedy Club are set to premiere the one-of-a-kind VR comedy series, Soapstone Comedy Presents. Step into the virtual comedy world where celebrity comedian headliners Jay Pharoah, Pete Holmes, Natasha Leggero, Ron Funches, Jesus Trejo and Cristela Alonzo come to life as avatars, delivering side-splitting humor like never before. Catch the laughs as they happen during the monthly comedy events in Meta Horizon Worlds where every seat is the best seat in the house – it’s as close to live comedy as you can get without leaving the comfort of home.

Watch the exciting trailer for Soapstone Comedy Presents HERE!

“I’m so excited to continue our partnership with Meta and welcome these world class comedians into The Soapstone,” said Aaron Sorrels, the world creator of The Soapstone Comedy Club. “This community loves to laugh and we are going to be laughing a lot!”

Soapstone Comedy Presents premieres in VR in the brand new world, The Soapstone Comedy Club at Hanalei Bay in Meta Horizon Worlds, with headliner Jay Pharoah on Thursday, May 16 at 2pmPT. Replays will keep the jokes flowing throughout the day at 5pmPT and 8pmPT, with additional replays to follow. Meta Quest VR headset users will be able to access the world HERE, and subscribe to events in the series HERE.

The experience will also be available on web at http://horizon.meta.com and via the Meta Quest mobile app. This immersive VR comedy world additionally offers daily events including trivia, improv, showcases, and more for fans to enjoy in the chill vibe of Hanalei Bay-inspired spaces fostering community and hilarious entertainment.

The series will include six immersive comedy shows debuting monthly through October in The Soapstone Comedy Club at Hanalei Bay. The full season line-up of talented and humorous headliners includes:

●      Jay Pharoah at The Soapstone – May 16, 2024

●      Pete Holmes at The Soapstone – June 13, 2024

●      Natasha Leggero at The Soapstone – July 11, 2024

●      Ron Funches at The Soapstone – August 8, 2024

●      Jesus Trejo at The Soapstone – September 5, 2024

●      Cristela Alonzo at The Soapstone – October 3, 2024

“VR being introduced to the comedy world is a massive move — now the introverts can get in on the action and if you can’t get out for a night, you just pop your headset on, while your kids are destroying your house. Really though, it’s a magnanimous leap for technology. You can sort of be in the atmosphere of an artist you admire from your living room. The future is now the present.” – Jay Pharoah

“Doing standup in VR was like doing standup on the moon, or mars, or perhaps on the moon or mars while wearing a VR headset. I’m excited for people to have a new way to watch comedy and laugh and it was great partnering with Meta and The Soapstone Comedy Club to make that happen!” – Pete Holmes

“The way the world is going I want to live in virtual reality full-time if possible so it was an honor to be involved.” – Natasha Leggero

“I am very excited to be in on the ground floor of a new way to share comedy with people who may not want or be able to attend a comedy club. The metaverse allows accessibility and new experiences to a wide range of people and I’m excited to interact and share joy with them all.” – Ron Funches

“I’m truly grateful to Meta and Soapstone for trusting me to bring my brand of comedy into the virtual world. The whole experience was thrilling, and I really appreciate the chance to be a part of something groundbreaking like this from the very start. To think one can bomb in real life, AND in Virtual Reality is pretty cool! hahaha” – Jesus Trejo

“I am so excited about being part of this because it allows people to have one thing I’m a big supporter of which is access. Stand-up comedy is an art form that many people might not be exposed to. Yes, you can see it online but you have to know to look for it. I am a big supporter of any medium that expands the reach of stand-up comedy into more people’s radar. I loved partnering with Meta and The Soapstone Comedy Club because VR is completely new to me (I love tech but hadn’t played with it yet) and they made it so easy for me to move around in the world and made me excited to see how I can incorporate it into comedy. I love finding new ways of engaging with people because part of the fun for me…is to connect with people.” – Cristela Alonzo

Soapstone Comedy Presents is produced by The Soapstone Comedy Club, B17 Entertainment (a part of Sony Pictures Television), and Nspire Create Labs, in partnership with Meta, bringing the ultimate experience for comedy fans around the world who can now watch their favorite comedians in VR as they go beyond the boundaries of a traditional comedy show in this unique community space. The series integrates audience participation moments with the applause-o-meter, dynamic environment changes and video content, creating an immersive experience for both the audience and performers alike. Users can earn points in the world to become a “SOAPerstar” performer, producer, host, or supporter at any of the scheduled performances or during the The Soapstone Comedy Club world’s open mic experiences happening daily. See you soon in The Soapstone Comedy Club at Hanalei Bay!