One Liner Madness
Jenni Walkowiak
Contestants at a past 'One Liner Madness' event.
One Liner Madness
The concept of “One Liner Madness” is simple (but the advance coordination required to produce an event sounds like its own show): Put 64 regional comedians in a room and let 'em rip in a bracketed joke battle, with audience applause determining who advances. This traveling showcase was created and is hosted by Emily Winter, a UW-Madison graduate with a prolific resume on the national comedy scene, who not too long ago moved back to the Madison area.
media release: Presented by Midwest Mix-Up.
One Liner Madness is a Time Out Critics' Pick comedy show that travels the country to find the nation's best joke writers. On Friday, Sept. 11, dozens of Wisconsin comedians will go head-to-head in bracketed, March Madness style, single-elimination, one-liner joke contest. The fast-paced competition goes from 64 comedians to a single winner in just 100 minutes. Audience applause determines which performers advance and who ultimately wins the trophy, cash prize, and title of Madison's 2026 ONE LINER MADNESS CHAMPION.
One Liner Madness was created in 2016 by TV writer and comedian Emily Winter and live show producer Larry Mancini, and has been recommended by NPR, Time Out, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Albuquerque's Daily Lobo, LAist, Chicago's WGN and many more.
